Bahrain Overhauls Visa Regime for Travellers

Bahrain has launched the fourth phase of its new visa policy with the announcement of a new single entry visa and one-year multiple re-entry e-visa.

The new single entry visa will enable up to two week stay, while the one-year re-entry visa will allow for a stay period of up to 90 days.

A total of 114 countries are eligible for the new visas, including GCC residents.

Also announced was a change to the three month multiple re-entry visa, which now allows for a one month stay.

Stays were previously restricted to two weeks.

The final announcement saw citizens of the US, Canada, UK and Ireland gain a longer stay period for the five-year multiple re-entry visa.

Visa holders will now be able to stay for 90, instead of 30, days.

Last year the country recorded 315,943 visitors from the UK & Ireland, as well as 256,439 from the USA and 79,127 from Canada.

Bahrain interior ministry’s undersecretary of nationality, passport and residence affairs, Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, said: “This new round of visa announcements represents another step for Bahrain’s commitment to openness.

“We have taken great strides in recent years in making the country even more accessible, helping both leisure and business tourists.

“These developments further aid Bahrain’s standing as a regional hub, which is why so many tourists and businesses are looking to the country as the ideal Middle East destination.”