RIYADH, 2 May 2007 — Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed an agreement to permit their citizens to travel between the two countries with just ID cards instead of passports.
This was announced by Abdul Rahman Al-Attiyah, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, in Riyadh yesterday following the signing of the agreement.
“The agreement would contribute to strengthen the bond between the Gulf nationals and will simplify travel between the two countries,” the GCC secretary-general said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency. “It will further integrate the economy, trade exchange and tourist activities in addition to increasing social and cultural ties,” he said.
All six GCC countries have agreed that citizens will not need a passport when traveling between member countries and that they will use a smart card ID instead. The Kingdom has been holding talks with the GCC states to reach bilateral agreements in this regard.
According to GCC regulations, citizens of all GCC countries are allowed to travel freely between member states. They are also entitled to receive the same benefits as nationals of the country when applying for jobs in any GCC state.
