The EU's harmonisation of Schengen visa rules for GCC citizens is likely to encourage more Gulf students, entrepreneurs and tourists to visit the continent, the EU's special representative to the Gulf region, Luigi di Maio, said on Monday.
Citizens of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman are now entitled to a five-year, multiple-entry visa to the Schengen area on their first request, instead of having to initially apply for shorter visas.
At the same time there has been a surge in UAE applicants to UK universities even as university leaders warned of an overall drop in international applications.
This EU process was granted last year to Kuwaiti and Qatari nationals. The UAE is not affected as it has a reciprocal visa-free system with the EU.
“It's an incentive to apply for a visa – it's a problem sometimes for entrepreneurs to ask many times for the same visa,” Mr di Maio said.
“It's very good for touristic flows and also a very good thing for researchers and students who want to come to Europe for their studies and internships.
“They were already welcome and are even more welcome,” he said.
The EU's decision to enable all GCC citizens to request a multiple-entry, five-year Schengen visa came into force earlier this month and was announced by EU Foreign Affairs Minister Josep Borrell on April 22 at the first high-level EU-GCC security forum.
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The decisions to organise the forum and to introduce visa harmonisation are part of the follow-up to the EU's 2022 strategic partnership with the Gulf and a signal of warming relations.
“It is a significant step in strengthening people-to-people relations between the EU and the GCC,” Emily Tasinato, a researcher and analyst focused on politics and security in the Gulf region, told The National.
Schengen countries include all EU states except for Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania.
The National breaks down the new rules for you.
What has changed?
Multiple-entry visas allow the holder to spend 90 days at a time within the Schengen area over 180 days, as many times as required. For longer stays, visitors have to request long-term visas or residency permits.
Before this week's decision to harmonise rules, varying exemptions to the 2020 EU Visa Code were in force regarding GCC countries.
Under the EU Visa Code, travellers must first ask for a short-stay visa. Depending on their visa history, they may gradually be granted longer visas, starting at one year, then two years, up to a maximum of five years. This system is called a “cascade” visa regime.
Citizens of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain faced different procedures to those from Kuwait and Qatar. Omani citizens followed a third system.
From September, citizens of Qatar and Kuwait could directly request a five-year multiple entry visa. Before the change, they had to first ask for a one-year multiple entry visa, then a two-year visa, then a five-year visa.
Those rules also applied to Saudi and Bahraini nationals before the recent harmonisations in November 2022 and July 2023.
Omani citizens were immediately granted a two-year multiple entry visa on their first request, followed by a five-year visa.
An April 2022 request by the European Commission to grant Qataris and Kuwaitis visa-free access to Schengen was not approved by the European Parliament due to a corruption scandal allegedly involving lawmakers and Qatari and Moroccan officials.
The introduction of a general waiver for those two countries is not expected before a European election in June, said Mr Di Maio.
“We can speak about that after the formation of the new parliament and the formation of the new commission.”
What's the point?
Visa harmonisation represents more than just a “business dynamic”, said Mr Di Maio. It's a “political signal”, he said, responding to a question from The National. “Now all countries are synchronised at the maximum level of their access and validity of their visa.”
The decision to harmonise rules for GCC countries was based on an assessment by European consulates related to the “very specific context of the Gulf countries”, a commission official told The National.
This context includes “very low migratory and security risks associated with nationals of these countries” and a desire to harmonise rules for all GCC nationals, they said.
What are the financial requirements?
The visa fee is currently set at €80 ($86).
Visa-issuing authorities have to check that the applicant has sufficient means of subsistence, both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to his country of origin or residence. This applies to all visa-required countries.
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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Read more from Aya Iskandarani
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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RESULT
Manchester United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Man United: Sanchez (24' ), Herrera (62')
Spurs: Alli (11')
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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