Visa policy of Bahrain explained

Most visitors to Bahrain may obtain a visa on arrival or an e-Visa before traveling.[1]

Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have freedom of movement in Bahrain and may enter with a national ID card.[2]

Passport must be valid for 6 months from arrival and visitors must hold return or onward ticket.[3]

Overview

In October 2014, Bahrain implemented a new visa policy that makes it easier for incoming travelers to get Bahraini visas. Travelers must have a passport that is valid for at least six months and a visa to enter Bahrain.[4] However, travelers from approved countries can now get their visas online or when they arrive in the country. Bahrain has issued more visas since the policy was implemented than it did before.[5] Starting in April 2015, Bahrain began sending applicants confirmations of their application status by text messaging.[6]

In November 2016, Bahrain adopted new visa policy rules defining a two-week allowed stay on a single entry visa and a 90-day stay on a multiple entry visa valid for one year. In addition, a multiple entry visa valid for three months allows stay for one month. Citizens of Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom may obtain a five-year multiple entry visa allowing a 90-day stay on each visit.[7]

In October 2020, the United States and Bahrain introduced a reciprocal agreement for a 10-year multi-entry visa scheme for citizens of both countries which also unifies the processing fees and validity of the visa at 90-days per visit for a cost of 160 USD (60 Bahraini Dinars).[8]

Visa exemption

Citizens of the following GCC countries may enter Bahrain without a visa and may use a national ID card:

Freedom of movement

Non-ordinary passports

In addition to countries whose citizens are visa-exempt, holders of diplomatic or official/service passports may enter Bahrain without a visa for the following period:

90 days

30 days

Visa on arrival or e-Visa

Citizens of all countries may obtain a visa on arrival or online, except for the following countries whose citizens must have a guarantor (Bahraini commercial entity or a Bahraini individual) to obtain a visa:[9]

Visas may be either single entry or multiple entry, and must be used within 3 months from the date of approval. In case of a visa rejection, processing fee is non-refundable whereas visa fee is refundable under certain circumstances. However, the refund request must be initiated by the applicant.[10]

Visa policy Validity Number of entry Duration of stay Total price
eVisa 2 weeks Single 2 weeks 9 BHD
3 months Multiple 1 month 16 BHD
1 year Multiple 90 days 44 BHD
5 years* Multiple 90 days 64 BHD
Visa on arrival 2 weeks Single 2 weeks 5 BHD
3 months Multiple 1 month 12 BHD

E-Visa Application Requirements

E-Visa applicants must supply scanned copies of following documents along with their visa application:[11]

Applications are processed in approximately 3 to 5 working days.[12]

Residents of GCC Countries

Legal residents of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, irrespective of their nationality and except Iranian citizens, may obtain a visa online or on arrival at any port of entry, subject to the following conditions:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bahrain Electronic Visa Service . 2023-08-26 . www.evisa.gov.bh.
  2. Web site: September 20, 2023 . Visas . September 20, 2023 . Kingdom of Bahrain's National Portal.
  3. Web site: What are the conditions? . evisa.gov.bh . 2014-10-01 . 2016-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054548/http://www.evisa.gov.bh/VisaBhr5En.html . live.
  4. Web site: Bahrain . U.S. Passports & International Travel; United States Department of State . 24 September 2014 . 20 May 2015 . 5 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905123415/http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/bahrain.html . live .
  5. Web site: New visa policy in Bahrain leads to sharp rise in business and leisure travelers . Gulf News Journal . 20 May 2015 . 20 May 2015 . Smith-Teutsch, Amanda . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000514/http://gulfnewsjournal.com/stories/510545844-new-visa-policy-in-bahrain-leads-to-sharp-rise-in-business-and-leisure-travelers . live .
  6. Web site: NPRA launches SMS visa service . Bahrain News Agency . 25 April 2015 . 20 May 2015 . 13 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150713085306/http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/665595 . live.
  7. Web site: Bahrain launches two new visas for 114 countries. November 20, 2016. Al Arabiya English.
  8. Web site: Bahrain launches 10-year multiple-entry visa for US citizens. Varun. Godinho. October 12, 2020. November 22, 2020. October 28, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201028152721/https://gulfbusiness.com/bahrain-launches-10-year-multiple-entry-visa-for-us-citizens/. live.
  9. Web site: F1 visa procedures announced . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006093959/http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=372197 . 2014-10-06 . 2014-03-11.
  10. Web site: Bahrain eVisa.
  11. Web site: Bahrain Electronic Visa Service . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220416040000/https://www.evisa.gov.bh/VisaBhr5En.html . 2022-04-16 . 2022-03-07 . www.evisa.gov.bh.
  12. Web site: Bahrain Electronic Visa Service . www.evisa.gov.bh . 2022-03-07. 2022-03-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220307024351/https://www.evisa.gov.bh/VisaBhr3En.html . live.