Oman Visa Regulations

Visa on arrival:
Currently, residents of the following countries do not require visa before arriving but are eligible for Visa on arrival.

The cost of this Visa is OMANI RIYAL 20 to be paid directly.
10 Days – OMR 5/-
30 Days – OMR 20/-
1 Year Multiple entry : OMR 50/-
Overstay fine – OMR 10/- per day

These nationalities are: –

EUROPEAN (East & West) COUNTRIES
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Vatican

SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela

Other COUNTRIES
Australia, Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Seychelles, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, USA

Nationals set out in above list arriving from the Emirate of Dubai or from Qatar to Oman bearing a tourist entrance visa or a stamp from either country are not required to obtain a separate visa for Oman provided they travel directly from Dubai or from Doha to Oman.

Sponsor Visa:

Requirements for Sponsor Tourist Visa Application :
Please be informed that for organizing the VISAS for Oman Visitors need to book the following services with us.

• Minimum 4 nights hotel accommodation
• Return airport transfers
• Visa Charges + Visa assistance Service fees
• Only for family traveler purely with tourist purpose only (No single lady)

Visa Fees: OMR 20/-
Validity for stay in Oman: Valid for 21 Days stay in Oman
Processing Time: Minimum 5 working days (Thu & Fri holidays)

The above is for nationalities that are not eligible for visa on arrival in Oman. In order to process visa, Tour Oman require a clear Passport copy and our application form (to be sent to you) duly filled including following information (a). Religion of the applicant (b) Applicant’s mother’s name (c) Last country visited.

Date of Arrival, flight details are to be sent at least two weeks before arrival for the groups and one week in case of individuals.

Visa fees are non refundable once the visa has been applied for. Should the Visa fee be increased Tour Oman reserves the right to add the additional fees to the above rates without prior notice. The immigration authorities of Oman have the sole right to issue of refuse a visa application. Tour Oman is not responsible for any refusal of Visa.

GCC Residents:

Entry Visa for Foreigners Residing in the G.C.C. Countries:
This is issued to residents of any GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Countries, passengers must arrive directly from any GCC county. Restrictions apply to non-degree related professions e.g. (laborers, carpenters) it is also granted to members of their families as long as they enter together.
Visa Fees – OMR 5
Oman Visa Validity – 28 Days
Document required – Passport, Resident/Labour Card
Overstay Fine – OMR 10 per day

 Arriving Oman:

Arrival by Air: Muscat
After being bused to the terminal from the tarmac, you will enter the immigration arrival hall.

Step One:
Buy a tourist visa at the Travelex Counter on the far left side of the arrival hall. There will be a line here. The cost is 20 OMR or 55 USD for 30 days and 5 OMR for 10 days. It is a bit counterintuitive to visit an “exchange counter” to purchase a visa, but it is a necessary step before entering the official immigration line for non-GCC persons. ‘On the spot’ tourist visas available to citizens of Tier 1 countries (Europe, Canada, USA, (see list below in ‘notes’).

Step Two:
Present the receipt from the Travelex counter to immigration officer. The immigration officers are generally friendly and helpful. Most speak some English. Proceed through immigration to have a visa issued and your passport stamped.

Step Three:
Baggage Claim. Retrieve your bags in the next hall. They will be put through security machine on the way out. There is a ‘last chance’ small duty free store on the way out of immigration area which sells a variety of alcoholic beverages not available for public purchase in Oman outside the airport.

Arrival By Car
Important: Your car needs insurance which covers driving in Oman to cross into Oman at the major checkpoints. Also, if you manage to get in with out being covered you will be responsible for the cost of all damages if you have an accident. Not paying is a jailable offence. It is possible to buy temporary insurance at most borders from small insurance shops (10-22 OMR) located near the border posts or if renting a car contact the rental office.

Sometimes, border control will ask for a letter from the car rental company giving the car permission to cross the border and a copy of the registration papers. Generally, if traveling by private car, one needs the car’s mulkiyya (card designating ownership) to present to the border guards when crossing @ UAE especially. What I mean by ‘generally’ is that sometimes I did not need to show these things and other times I did; use your own risk threshold.

At all the border stations, your passport should be checked and your vehicle searched which normally consists of a quick look in the boot. You will receive a slip of paper indicating the number of passengers in your vehicle that you will need to give to the border control at the border post exit. If exiting the UAE, make sure the immigration officer stamps your passport with a green-coloured exit stamp. Otherwise, Oman will not issue a visa until you return to the UAE and get stamped out.

It is possible to walk across the borders. Also, one can take a taxi or bus across the borders.

Approximate Driving Times:

1.) Hatta to Sohar: 45-60 min / Hatta to Muscat: 3-3.5 hrs. / Hatta to Dubai: 1 hr.

2.) Buraimi to Al Ain: 10 min. / Buraimi to Sohar: 1 hr. / Buraimi to Muscat: 4 hrs. / Buraimi to Dubai 1.5 hrs. / Buraimi to Abu Dhabi 1.5 hrs. / Buraimi to Wadi Jizzi Border 20-35 min

3.) Dubai to Muscat: 4-5 hrs., Dubai to Sohar 2 hrs., Dubai to Sur 6-7 hrs, Dubai to Salalah via Al Ain-Hafeet-Ibri-Haima: 1200km, 13-16 hrs

From Al Ain, UAE to City of Al Buraimi, Oman
Al Hili Border : (Coordinates: 24°15’45″N 55°46’4″E)
One should use the Al Hili border crossing out of UAE. This is the border for expats. There is another border for GCC nationals (Al Madheef). This border is best used for those headed toward Sohar and coastal areas. If you are going to Ibri/Nizwa/the interior use the Al Hafeet border. Al Hili is an exit out of UAE only border. The Omani border station in 45 km down the road at Wadi Jizzi. You will receive and exit stamp (green-colored) from the UAE.

Also, one must pay a UAE exit fee of 35 Dirham and personally enter the immigration building if you are from the USA, Europe, etc to leave the UAE. In the ‘exit’ room, you can take a number and wait your turn. In the last few years, the Emirates has completely fenced off the UAE off from Oman. There is a long fence of several hundred kilometers separating the UAE from Oman which supposedly keeps out smugglers and absconders. The only way to cross is through a border.

Give yourself about 45 minutes to one hour to cross the border. Sometimes it is faster, but the UAE office gets backed up at times. The UAE border officers are professional and speak English; however, they seem to prefer polite behavior from visitors. The Gulf society has a strong cultural value of dignity which seems to supersede any job, law or procedure.

Afterwards, you will enter the Omani City of Al Buraimi. You are now in a kind of ‘no man’s land’ because the Omani immigration check point of Wadi Jizzi is about 45 Km down the road in the mountains toward Sohar. You will not receive an Omani visa until you reach Wadi Jizzi border station. At Al Wadi Jizzi post, you will need to fill out tourist visa application and pay the fee to obtain a tourist visa.

You must drive here to get a visa even if staying in Buraimi. Otherwise, one technically would not have a valid visa to stay in Oman and one is stamped out of the UAE. There are some backroads through the desert to avoid all of this (from Dubai through Madam toward Hatta), but taking these routes are at your own risk.

Directions from Hili Border Post UAE to Wadi Jizzi Border Post Oman
(Wadi Jizzi – Coordinates: 24°13’23″N 56°9’45″E):
Once in Buraimi go straight to first R/A (Salam Roundabout) and make a left. At next R/A (AL Juma), go straight. Continue straight out of town. Follow signs to Sohar. You will pass construction for several km.

At the R/A, after the construction and at the new ‘Buraimi Gate’, turn left. You will head down a desert road into the mountains in the direction of Sohar. Continue straight until reaching Wadi Jizi border post. Park and go inside. Arrivals are to the right of the hall.

From UAE – Fujairah/ into Shinas, Oman –
Khatm Al-Mallah Border (Coordinates: 24°58’26″N 56°21’53″E)
Make sure you have insurance for Oman. Cross and pay the fee. The border has been under construction for at least two years. There is about one km between the UAE check point and the Omani check point. There is often traffic. Prepare for delay especially during Eid and on weekends.

From Dubai to al Hatta UAE, Oman Border
Al HattaAl Wajajah/ (Coordinates: 24°47’4″N 56°17’49″E)
This is a smaller border post station. Exit out of UAE (be sure to get exit stamp). Approach Oman border a few km down the road. Go in small building. Car insurance for the Sultanate is a must. A tourist visa will be issued for the fee. If you are doing a visa run from the UAE to Oman to renew your UAE visa, these days there is a 10 day Omani tourist visa for 5 OMR (no need for the 30 day visa 20 OMR).

From Abu Dhabi to Hafeet/Mezyad Border
Oman Check Point (Coordinates: 24°0’48″N 55°50’47″E)
Same requirements as other land borders. Use this crossing if planning to drive to interior Oman – Ibri/Nizwa and even to Muscat. Otherwise, use Wadi Jizzi or Hatta to take the coast route to Muscat.

Truck Driver Backroad from Dubai into Oman
This route is for people that don’t need visas but want to save time through border crossings. From Dubai head to Road 44 towards Madam. You will stay on this road heading toward Hatta border for about 45 min to one hour depending on your speed. Before you reach Hatta just after Al Roudha Mountain, there is a roundabout and a Shell station to the right. R/A Coordinates: 24°51’54″N 55°56’40″E. Labeled Al Moot Roundabout on Google Maps but also known as Mahdha.

Make a right at the roundabout and drive into Oman towards Mahdha. This is a desolate desert road with poor lighting. There will be an Omani checkpoint but no visas are issued. Continue on this road to the town of Mahdha; there will be a few turns along the way. At Mahdah, you can turn towards Buraimi or head towards the Wadi Jizzi station and on to Sohar. This cuts off time and distance if the main border posts are crowded.