Oman
Oman visas and residence permits: every route explained
- 11 visa types
- checked 25 October 2026
How visas for Oman work
Visas and residence in Oman are handled by one authority: the Directorate General of Passports and Civil Status of the Royal Oman Police (ROP). Almost every application, from a 10-day tourist visit to a two-year employment residence, is filed on the ROP eVisa portal, either by the traveller (unsponsored visas) or by a sponsor in Oman such as an employer, a relative, a hotel or a licensed institution (sponsored visas). The portal publishes the conditions, length of stay and fee for each visa subtype.
Short visits are easier than in most of the Gulf. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists more than 100 nationalities, including the EU states, the UK, the US and Canada, that may enter without a visa for up to 14 days with a return ticket, a confirmed hotel booking, health insurance and enough money for the stay. Longer tourist stays use the unsponsored Tourist Visit Visa: 10 days for OMR 5, 30 days for OMR 20, or a one-year multiple-entry visa for OMR 50, depending on nationality. ROP lists a separate 30-day tourist visa with no fee for citizens of Türkiye, South Korea, Brunei, Kazakhstan and Russia.
Long-term residence starts with a sponsor. Employees need a work permit from the Ministry of Labour before ROP issues a two-year employment visa; spouses and children then follow on a relative joining visa, and students are sponsored by a licensed college or university. Investors either hold a standard investor visa tied to an Omani company or apply for the 5- or 10-year Golden Residency of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion. Every resident must obtain a residence card from ROP within 30 days of entry.
Which visa do I need?
Holiday of up to two weeks: check whether your nationality is on the 14-day visa-free list. Longer holiday: the unsponsored Tourist Visit Visa on the ROP eVisa portal (10 or 30 days, or one year multiple entry). Visiting a relative or friend who lives in Oman: the Family Visit Visa filed by that person. Changing planes in Muscat and leaving the airport: the airport transit visa requested by your airline.
Meetings, conferences or exhibitions: the Express visa or a business multiple-entry visa through an Omani sponsor. Hired by an Omani employer: Ministry of Labour work permit, then the ROP employment visa. Joining a spouse or parent who works in Oman: the relative joining visa. Studying: the student visa sponsored by your institution. Running an Omani company: the investor visa; making a qualifying investment: the 5- or 10-year Golden Residency. Urgent medical need: the patient or emergency visa.
Visa types for Oman
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Tourist Visit Visa (unsponsored, 10 days, 30 days or 1-year multiple entry) and 14-day visa-free entry
Citizens of more than 100 countries can visit Oman without a visa for up to 14 days.
Maximum stay: 14 days visa-free; 10 or 30 days on a Tourist Visit Visa; up to 30 days per visit on the 1-year multiple-entry visa - Family and friends visit visa Family Visit Visa (sponsored by an Omani citizen, a foreign resident or a GCC national resident)
The Family Visit Visa lets relatives (and, for Omani hosts, friends) visit someone who lives in Oman for up to three months.
Maximum stay: Up to 3 months, extendable once by 1 month - Transit visa Airport Transit Visa (24 or 72 hours) and Short Transit Visa (land)
Passengers who change planes in Oman and want to leave the airport can get an Airport Transit Visa for 24 or 72 hours.
Maximum stay: 24 or 72 hours (airport transit); up to 5 days to cross by land - Medical treatment visa Patient Visa and Emergency Visa
For urgent medical cases, ROP issues a Patient Visa that allows a seven-day stay with no fee to enter, filed by a local sponsor and usable within 24 hours.
Maximum stay: 7 days; the first extension, of the same length, can be requested by the applicant
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Express visa, business multiple-entry visit visa and Festivals visa
Business visitors to Oman are usually sponsored by an Omani company.
Maximum stay: Express visa: up to 3 weeks; multiple-entry visa: up to 4 weeks per stay; Festivals visa: 1 month - Investor visa Investor Visa (1 or 2 years, for investors in an Omani company)
Foreigners who invest in an Omani company can live in Oman on the standard Investor Visa, issued by ROP for one or two years for OMR 50.
Maximum stay: 1 or 2 years, renewable for a similar period
Study and training
- Student visa Student Visa (residence for study) and Training Visa
International students in Oman hold a Student Visa requested by their educational institution, which must be licensed by the competent authority.
Maximum stay: 3 months to 2 years, renewable for a similar period - Researcher visa Scientific Research Visa
Researchers carrying out approved scientific work in Oman use the Scientific Research Visa.
Maximum stay: 1 month, extendable by up to 2 months
Work
- Work visa Employment Visa (with Ministry of Labour work permit) and Short Work Visa
Working in Oman requires an employer.
Maximum stay: 2 years, renewable every 2 years
Family
- Family reunification visa Relative Joining Visa and Family Joining Visa
Foreign residents of Oman bring their spouse and children under 21 on the Relative Joining Visa, filed by the resident on the ROP eVisa portal.
Maximum stay: 2 years (5 or 10 years for families of long-term investors and cultural visa holders), renewable
Residence
- Golden visa and residence by investment Golden Residency (Investor Visa for 5 or 10 years) and Property Owner Visa
Oman's Golden Residency, run by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, gives investors long-term residence through company investment, property in tourism zones, bonds or listed shares, fixed-term deposits or employing at least 50 Omanis.
Maximum stay: Up to 5 or 10 years, renewable for a similar period
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Oman?
It depends on your nationality. The Foreign Ministry lists more than 100 countries whose citizens may enter without a visa for up to 14 days with a return ticket, a hotel booking, health insurance and enough money; some other nationals get the same only with a US, Canadian, Australian, UK, Japanese or Schengen visa or residence. Everyone else applies in advance on the ROP eVisa portal.
Where do I apply for an Oman visa?
On the Royal Oman Police eVisa portal. Unsponsored visas (tourist visit, one-year multiple entry) are filed by the traveller after registering an account; sponsored visas (family visit, work, student, express business) are filed by the sponsor in Oman. Omani embassies abroad can answer visa enquiries.
What does overstaying cost?
ROP charges visitors OMR 10 for each day of overstay. Residents who renew late or do not register their residence permit pay OMR 20 per month, and a late first residence card costs OMR 10 per month of delay.
Can I change a tourist visa into a work visa inside Oman?
No. ROP states for its tourist visit visas that they cannot be changed to a work visa while you are in Oman, and the 14-day visa-free stay cannot be extended or turned into any residence visa. Employment starts with a work permit and a new employment visa filed by the employer.
How long must my passport be valid?
At least six months on the day you enter Oman. This applies to visa-free entry and to every ROP visa subtype.
Who answers visa questions?
The ROP eVisa call centre: 80080011 toll free inside Oman, +968 22848200 from abroad, or by email to Info-OmaneVisa@rop.gov.om.
Embassies and consulates
Last checked 25 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.