New Visa Rules in Oman: What We Know About the New Visa Rules in Oman The New Visa Rules in Oman
The Sultanate of Oman and the European Union began their third round of political discussions over the Schengen visa waiver after releasing an official declaration at the beginning of June 2022.
This summit was primarily intended to examine ways to assist Oman in obtaining visa-free travel to the European Union.
Oman New Visa Rules 2024
During the 40th Gulf Cooperation Council Interior Ministers conference, a unified tourist visa was authorised for all GCC countries. The gathering was held in Muscat, the capital of Oman. This is anticipated to go into force by 2024 or 2025 and let visitors to visit all six GCC nations with a single visa. By clicking the link below, you can read our in-depth article on this visa to find out more information.
New regulations for Oman family visas
The minimum wage required for expats to get a family visa has significantly decreased, according to the Royal Oman Police (ROP). This significant change is meant to encourage family get-togethers and attract skilled foreign workers to Oman.
According to the new regulation, foreigners who earn at least OMR 150 per month are now permitted to bring their families to Oman. Prior to now, in order to qualify for a family visa, foreign nationals had to earn at least OMR 350 per month. Reducing the wage cap is expected to benefit foreign workers and their families by allowing them to come together and build more secure lives in Oman.
New GCC citizens' visa requirements for Oman
According to the authorities, the new regulation is effective at any time and for all commercial professions, independent of the traveler's place of departure.
Moreover, to take advantage of this benefit, citizens do not need to go immediately from their home country. They will be allowed to enter at any time and from whatever location they come from, provided that the regulation is followed.
However, the GCC traveler's resident visa must be valid for a minimum of three (3) months in order to be eligible for admission into Oman.
waiver of the Schengen visa
Some official sources state that in early June 2022, the Foreign Ministry of Oman and the European External Action Service of the European Union had their third round of political negotiations over the Schengen visa waiver.
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that enables travellers, whether for business or tourism, to enter any nation in the Schengen Area for stays up to 90 days within a six-month period. Furthermore, the Schengen region, which does not need a visa, is particularly well-liked by Omani nationals who want to travel there for pleasure, business, or educational reasons.
According to Oman's Foreign Ministry, the two countries spoke about ways to support Oman's goal of obtaining EU visa-free travel. The topic of improvement and development strategies for the Sultanate of Oman's bilateral ties with the European Union to serve their mutual interests was also discussed at the session.
Under the direction of Enrique Mora, the EU's Deputy Secretary-General and Political Director of the EEAS, and Sheikh Khalifa Alharthy, the Diplomatic Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry of Oman, the two groups also discussed matters of mutual importance on a regional and global scale.
suspension of conversion of tourist visas
The Royal Police of Oman has declared that the visitation visa is no longer convertible to a work visa. The effective date of this new policy is October 31. In the past, visitors could enter Oman on a tourist visa and then change it to a work visa. But once these new regulations went into effect, the conversion is no longer allowed.
Citizens of Bangladesh are granted visas
The Sultanate of Oman announced on October 31, 2023, that all visa categories will be suspended for people of Bangladesh until further notice. The Dhaka Embassy then reaffirmed that the suspension is just temporary. Once the rules regulating the international labour market are amended to better correspond with company needs and labour laws, the issuing of visas will restart.
When it comes to numbers, Bangladeshis are the largest group of foreign workers and are quite significant to Oman. Additionally, the embassy has affirmed that the temporary prohibition is a component of an extensive evaluation procedure rather than being political in nature. The technological and legal factors that underpin this review process are intended to protect the interests of employers and foreign workers in Oman's foreign labour market while maintaining its stability.
