Rules simplified, but GCC Residents need visa to enter Oman

MUSCAT: The Royal Oman Police’s Directorate General of Passports and Residence has simplified the process of travel for GCC residents who wish to come to the Sultanate of Oman.

As per the recently issued decision, regardless of job categories, all GCC residents can obtain visas (either E-Visa or Visa on arrival depending on the nationalities) to enter the Sultanate of Oman via different ports.

In a statement to the Observer, an ROP spokesman clarified that GCC residents still need visas to enter the Sultanate of Oman, unlike some reports on social media.

Previously, GCC residents with certain professions and job categories were excluded from entering the Sultanate of Oman without any local sponsorship.

Article 1 of the decision states that all residents of the countries of the GCC have the right to enter Oman for all commercial professions, while Article 2 states that it is not required to come from the country of residency for example — a resident of any GCC country is not required to arrive directly from that GCC country to benefit from this facility.

Earlier, it was necessary for the residents to come directly from a GCC country.

Article 3 states that a residence visa must be valid in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council for a period of no less than three months.

Article 4 states that the procedures referred to above shall be applied, bearing in mind the importance of adhering to the policy of granting visas to prohibited nationalities.

A statement from Saud bin Nasser al Hubaishi, vice-president, Muscat International Airport, stressed to airlines and ground handling companies the need to direct all specialists to provide the necessary facilities for those coming to the Sultanate of Oman as mentioned.

VISA-FREE

As part of efforts to promote and ease services for tourists visiting Oman, nationals of 103 countries are exempted from entry visas for stays of up to 14 days.

The exemption will be subject to certain requirements including a prior and confirmed hotel booking, health insurance, and a return ticket.

However, citizens from 27 out of 103 countries are exempted from visas for 14 days to enter Oman only if they have a Schengen visa in their passports or have entry visas to the USA, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, or Japan.

The 27 countries are India, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Costa Rica, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Armenia, Panama, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkmenistan, Honduras, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Laos, Albania, Bhutan, Peru, Salvador, Mexico, Vietnam, Cuba, and Maldives.