Kuwait Travellers Still Need Schengen Visas as EU Opens Waiver Talks, No Date Set

The Council of the European Union adopted five sets of conclusions on 19 October 2026 that open the way for a possible Schengen visa waiver for citizens of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar. The move does not change entry rules yet: travellers from these five countries still need a Schengen visa for short stays.

Key facts

• Decision date: Council conclusions adopted on 19 October 2026
• Countries covered: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar
• What it is: the start of visa waiver procedures, not an approved exemption
• Start date: none announced
• Current rule: Schengen visas remain required for short stays

What did the EU decide?

The Council welcomed the European Commission's intention to initiate visa waiver procedures with the five Gulf countries. The five documents use nearly identical language, and each stresses that the Council and EU member states must be fully involved at every stage of the process.

On 5 October, the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper), which brings together EU member states' ambassadors, had already reviewed the conclusions and the accompanying action plans. The decisions mark progress in discussions between the European Union and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), although no visa exemptions have been formally approved.

What conditions still have to be met?

The Council states that lifting visa requirements would only be considered once all previously established criteria have been fully met. The documents adopted on 19 October do not list those criteria, but refer to an assessment process to be carried out with each country.

EU visa liberalisation assessments generally cover areas including travel document security, border management, migration issues and security cooperation. Any eventual exemption would also require the appropriate legal decisions at EU level. No date has been announced for when a potential visa waiver might take effect.

What is the background for Kuwait and Qatar?

On 27 April 2022, the European Commission proposed waiving short-stay visa requirements for citizens of Kuwait and Qatar, seeking to move both countries onto the EU's list of visa-exempt states for stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. That legislative process has not yet produced an actual visa exemption. The latest conclusions now place Kuwait and Qatar alongside Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman in a broader initiative.

Among the six GCC member states, only the United Arab Emirates already has visa-free short stays in the Schengen Area, under an agreement signed on 6 May 2015 allowing stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This EU initiative is separate from the proposed unified tourist visa for the six Gulf countries, which concerns travel between countries within the region.

What this means for travellers

Citizens of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar must continue to follow existing Schengen visa application procedures for short stays, unless they qualify for a specific exemption based on their individual circumstances.

If visa-free travel is eventually granted, travellers from the five countries would generally need an ETIAS travel authorisation once the European system becomes operational, as applies to other visa-exempt travellers, subject to exceptions under EU rules. ETIAS is an electronic travel authorisation obtained before departure, unlike a visa. The official ETIAS website confirms the system is not yet operational and is not accepting applications.

Next steps depend on the European Commission formally launching the planned assessments, the countries concerned meeting the required criteria, and subsequent decisions by EU institutions.