Exploring the surrounding Middle Eastern countries is a good way to learn more about the arab culture and do some sightseeing without having to travel far. Each has its own special attractions that are worth seeing at least once in your life. When travelling, however, even if just regionally, many people are most curious to know how the visa requirements and procedures work. Instead of having to research each country alone, below you will find a brief summary of the visa requirements for the surrounding GCC countries.

Table of Content

Bahrain

Courtesy of BahrainGuide

Sights and attractions

Bab Al Bahrain
The throbbing heart of the island. You’ll quickly discover that life in Bahrain somehow revolves around this landmark. “Bab Al Bahrain” quite literally means “gateway to Bahrain.” When it was originally designed by Sir Charles Belgrave in 1945, it housed the government offices of the time and overlooked the sea as the dock was just where the taxi rank is.

The sea was long ago reclaimed. Government Avenue, which runs alongside Bab Al Bahrain, was built on reclaimed land and essentially ran along the coastline. The bab itself was refurbished in 1986 to incorporate Islamic architectural features. The ground floor now houses a handicraft shop; hours: 8am-noon and 4.30pm-6pm, closed Fridays.

Bab Al Bahrain also serves as the entrance to the suq (bazaar).

Burial Mounds
Death in ancient times. Bahrain has what is believed to be the largest prehistoric cemetery in the world. There were some 170,000 burial mounds dating to between 3000 BC and 600 AD. Road and house construction has probably brought the burial-mound number down to 10,000-20,000.

Each mound contained a stone-built chamber which formed a grave for a person buried in the foetal position along with various elements presumably believed to be needed in the next world. Few of the mounds are intact today, many having been looted in the past or destroyed over the years. The best preserved of the mounds, including tall mounds referred to as royal burial mounds, can be seen at A’ali village.

Hawar Island
45 minutes by boat, but a world away. Hawar Island is just a 45-minute speedboat ride from al Dur pier on the main island to Hawar marina – quite simply, a world away. You’ll be greeted by pristine beaches, cool, blue waters and rarely seen birds. Hawar Resort (tel 1729 0377), the sole but classy hotel on the island, offers excellent sports and recreation facilities. Spending only a day at the resort is guaranteed to recharge your batteries. The hotel offers you a conducted tour of the isle.

Al Areen Park
Wild world. Located 20 kilometres south of Manama, this 16-square-kilometre wildlife sanctuary contains rare and endangered species whose natural habitat is the Arabian peninsula. Inhabitants of Al Areen Wildlife Park include the Arabian oryx, which is virtually extinct in the wild; the Persian gazelle, springbok and impala. A bus tour of the reserve and a film show on the park are highly recommended.

Visa Requirements
You can obtain a visit visa electronically by registering on BahrainVisa. The website allows you to check your eligibility for obtaining a visit visa and also how to obtain them (by internet, embassy, on arrival, or by sponsor)

Oman

Courtesy of LonelyPlanet

Sights and Attractions

Jabrin Castle
Rising without competition from the surrounding plain, Jabrin Castle is an impressive sight. Even if you have had a surfeit of fortifications, make the effort to climb one more keep as Jabrin is one of the best preserved and whimsical of them all. Head for the flagpole for a bird's-eye view of the latticed-window courtyard at the heart of the keep.

Samail
If you have your own vehicle, it's worth visiting Samail. A fort and Oman's oldest mosque are hidden in the plantations but the real attraction is the lush oasis through which the road passes. Masjid Mazin bin Ghadouba Mosque, with wooden lintels and stained-glass windows, has been completely rebuilt and is constructed from blocks of stone.

Wadi Shab
This wadi is arguably one of the most gorgeous destinations in Oman. Beyond the breathtaking entrance, the wadi rewards you with views of aquamarine pools, waterfalls and terraced plantations; kingfishers add glorious splashes of colour. For the adventurous, there are plenty of opportunities for (discreet) swimming and a visit to a partially submerged cave.

Visa Requirements
Courtesy of Oman Access

The single entry visa visa is issued to two groups of nationals:
List No.1
Upon arrival at all land, sea and air terminals whether individually or as part of a group, regardless of their sex or age. It is issued upon arrival in all land, sea and air entry points after duly filling the visa application form. Nationals mentioned in list No. (1) can also obtain on arrival visa when they apply to Oman diplomatic missions and commercial representation offices. Mission and offices can issue the visas without the approval of the Directorate General of Passport & Residency in Muscat. The validity period of the applicant’s passport should not be less than 6 months.

Fee: OMR 6 or its equivalent in other currencies
Visa Validity: One month
Extension Procedure: One month with same fee (OMR 6). The extension application should be presented to the Directorate General of Passport & Residency or its branches.
As per the law, a fine of OMR 10 per day is charged for overstay beyond the validity of the visa.

List No.2
Visa is issued upon arrival in Oman through only air entry points either individually or as part of a group. Nationals of these countries should have purchased a tourist package from tourist companies in their countries which are approved by Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The package should include accommodation and air ticket using either Oman Air or Gulf Air (Oman’s national airline). These visas are granted regardless of sex or age.

Fee: OMR 6 or its equivalent in other currencies
Visa Validity: One month
Extension Procedure: One month with the same fee (OMR 6). The extension application should be presented to the Directorate General of Passport & Residency and its branches. As per the law, a fine of OMR 10 per day is charged for overstay beyond the validity of the visa.

Qatar

Courtesy of Lonely Planet

Sights and Attractions

Al-Shahaniya
Al-Shahaniya is a good place to see camels roaming around the desert and camels racing in a purpose-built stadium. If you have a car - a 4WD is not necessary - it's fun to drive alongside the 18km (11mi) racetrack during the race.

Al-Zubara
Al-Zubara occupies an important place in Qatari history as it was formerly a large commercial region in the 18th century. All that remains is a fort, which has been restored and converted into the Al-Zubara Regional Museum. It has some bleak views from the towers.

Khor Al-Adaid
Understandably promoted as the major attraction in Qatar, this 'inland sea' is actually a huge salt-water inlet jutting into the desert and surrounded by kilometres of towering sand dunes. The best time to visit the dunes is in the late afternoon, but to appreciate the area fully it's best to camp overnight.

Visa Requirements
Courtesy of World Travel Guide

Passports
Passport valid for at least six months required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas
Required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except the following:
(a) transit passengers whose tickets show they intend to continue their journey from the airport within eight hours.

Visa Notes
(a) 1. Nationals of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the USA can obtain tourist visas upon arrival at the airport in Doha for QAR55 for stays of up to 21 days, or business visas for QAR100 for stays of up to seven days. (b) Visitors on tourist visas must fly in using Qatar Airways. (c) All visitors require onward or return tickets; a hotel voucher and QAR5,000 in cash or its foreign currency equivalent; failing that an international credit card must be shown. Visa requirements are subject to change, and travellers are strongly advised to contact an embassy or consulate of Qatar for up-to-date information. (d) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

All children included in the same passport of applicant travelling to Qatar must pay the same fees.

Validity
Single-entry visas permit stays of up to three months. Multiple-entry visas permits stays of up to six months, two years and five years.

Applications To
Consulate (or consular section at embassy); see Contact Addresses for details. Nationals of countries where Qatar has no diplomatic representation should apply for visas through their hotel in Qatar, which will arrange for the visa to be collected on arrival at the airport. Those wishing to visit friends or relatives in Qatar should ask them to apply to the immigration authorities in Qatar on their behalf for a visa. For longer-period visas apply to the Immigration Department, Ministry of the Interior, PO Box 115, Doha (tel: 465 7802; website: www.e.gov.qa). There is now a facility to book all visas online through the Ministry of Interior's website.

Working Days Required
One although it could take as long as three weeks depending on nationality. Applications should be made well in advance of the intended departure date.

Kuwait

Courtesy of Lonely Planet

Sights and Attractions

Failaka Island
The home of Kuwait's main archaeological site, Failaka is definitely worth a visit. However, bear in mind that the Iraqis made Failaka into a heavily fortified base and filled the area with mines and, although these have been cleared, caution should still be taken. There are plans to turn the island into a luxurious holiday resort for tourists.
Failaka's history goes back to the Bronze Age Dilmun civilisation, which was centred in Bahrain. The Greeks arrived in the 4th century BC in the form of a garrison sent by Nearchus, one of Alexander the Great's admirals.
A small settlement existed on the island prior to this, but it was as the Greek town of Ikaros that the settlement became a real city. The Greeks lived on Failaka for two centuries. The centrepiece of the island is its temple.

Oil Display Centre
The oil display centre is a well-organised and self-congratulatory introduction to the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) and the country's oil business. It's located in Al-Ahmadi, built to house Kuwait's oil industry in the 1940s and 50s and named for the then emir, Sheikh Ahmed.

Red Fort
Also known as the Red Palace, the Red Fort is a low rectangular mud structure near the highway, its name apparently deriving from the colour of its walls. Built around a large open courtyard with several annexes on its western side, the fort played a key role in the unsuccessful 1920 siege of Al-Jahra by the future king of Saudi Arabia.

Visa Requirements
Courtesy of Kuwaitiah


Citizen of other GCC states have a right to enter and live in Kuwait without undergoing any particular formalities.

Kuwait will grant 34 nationalities entry visas upon arrival, according to a new decision from the Ministry of Interior (Feb. 2004).
Among those that will benefit are nationals from the:

USA.
UK.
France.
Italy.
Germany.
Canada.
Australia.
New Zealand.
Japan.
The Netherlands.
Belgium.
Luxembourg.
Switzerland.
Austria.
Sweden.
Norway.
Denmark.
Portugal.
Ireland.
Greece.
Finland.
Spain.
Monaco.
the Vatican.
Iceland.
Andorra.
San Marino.
Liechtenstein.
Brunei.
Singapore.
Malaysia.
Hong Kong.
South Korea.
China.

Other countries can obtain visas through Kuwait Airways offices as the airline has an online facility to process the visa through the Ministry of Interior.

But all other nationals are subject to strict rules of entry and registration as foreigners under the sponsorship of Kuwaitis or Kuwait companies or as dependents of foreigners under who already enjoy residence under Kuwait sponsorship. There are two basic types of visa, a visit visa and a residence visa.
A foreigner whose country without a visa abolition treaty with Kuwait, ie a treaty permitting Kuwait to enter their country without a visa, may be granted reciprocal rights in the Kuwait. These persons however may require an entry permit. Fntry permits are acquired in the same way and under the same procedures as visit visa.
International airline have been instructed by the Kuwaiti authorities not to board passengers for Kuwait unless they have valid visas or entry permits.

Application for a Visit Visa
Visit visas and entry permits are valid for entry within 90 days of issue and then for a stay of up to 30 days only after entry, A visit visas costs KD 3/- . Entry permits are free.
A visit to Kuwait must be sponsored by a Kuwait individual or company, or a resident foreigner who is relative of the visitor while he or she is in Kuwait.

To obtain a visit visa for a business, visitor, a Kuwait sponsor or company will require:
· Visa application and security from completed by the sponsor
· Copy of the visitor's passport
· Copy of the sponsor's signature as registered for business purposes
· Copy of the letter of invitation from the sponsor to the business visitor stations the purpose of the visit.

To obtain a visit visa for a relative, a resident foreigner will require:
· Visa application and security form completed by the sponsor
· Copy of the visitor's passport
· Original and copy of the sponsor's passport
· Original and copy of the sponsor's civil ID
· Original and copy of the sponsor's work permit (Private sector empolyees)
· Recent salary certificate from the sponsor's employer
· Authenticated proof of the family relationship

Usually the sponsor of a relative is expected to be earning at least KD 450 per month if he works for the government and at least KD 650 if he work in the private sector.

Normally a visitor goes to a Kuwait embassy to have his visa processed and passport stamped before travelling to Kuwait. However a Kuwait sponsor can use a faxed copy of the visitor's passport to obtain the visa in Kuwait. The sponsor then faxes a copy of the visa to the visitor (to enable him to travel to Kuwait) and meets him at the airport with the original visa. The sponsor deposits the visa papers at a special counter in the arrival hall and the visitor must pick these up at a similar counter inside the immigration area in order to complete entry formalities.

Either way, obtaining a visit visa takes about two working days, Hotels can also arrange visit visas for business but they take about a week to do so, naturly enough, expect the visitor to stay with on arrival.

Vaccinations
As a general rule, vaccination certificates are not required, though travelers arriving from areas infected by cholera and yellow fever may need proof of inoculation. Persons from areas where there has been an outbreak of certain communicable diseases may be obliged to undergo a medical examination a few days after arrival. The latest position should be checked with Kuwait consulates aboard before travelling.
Kuwait is as diseases-free as Europe and North America and no Particular precautions are recommended, though up-to-date medical advice should be obtained before travilling.

Address in Kuwait
When entering Kuwait, a visitor fills in s entry from at the airport, on which he states where he is going to stay. For a business visitor this will probably be a hotel. Hotel Managers are obliged to inform the ministry of the interior wherever an expatriate checks in or out and do so routinely. A visitor who changes his address in Kuwait must inform the Immigration Department within 48 hours of doing so.

Lebanon

Courtesy of IGoUGo

Sights and Attractions

Baalbek
The Temples of Baalbek are the pride of Lebanon and are Lebanon’s most impressive, and noteworthy historical sights. In general, the sad story of Lebanon is that all of its historical sights pale in comparison to similar ones that can be found in nearby Turkey, Syria, or Jordan, but Baalbek is the one sight that Lebanon can claim as a unique and unlike anything else in the world.

Byblos
Byblos, or Jbail in Arabic, is supposedly the oldest settlement in the world, and has been continuously inhabited since Neolithic times. A major city of the Phoenicians, the city fell into the hands of the Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Ottomans, and according to Tony, fifty years ago a family was still found living among the ruins.

Beit Ed-Dine Palace
Set dramatically in the Druze heartland of the Chouf Mountains, Beit ed-Dine is a beautiful 18th-century palace constructed by the rebel ruler Emir Bashir Shihab II. It is now a large monument to Druze culture and one of the singularly most impressive historical monuments in Lebanon, a must-see for all visitors to Lebanon.

Jeita Grotto
The Jeita Grotto is a little piece of Disneyland inside Lebanon. A series of spectacular caves that cut deep into the mountains north of Beirut, Lebanon, has put all its effort into turning this natural wonder into the sort of tourist haven you imagine you would have found back on old Route 66. Still, besides all the cheese and pomp pumped into the site, it is well worth a visit because the caves truly are fantastic.

Visa Requirements
Courtesy of Learn4Good

Who requires a visa?
Required by all except the following:
(a) nationals of Syria for unlimited stays, provided arriving directly from Syria (check with Embassy for current regulations);
(b) nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for stays of up to 3 months;
(c) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding onward or return documentation and not spending the night at or leaving the airport.

Note: 1. The following can obtain their visas on arrival at Beirut International Airport or any other port of entry at the Lebanese border, providing passport holders do not possess an Israeli stamp, and they hold return or onward tickets:
(a) nationals of countries listed in the chart above;
(b) nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China (PR), Costa Rica, Cyprus, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Korea (Rep), Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Singapore, Switzerland and Venezuela.
The above list is subject to frequent changes. All visitors requiring a visa should contact the Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy) before leaving for details about where to obtain their visa; see Contact Addresses section.
Restricted entry: The Government of Lebanon refuses entry to holders of Israeli and Palestinian passports, holders of passports containing a visa for Israel, valid or expired, used or unused and passports with entry stamps to Israel.

What documents will be required?
Passport valid for 6 months required by all except nationals of Syria arriving from their country with a valid national ID.
Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section.

Application requirements: (a) Valid passport. (b) Two completed application forms. (c) Two passport-size photos. (d) Fee payable by cash or postal order only. (e) For Visitor visas, a letter of invitation from Lebanese host or confirmation of accommodation booking from travel agent. (f) For Business visas, a letter of invitation from the Lebanese host company and/or the applicant’s company in country of origin. (g) Stamped, self-addressed, registered envelope for postal applications.
Note: Children under 18 years old require written consent from their parents/guardian before their visa can be processed.

Time required to issue visa:
1 to 2 days.

What is the cost of a visa?
Visitor and Business: £25 (single-entry); £50 (multiple-entry). Transit (available at the border): US$25.

How long is the visa valid for?
Visitor visas are generally issued for stays of up to 3 months.

Other information:
Temporary residence: Formalities for temporary residence will be arranged in Lebanon. For details of student and employment visas, enquire at Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section.

Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest Lebanon embassy for information on what documentation you may require to enter Lebanon.