Oman Visa Requirements by Trip Type and Nationality

Many visitors do not need a visa for a short trip to Oman: citizens of more than 100 countries can enter visa-free for up to 14 days, provided they carry a return ticket, a hotel booking, health insurance and enough funds. Travellers from other countries, and anyone staying longer than 14 days, apply for an eVisa online through the Royal Oman Police (ROP). Working or running a company in Oman always needs a sponsored work or investor visa.

Use the sections below to find your route by trip type and passport, apply correctly, and avoid the mistakes that get people refused at the airport.

Quick answer: which visa do you need?

Do you need a visa for Oman? The 14-day visa-free rule

Oman's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists more than 100 countries whose citizens can enter without a visa for up to 14 days. The list is split into two groups.

Group 1: passport alone is enough. This includes most of Europe (Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries, Poland, Ukraine, Georgia and others), the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran and Russia.

Group 2: conditional. Citizens of countries including India, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, Mexico and the Maldives qualify only if they:

• hold a valid visa or residence permit for the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, a Schengen country or Japan, or
• are residents of a GCC country in a profession eligible for the GCC resident facility.

Accompanying spouses and children of an eligible traveller are also exempt, even if they hold a different nationality.

Russian citizens have a second option: under a bilateral agreement in force since 18 July 2025, Russians and Omanis can visit each other visa-free for up to 30 days per trip and 90 days per calendar year. It does not cover work, study or permanent residence.

Pakistan is not on the exemption list for ordinary passports, so Pakistani travellers need an eVisa.

Conditions every visa-free visitor must meet

• Passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival
• Confirmed return or onward ticket within 14 days
• Confirmed hotel reservation for the stay
• Health insurance valid in Oman
• Proof of sufficient funds (bank card or recent statement)
• Group 2 only: the qualifying visa, residence permit or GCC resident card

Border officers do not check every item for every traveller, but they can. Carry each document on your phone and on paper.

Important: the visa-free stay is limited to 14 days and cannot be extended or converted into any kind of residence visa. If your trip might run longer, get an eVisa before you fly. The list changes from time to time; check your nationality on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs page before booking.

Visit, business, work or residence: which visa fits your plans?

What counts as a business visit?

Meeting lawyers and banks, viewing offices, attending trade events and comparing mainland and free zone options are all visits. Signing an employment contract, drawing a local salary or starting project work is not; that needs a work visa. The ROP rule is simple: an employee may work only for their own sponsor.

Work visa conditions

According to the ROP, the worker must be at least 21, their gender and occupation must match the labour permit exactly, and their passport needs six months' validity. Nationals of several countries, including India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Egypt, need a medical certificate attested by the Ministry of Health. Gov.om lists the work visa issuing fee as OMR 20. For permits, quotas and Omanisation, see our work permit guide.

How to apply for an Oman eVisa online

Apply only on the official Royal Oman Police eVisa portal. Lookalike agency sites add fees and sometimes retype your details with errors.

1. Prepare documents: a scan of your passport bio page (valid six months or more), a recent photo, your flight booking and your hotel booking or host's address. Conditional categories also need a copy of your qualifying visa or GCC residence. The ROP does not accept passport validity extensions.
2. Create an account and choose the visa category that matches your nationality and purpose.
3. Fill in the form exactly as your passport reads, including middle names and name order from the machine-readable line.
4. Pay online and save the application number shown on screen.
5. Track the status on the same portal using your application number. Processing usually takes a few working days.
6. Print the approved eVisa. Airlines check it against your passport before boarding.

There is no blank "Oman visa application form PDF" to download; the portal generates the PDF from your entries.

Typical eVisa fees

Commonly listed ROP fees are about OMR 5 for a 10-day single-entry tourist visa, OMR 20 for a 30-day single-entry visa and OMR 50 for a one-year multiple-entry visa (up to 30 days per visit). Fees and categories have changed several times, so treat the amount shown on the portal at payment as the correct figure and keep a screenshot.

Form mistakes that cause delays or refusals

• Spelling or ordering your name differently from the passport
• Entering your nationality where the form asks for the country you are applying from (usually where you live now)
• Choosing a renewal option for a first-time visa; renewal payments are not refunded
• Uploading a passport that expires within six months of arrival
• Filing a second application while the first is pending

An approved visa does not guarantee entry; the passport officer at the border makes the final decision.

Visa on arrival: is it still an option?

Plan as if it is not. Exempt nationals enter visa-free, and most others are expected to hold an eVisa before boarding. Airlines refuse boarding to passengers staying more than 14 days without a valid visa, or whose visa details do not match their passport.

Oman visa requirements for UAE and GCC residents

Your passport decides first. If you are a Group 1 national, you enter visa-free like any other visitor. If you are Group 2 (for example Indian or Egyptian), your GCC residence qualifies you only if your profession is on the eligible list. That list is not published on the Ministry page; select the GCC resident category on the ROP portal and enter your job title exactly as it appears on your residence permit. If your profession does not qualify, apply for a standard or sponsored eVisa. Your residence permit and passport should each have at least six months' validity.

If you are driving from the UAE, also check vehicle insurance and border-crossing rules before you set off.

From visitor to resident: the founder's sequence

A visit is for scouting; it cannot be converted into a work permit or residence. Most founders follow this order:

1. Visit visa-free or on an eVisa. Meet advisers and banks, view offices, choose a location (see where Oman is located for the logistics angle). Book your return within your permitted stay.
2. Register the company on the mainland or in a free zone. The company becomes your sponsor.
3. Open the labour file and, where relevant, obtain the work permit.
4. Apply for your investor or work visa through the company.
5. Enter on that visa, complete the medical test and ROP biometrics, and collect your resident card.
6. Sponsor family and staff once you hold residence.

The full process is explained in how to register a company in Oman and get residency. Whether you must leave Oman before your new visa is stamped depends on your case; confirm it before your visit ends.

Overstaying: fines and consequences

Overstaying a visit visa or visa-free stay is fined at about OMR 10 per day, and overstayers can be detained or barred from re-entry. Fines are settled before departure. Do not plan to "sort it out" at the airport; apply for the right visa in advance.

Before you book: checklist

• Passport valid at least six months from arrival
• Nationality checked against the current Ministry of Foreign Affairs exemption list
• Group 2: qualifying visa, residence or GCC resident card in hand
• Return ticket, hotel booking, health insurance and proof of funds
• eVisa (if needed) applied for on evisa.rop.gov.om, saved and printed
• Your government's current travel advice read in the week you book, and your insurance checked for regional cover

A short trip means visa-free entry or an eVisa. Working, investing or setting up a company means a sponsored visa. If your plans go beyond a holiday, Oman Register can map the company, work permit and residency steps before you travel, so your scouting trip is spent on meetings rather than paperwork.