Visas are required by all visitors to Bahrain except passport holders of the GCC States. All other visitors require one of the following visas:
Visiting and Tourist Visas
Under the new visa policy, being implemented in stages between October 2014 and early 2015, visitors from 66 countries will be able to receive visas upon arrival in Bahrain. These visitors will also be eligible to apply for their visas electronically ahead of their arrival in the Kingdom, further easing their travel experience.
Visitors from a further 36 countries will also be able to exclusively obtain electronic visas, bringing the overall total of countries eligible to receive e-visas to 102. E-visas can be obtained ahead of travel through a simple online application process, at http://www.evisa.gov.bh/.
Countries Eligible for Visa on Arrival (Also Eligible for E-Visa)
• Andorra
• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Chile
• China+
• Colombia
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Ecuador
• Estonia
• Falkland Islands
• Finland
• France
• French Guyana
• Germany
• Greece
• Guyana
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Kazakhstan+
• Latvia
• Lichtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxemburg
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Mexico
• Monaco
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Russia+
• San Marino
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Korea+
• Spain
• Suriname
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Thailand+
• Turkey+
• United Kingdom
• Uruguay
• United State of America
• Vatican City
• Venezuela
Countries Eligible for E-Visa
• Anguilla
• Antigua & Barbuda
• Aruba
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• British Virgin Islands
• Caribbean Netherlands
• Cayman Islands
• Cuba
• Curacao
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Grenada
• Guadeloupe
• Haiti
• India
• Indonesia
• Isle of Man
• Isle of Wight
• Jamaica
• Jordan
• Martinique
• Montserrat
• Pakistan
• Puerto Rico
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Kitts & Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Martin
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Sint Maarten
• South Africa
• Taiwan
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks & Caicos Islands
• US Virgin Islands
Both business visitors and tourists will be able to spend longer periods of time in the Kingdom, as the new policy dictates that visas will be valid for a month and can be renewed for up to three months. Multiple entry visas will also begin to be issued.
GCC residents of any nationality will be eligible to receive visas on arrival providing their residency has been valid for 3 months, making it easier for expats living in the region to travel to Bahrain.
Current requirements to live and work in Bahrain
Anyone wishing to live and legally work in Bahrain will need to apply for the following visas and permits. Employers are advised to arrange and process necessary documents to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority prior to the arrival of their employees and dependents.
Work Visa – submitted to and issued by Labour Market Regulatory Authority.
Requirements:
Visa application form
Employee’s passport
Passport size photograph
Sponsorship Letter: a letter of employment indicating employer’s name/organization, commercial registration number, employee’s capacity, salary, contract duration, employee’s name, birth date and nationality
Copy of the contract
Health record from an authorised clinic
BD 200 fee (for 2 years) and BD 10 payable monthly per registered employee
Residency Permit (Family Visa) – submitted to Labour Market Regulatory Authority and issued by General Department for Nationality & Passport Residence.
Requirements:
Application form
Employee & family’s passport copies
Employee’s sponsorship letter
Employee’s contract
Family health record from an authorised clinic
BD 90 fee per applicant
CPR Card (Identification Card) – submitted to and issued by Central Informatics Organization.
Requirements:
Employee (or spouse) passport
Sponsorship letter stating names of dependents
Marriage certificate (for spouse) and birth certificate (for children)
Free of charge
