Bahrain Business Visa - Documentation, Fees, and Validity

Do you wish to tap from the low operational costs and establishment of businesses in Bahrain? Or do you plan to visit the country for business seminars or conferences? If yes, you need a Bahrain business visa to access the country without delay.

The Bahrain business environment is friendly and welcoming to foreign investors. The political and economic stability of the country provides opportunities for businesses to grow and expand.

To access Bahrain for your business engagement, here is a guide to making your Bahrain business visa application seamless.

About Bahrain

Bahrain is an archipelago made of 33 islands in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia. It is Asia’s third-smallest country, behind the Maldives and Singapore. The capital and largest city are Manama. The population in Bahrain is 1.4 million, which includes about 700,000 non-nationals.

The country has developed rapidly and is now one of the most modern in the Gulf region. Despite this, Bahrain remains a friendly and welcoming place with a rich culture and heritage.

The main pillars of the economy are oil, gas, manufacturing, banking and financial services, aluminum, shipbuilding, and tourism.

What is a Bahrain business visa?

It is an authorized document that allows a foreign national to enter Bahrain to conduct business activities. The visa may be obtained from the Bahraini embassy or consulate before traveling to Bahrain.

It is valid for multiple entries over some time and may allow the holder to stay in Bahrain for up to ninety days at a time. It is classified under the Short stay visa type in Bahrain.

Who needs a Bahrain Business visa?

Few countries are privileged to visit Bahrain without any Bahrain visas but with their traveling passports. The countries are:

Kuwait
Oman
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates

Therefore, every other country needs a Bahrain Business visa to visit the countries though some countries are privileged with a Bahrain visa on arrival or e-visa. So we are going to list out the countries according to the types of business visa the citizens needs eVisa and visa on arrival countries in Bahrain.

If you are a citizen from any of the countries listed below, you can apply for a Bahrain business visa on arrival or an eVisa.

Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Bolivia
Brazil
Brunei
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Ecuador
EU Member States
Georgia
Guyana
Hong Kong
Iceland
Japan
Kazakhstan
Liechtenstein
Macau
Malaysia
Mexico
Monaco
New Zealand
Norway
Paraguay
Peru
Russia
San Marino
Singapore
South Korea
Suriname
Switzerland
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine (Visa on arrival only)
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Vatican City
Venezuela

eVisa countries in Bahrain

The citizens of the countries listed below have the privilege of applying for only a visa to visit Bahrain. The business visa is valid for two weeks but is renewable if you wish to stay longer in the country.

Antigua and Barbuda
Azerbaijan
The Bahamas
Barbados
British Overseas Territories
Cameroon
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Egypt
Gabon
Ghana
Grenada
Haiti
India
Indonesia
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Jordan
Kenya
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Pakistan
Qatar
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Senegal
Seychelles
South Africa
Taiwan
Trinidad and Tobago

Note that citizens from most countries can stay for one month on a business visit. But if you are from UK or Ireland, you can stay in the country for ninety days.

However, if the name of your country is neither listed in eVisa countries nor business visa on arrival country, you need to apply for a Bahrain business visa before you depart your country. Therefore you need to apply for a business visa through the Bahrain embassy or consulate in your country.

Eligibility criteria for a Bahrain business visa

These are the criteria you must meet for the Bahrain embassy or immigration will consider your business application.

You must be mentally and physically stable
You should be eighteen years or above.
You must be a holder of a traveling passport of your home country or country of residence.
You are not to have any criminal charges against you that violate the security of Bahrain.
Your onward travel ticket to depart Bahrain must be readily available.
You must be ready and fit to take care of your financial obligations throughout your stay in Bahrain. It also includes your dependence if you have any.
You must be vaccinated if your region is known to have an infectious disease.

Documents required for a Bahrain business visa application

You need to attach the documents listed below for your business visa application to be considered by the embassy in your country.

You should download a Bahrain business visa application form and fill it out correctly.
A traveling passport that will not expire six months after you have visited and departed Bahrain.
Two copies of your recent passport photograph with a dimension of two by two inches; the background must be white.
Evidence of financial capacity like a recent bank statement, proof of income, or ownership of a property. You can use these documents as proof that you can take care of yourself financially throughout your stay in Bahrain.
You also need to attach a Letter of invitation from an incorporated company in Bahrain. The letter should include the purpose of the visit and how long you will stay in Bahrain.
If you own a business, you must attach proof of business registration in your country to the application form. But if you’re to represent the company for business activities in Bahrain, you should provide proof of employment. In addition, a release letter from the company stating that you are to visit Bahrain for business purposes.
Evidence of accommodation like hotel reservations, your relative residential address, and your host company’s apartment proof must be attached to your Bahrain business visa application form.
An updated vaccination certificate will be required if you are from an infectious disease country.

How to apply for a Bahrain business visa

There are different ways through which you can apply for a business visa in Bahrain as a foreign citizen.

If you choose to apply for the Bahrain business electronic visa, you can follow the procedures below:

You visit the Bahrain visa website to access the application form and complete it online.

Ensure you select a business visa as the type of visa to apply for.

Then you upload all the supporting documents, including your passport photograph. The documents must be in PDF format.

The next is to pay the visa application fee using your debit or credit card. Note that this fee is non-refundable.

Thereafter a reference number will be generated and sent to you. This number will be used to track the status of your business visa application.

Lastly, you wait for a few days to allow the embassy to process your visa application. You will be informed via mail if your visa is approved and ready for collection.

Method two

Alternatively, you can apply for a business visa at the Bahrain embassy or consulate in your country.

The steps are similar, but with this option, you need to print out the visa application form, fill it out, sign and stamp it.

Then you attach all your supporting documents to the form and pack everything inside a self-addressed envelope.

The next step is to visit the Bahrain embassy to schedule an appointment with the consular officer for an interview and submission of your application credentials. If you succeed, you can pay the visa application fee and attach the receipt to other documents.

You proceed to submit all your application credentials to the consular officer as scheduled. After that, you attend an interview and biometric capturing. Note that the interview questions are connected to why you need a Bahrain business visa and your level of preparation to visit the country.

Then, you wait for the embassy to process your application and notify you of your visa.

Processing time and fee for a Bahrain business visa

It takes up to five days to process a Bahrain business eVisa. But if you apply through the Bahrain embassy in your country, it will take up to two weeks to process it. There could be a delay if the workload is much, so the best thing is to apply at least one month before your departure date.

You should budget 30 Bahrain Dinar (BD) for the electronic visa application, equivalent to 75USD.

If you apply for a Bahrain business visa through the Bahrain embassy in your country, you can budget 90 USD, which could be slightly less.

Also Read: Bahrain Student Visa – Application, Requirements And Funding

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many types of visas are there in Bahrain?

You can apply for a single entry visa, multiple entry visa, or a sponsored single entry visas.

A single entry visa is valid for two weeks per stay but can be extended for another two weeks. A multiple entry visa is valid for ninety days per stay; it is also renewable for additional two weeks. A sponsored visa is valid for one week per stay, and you can extend it for one week.

How do I know if my visa is approved?

You can use the reference number to track your application status online. If it is approved, you will see it. You can as well check your mailbox because the embassy can communicate through the email address you submitted.

Is Bahrain fun to visit?

There are lots of things to do in Bahrain that will make your visit a memorable one. You can check here for more details.

How can I check my Bahrain visa status online?

You can use your passport number, nationality, and date of birth to check your visa application status online. You can also use the reference number generated for you during the application to check it.

Conclusion

The application process for a Bahrain business visa is not difficult to understand. If you are eligible and have all the required documents, you will succeed in applying for a business visa in Bahrain.