If you’re planning on travelling to Muscat, you will need to check which kind of visa you need.
Recent changes mean that visa on arrival is now the exception rather than the rule, and many visitors will need to obtain an eVisa which can take up to four days to be processed.
And if you’re moving to Muscat permanently, you’ll need a work visa, which requires you to find a sponsor and submit documents.
Read on for our brief explainer on everything you need to know about getting a visa in Oman.
Tourist visa
Citizens from 71 countries, including Australia, the United States, and members of the European Union, can get a visa on arrival in Oman. However, as of November 2019, the Royal Oman Police has said this is “an exception to the rule”, and that visitors from these countries should apply for an eVisa online. This involves uploading a copy of your passport and a passport-style photo, and paying OMR5 or OMR20, depending on how long you want to stay. It should take up to four days to be processed, and will allow you to stay up to ten days or thirty days in Oman. Other nationalities must apply before entering the country through an embassy.
Work visa
To get a work visa in Oman, you must have a sponsor – meaning you will need to find employment before moving out to Muscat. A work visa will only be given to those aged between 21 and 60. As with most countries, your employer will take care of the visa application, the Ministry of Manpower work permit and associated costs for you, but first you will need to send the some documents. These include two passport-style photos and a copy of your passport, as well as a medical certificate if you are from India, Pakistan, Philippine, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Syria or Nepal.
If you are moving over to Oman with your family, you will need to apply for a family joining visa. You may bring over your spouse and any children below the age of 21. Your sponsor should also take care of this application for you. You will need passport-style photos, a copy of their passport, a copy of your passport and residence card, as well as proof of your relationship (if your names do not match), a copy of your marriage certificate.
If you’re currently working in Oman and changing jobs, you will also need to apply for a new visa. To do this, you will need all the above documents as well as a release letter from your former sponsor which has been approved by the Directorate General of Labour.
