Oman visitors told to apply in advance for visa

Police say physical visas will only be handed out as an exception

Oman. Muscat. Censers Monument. (Photo by: Hermes Images/AGF/UIG via Getty Images)

Oman will no longer be accepting visa at the gate. Getty

Nov 14, 2019

Visitors to Oman should purchase a visa in advance of travelling to the country, Omani police said.

From Friday, November 1 all nationalities travelling to the UAE’s neighbour should secure an eVisa before setting off.

#ROP kindly requests all visitors requiring visas traveling to #Oman to obtain their eVisas online before travel. This will facilitate easy and efficient processing at the border posts. Visa on arrival are now an exception to the rule and eVisas should be used wherever possible
— شرطة عُمان السلطانية (@RoyalOmanPolice) October 25, 2019

Applicants need to visit the online government portal to upload their passport copy, a second photo and pay five Omani Rials, about Dh50, for a 10 day unsponsored visitor visa.

Royal Oman Police said physical visas will be handed out as an "exception to the rule".

Applications can be made for an unsponsored or sponsored tourist visa, tourist visa for GCC residents or an express travel permit.

The process can take up to four days to complete, but is free for visitors arriving from Dubai and Qatar. Passports should be valid for at least six months before entering the country.

Depending on the nation of origin, visa fees can cost between $13 (Dh50) and $130 (Dh500).

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If you are a GCC resident: you can travel using a GCC Resident Tourist Visa if you are the main traveller with an approved profession, or Visa Type 29B if you’re the companion of the main traveller.

If you do not have a residency in GCC, visitors must apply for the Dubai and Oman Joint Visa through one of the Oman’s embassy offices or tourist travel agency.

Once approved you can enter through the airport or Hatta border post, although the visa duration must be valid for at least 21 days pre-entry to Oman.

A step-by-step guide how to apply for an unsponsored tourist visa can be viewed online via a YouTube link on the Omani government portal.

Applications can be made at https://evisa.rop.gov.om/home

This article was updated on November 14 at the request of Omani authorities to clarify that physical visas are available on arrival as an exception