As VisaGuide.World reports, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe have announced plans to make it easier for foreign tourists to travel within their territories without the need for separate documents. The authorities of these countries agreed to begin work on the introduction of a single visa similar to the Schengen one.

The introduction of this visa will allow travelers to avoid having to obtain a separate entry permit for each country. The new single visa will allow them to enter Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe without the need for additional documents.

Zambia and Zimbabwe already have a so-called “univisa”, which allows its holders to enter both countries on one document, as well as make short trips to Botswana. In order for the Univisa to cover more countries and make travel in this region more convenient and enjoyable, expansion is planned to include Angola and Zimbabwe in the near future.

Commenting on plans to introduce a Schengen-type visa, the authorities said that the main goal of this step is to attract more tourists. They believe that a single visa will make countries more attractive, since document holders will not have to worry about obtaining multiple visas. Travelers will also be able to explore more countries in one stay without having to spend a lot on flights at different times of the year.

It is noted that the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will also soon introduce a single visa. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait have decided to call their single visa GCC Grand Tours. With this visa, travelers will be able to stay in the GCC countries for more than 30 days without the need to undergo additional procedures.

The GCC Grand Tours visa will work similarly to the Schengen visa. This means that if a foreigner obtains a visa in one of the GCC countries, he will be able to enter the remaining countries without the need for a separate visa.

The authorities of the GCC countries noted that this type of visa will help them retain tourists. They further emphasized that this visa will help the GCC countries become more popular travel destinations.