Practical guide

Do I need a visa for a layover in Bahrain?

By Gaurav Agarwal · Updated 11 October 2026

To leave the airport on a layover, apply for the eVisa at least 5 working days before you fly: 9 BD visa fee plus 4 BD application fee, 3 to 5 working days. Gulf Air's 7 to 24 hour connection rule may include a free visa, but immigration decides entry. No official page lets you skip a visa airside.

Visa neededYes for visitors, except GCC citizens

Staying airsideNo official hour limit or airside exemption is published

Gulf Air connection of 7 to 24 hoursHotel and free visa may apply; entry at immigration's discretion

eVisa fees9 BD visa fee and 4 BD application fee, listed separately

Open the official Bahrain eVisa portal

Jump to a step

Do you need a visa?
Who is eligible
The 8-hour rule
Gulf Air connections
Worked examples
eVisa steps and fees
Visa on arrival
Checklist and refusals
FAQs
Official sources

01Do you need a visa for a layover in Bahrain?

The Bahrain Airport Company says all visitors entering the Kingdom need a visa, except citizens of GCC countries. If you plan to leave the airport, you need one. If you may arrive without an eVisa, read our visa on arrival guide.

The official pages do not set an hour limit for staying airside. Gulf Air says visa rules depend on your passport, nationality, stay length and transit point, and advises you to contact the local embassy.

Layover cases and the official position
Your situation	Visa position	What to do
Citizen of a GCC country	No visa needed	No visa needed; the airport page exempts GCC citizens
Gulf Air or Hahn Air through fare, connection of more than 7 and less than 24 hours	Hotel and free visa may apply for the transit period; entry is at immigration's discretion	Check your eligibility on the eVisa portal and confirm with Gulf Air
Any other airline, staying airside	The airport page does not cover airside passengers; no airside exemption is published	Confirm with your airline before you fly, and plan for a visa
Leaving the airport, any airline	Visa needed	Apply for the eVisa at least 5 working days before you fly

02Who is eligible for which visa?

Bahrain publishes no separate transit visa for ordinary airport passengers on the pages we checked. Your route depends on your passport and your ticket.

Who can get which visa
Who you are	Visa route	Where to confirm
GCC citizen	No visa needed	Bahrain Airport Company
National of a country on the portal's On Arrival Visa Country list	Visa on arrival, or apply for the eVisa	evisa.gov.bh
National of one of the 212 eVisa countries	Two-week, single-entry eVisa	National portal service page
Gulf Air or Hahn Air through fare, connection of more than 7 and less than 24 hours	Hotel and free visa may apply for the transit period; immigration decides entry	Gulf Air Bahrain Stopover

03The under-8-hours airside rule you may have seen

Some travel guides say you need no visa if you stay airside for under 8 hours with a confirmed onward ticket, and that from 8 hours you need a visa or a stopover arrangement even if you never leave the terminal.

The official pages we checked do not state an hour limit. The Bahrain Airport Company, the eVisa portal and Gulf Air do not publish an 8-hour rule. The only official statement is that all visitors need a visa except GCC citizens, so treat the 8-hour figure as unconfirmed.

What to do: ask your airline before you fly whether your ticket lets you stay airside, and plan for an eVisa if they cannot confirm it. If you fly Gulf Air or Hahn Air on a through fare with a connection of more than 7 and less than 24 hours, use the Gulf Air rule below instead.

04Gulf Air connections: the 7 to 24 hour rule

Gulf Air's Bahrain Stopover page says a connection of more than 7 and less than 24 hours from your arrival in Bahrain International Airport may bring a hotel stay and a free visa for your transit period. Gulf Air's Transit page adds that Economy passengers qualify from more than 7 hours. Falcon Gold passengers qualify from more than 6 hours. Hahn Air (HR) tickets follow the same rule.

Your ticket must be a through fare, and the final word on entry rests with the Ministry of Interior when you arrive.

If your ticket value is under USD 450 (base fare, excluding tax), you can also buy a paid stopover from Gulf Air. The fee depends on when you book.

Gulf Air paid stopover (STPC) fees
When you book	Adult	Child (2 to 12)	Infant under 2
Up to 24 hours before departure, through the Contact Centre	USD 90	USD 65	Free
Within 24 hours, or at the Bahrain Airport Office in Arrivals	USD 110	USD 110	Free

Gulf Air's transit page, with the hotel rules and paid stopover fees.

05Three layovers, worked through

Gulf Air, 9 hours, staying airside. You fall inside the 7 to 24 hour window, so Gulf Air's hotel and free visa rule may apply to you. Confirm your ticket is a through fare, and check your passport on the eVisa eligibility tool. Immigration still decides entry on arrival.

Gulf Air, exactly 7 hours, leaving the airport. The rule says more than 7 hours, so a 7-hour connection does not qualify for the free hotel or visa. Plan for a visa. Apply for the eVisa at least 5 working days before you fly, and carry a hotel booking and your return ticket.

Another airline, 6 hours, staying airside. The airport page does not cover passengers who stay airside, and no airside exemption is published. Do not assume you are exempt. Ask your airline, and apply for the eVisa if you cannot confirm an exemption before you fly.

06How to get the eVisa, and what it costs

The official service on the national portal is a two-week, single-entry visit visa. It is issued to nationals of 212 countries. The page lists a 9 BD visa fee and a 4 BD application fee separately and does not show a combined total, so check the total on the payment page before you pay.

Check your eligibility on the eVisa portal before you apply.
Gather a copy of your passport, a hotel reservation, your return ticket, and a three-month bank statement in English.
Make sure the bank statement shows a minimum regular income of 300 to 500 BD a month, or funds equal to 150 BD for each day of your visit.
Apply at evisa.gov.bh and pay the application and visa fees.
Wait for the decision, which takes 3 to 5 working days.

Official eVisa fees and processing time
Item	Official figure	Note
Visa fee	9 BD	Two weeks, single entry
Application fee	4 BD	Listed separately from the visa fee
Processing time	3 to 5 working days	Apply at least 5 working days before you fly

The official Ministry of Interior page for the two-week eVisa, with documents, fees and processing time.

07Visa on arrival: confirm before you fly

The Bahrain Airport Company says you can get a visa on arrival or apply for an electronic visa, depending on your country. The eVisa portal publishes a List of On Arrival Visa Country. Check your passport against it before you plan to pay at the airport.

Fee: the official pages do not publish an on-arrival fee, so confirm it on the eVisa portal before you fly.

Confirm the current fee and your eligibility on the eVisa portal, not on a third-party site. The portal warns travellers about websites and companies that offer visa help, and says no company acts for the Government of Bahrain.

Citizens of GCC countries do not need a visa, so this section does not apply to them.

08Pre-flight checklist, and what a visa does not guarantee

A visa does not guarantee entry. You must still meet every condition on arrival, and if entry is refused, no part of the fee is refunded. Paying the application fee does not guarantee approval, and the processing fee is not refunded if the application is not approved.

If a Gulf Air connection is cancelled or delayed beyond 7 hours, all passengers are entitled to a complimentary paid stopover, whatever their booking class. If immigration refuses entry to a passenger with a stopover entitlement, Gulf Air offers a meal voucher or an airport transit hotel, subject to availability. Falcon Gold customers also get lounge access. Paid stopover customers get the transit hotel or a refund.

For the full visa on arrival route, read our visa on arrival guide.

Confirm whether your ticket is a Gulf Air or Hahn Air through fare.
Count your layover from arrival in Bahrain to your next departure.
Check your passport on the eVisa eligibility tool and the on-arrival list.
If you plan to leave the airport, apply at least 5 working days before you fly.
Carry your passport, your onward or return ticket, and a hotel reservation.
Make sure your passport is valid for the whole of your stay.

The official eVisa portal home page, with its disclaimer on refunds and third-party websites.

09FAQs

How long can I stay in Bahrain airport without a visa?

Gulf Air's Bahrain Stopover page says a connection of more than 7 and less than 24 hours may include a free visa for the transit period. Some travel guides mention an 8-hour airside limit, but the official pages we checked do not state any hour limit, so confirm with your airline. The Bahrain Airport Company says visitors need a visa unless they are GCC citizens.

Can I leave Bahrain airport during a layover?

Yes, but you need a visa first. Apply on the eVisa portal at least 5 working days before you fly, and carry a hotel reservation and your return ticket.

Who is eligible for a transit visa in Bahrain?

The pages we checked publish no separate transit visa. GCC citizens need no visa. Nationals on the portal's On Arrival Visa Country list can get a visa on arrival or apply for the eVisa, and nationals of the 212 eVisa countries can apply for the two-week eVisa. A Gulf Air or Hahn Air through fare of more than 7 and less than 24 hours may include a free visa, with entry at immigration's discretion.

Is there a free transit visa in Bahrain?

Gulf Air's Bahrain Stopover page says a connection of more than 7 and less than 24 hours may include a free visa for the transit period. Entry stays at immigration's discretion. The official eVisa service is a paid two-week visit visa.

How much does a Bahrain eVisa cost?

The official service page lists a 9 BD visa fee and a 4 BD application fee, shown separately. Check the payment page for the total before you pay.

How long does a Bahrain eVisa take?

The official service page says 3 to 5 working days. Apply at least 5 working days before your flight.

How much is a Bahrain visa on arrival?

The official pages do not publish an on-arrival fee, so confirm it on the eVisa portal before you fly. Visa on arrival is open only to nationals of the countries on the portal's list.

Do Indian passport holders need a visa for Bahrain?

Yes. The Bahrain Airport Company says all visitors need a visa unless they are GCC citizens. Check the on-arrival list on the eVisa portal to see whether you can pay on arrival.

Do I need a visa for a 7-hour layover?

If you fly Gulf Air or Hahn Air on a through fare, the transit rule covers more than 7 hours, so a layover of 7 hours or less does not qualify. If you want to leave the airport, you need a visa either way.

10Official sources

Official details checked 11 October 2026.