UAE considering visa-free travel for Gulf residents

The United Arab Emirates is considering plans for a visa system that would make it easier for residents to travel to neighboring Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia. A new visa system would allow residents of the Gulf Cooperation Council to travel freely within countries that make up the bloc, including Saudi Arabia, UAE Economy Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri told a conference in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The regime could be introduced "very soon," he said.

The GCC group also includes Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. Citizens of the six-member bloc can travel freely across borders without applying for a visa. Foreigners – who make up the majority of their population and come from all over the world – often still need visas to cross the GCC's borders.

Asked about growing competition with neighboring Saudi Arabia, Al Marri said what is good for the kingdom is good for the wider region, including his country.

Saudi Arabia's bid to attract emigrants got off to a rocky start. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates - home to the Middle East's commercial hub Dubai - has seen a surge in new arrivals, partly due to government moves to ease social restrictions. This includes decriminalizing cohabitation between unmarried couples, allowing civil marriages and abolishing liquor license fees.

Still, UAE officials say the competition is healthy and suggest the region is becoming more attractive. Visa-free travel between residents of these countries should complement this stance by supporting tourism, Al Marri said.

"What's good for Saudi Arabia is good for the GCC," he told the conference. "If the tide comes in, it will lift all boats."