*** Tourist visas to add health insurance cost | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Tourist visas to add health insurance cost

Tourists landing in Bahrain will soon have their health insurance covered as part of their visa application process, with an additional fee to cover emergency and accident-related care.

This new policy, which has received approval from the Parliament’s Services Committee, is set for discussion this Tuesday.

Initially, the plan recommended a fixed BD5 charge for tourist visas, but this has since been revised to align with Bahrain's existing Health Insurance Law of 2018. Rather than a set fee, the new charge will be linked to the cost of health coverage, ensuring tourists contribute to their health insurance during their stay.

This change comes as part of ongoing efforts to integrate tourists into Bahrain’s national health insurance system. According to Article 28 of the Health Insurance Law, tourists are required to pay their health insurance fees during their visit, and under Article 35, visas cannot be issued or renewed without proof of payment.

While the Supreme Council for Health (SCH) was consulted on the proposal, their response was not received before the committee’s discussion on 5 October. However, the committee confirmed that much of the proposal's intent is already covered by current regulations, with further steps being taken to ensure smooth implementation.

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