GCC Government Services by Country
Each country runs its own portals, fee structure, and quirks. Compare the six Gulf states below, then open a dedicated guide for yours.
Reviewed June 2026 by the Wathim GCC Services Desk
GCC government services by country: an overview
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is made up of six member states: the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait. Although they share a customs union and broadly similar residency rules, each country runs its own e-government portals, charges fees in its own currency, and issues its own resident identity card. There is no single Gulf-wide portal, so the right starting point almost always depends on which country you live or work in.
In practice that means a UAE resident renews through Emirates ID and ICP or GDRFA, while a Saudi resident uses Absher and Muqeem, a Qatari resident uses the Metrash2 app, and Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait residents work through their own national systems. Residency permits and ID cards typically run on one-to-three-year renewal cycles that you manage online or at an accredited service centre. The table and country guides below map each state to its main portal, ID system, and currency so you can find the correct authority fast.
Compare the six GCC countries
| Country | ISO | Main portal | Resident ID | Currency | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 United Arab Emirates | AE | ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security) | Emirates ID | UAE Dirham (AED) | UAE guide |
 Saudi Arabia | SA | Absher (Absher Platform) | National ID / Iqama | Saudi Riyal (SAR) | KSA guide |
 Qatar | QA | MOI Qatar (Ministry of Interior - Qatar) | Qatar ID (QID) | Qatari Riyal (QAR) | Qatar guide |
 Bahrain | BH | LMRA (Labour Market Regulatory Authority) | CPR card | Bahraini Dinar (BHD) | Bahrain guide |
 Oman | OM | ROP (Royal Oman Police) | Resident Card | Omani Rial (OMR) | Oman guide |
 Kuwait | KW | PACI (Public Authority for Civil Information) | Civil ID | Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) | Kuwait guide |
Main portal shows the lead authority for each country from our portals registry; many states run several portals (for example, the UAE lists 25). Currencies and ID systems are the standard national references for each state.
Open a country guide
United Arab Emirates
UAE government services are split between federal (ICP, MOHRE) and emirate-level bodies (GDRFA Dubai, Amer centres).
- •Emirates ID required for all residents
- •ICP Smart Services for most federal services
- •GDRFA Dubai for Dubai residency
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia runs most resident-facing services through Absher (resident-side) and Muqeem (sponsor-side).
- •Absher is the primary resident-facing portal
- •Iqama (national ID) renewed annually
- •Muqeem used by employers and sponsors
Qatar
Qatar centralises resident services under the Ministry of Interior, with the Metrash2 mobile app as the main daily channel.
- •Qatar ID (QID) required for all residents
- •Metrash2 app handles most renewals
- •Exit permits no longer required for most expats since 2018
Bahrain
Bahrain runs an integrated eGovernment portal alongside the LMRA for labour-related services.
- •CPR is the unified national ID
- •LMRA handles work visas
- •bahrain.bh consolidates most online services
Oman
Oman's Royal Oman Police runs most resident services, supported by the central eGov portal.
- •Resident Card issued by ROP
- •Visa renewals through ROP
- •Oman eGov for ministry services
Kuwait
Kuwait's PACI handles Civil IDs and the Sahel super-app aggregates services from multiple ministries.
- •Civil ID is required for all residents
- •PACI for ID services
- •Sahel app for unified daily access
Not sure which country applies to you?
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