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How Oman's visa system is organised

Oman sorts entry permits into two families, and the split decides what you may do here. Visit visas cover short stays for tourism, business meetings and transit, while residence visas cover people who live, work, invest or study in the country. The Royal Oman Police issues every one of them, and most people now apply through the official ROP eVisa portal.

A visit visa never turns into a job, and a residence visa always needs a sponsor inside Oman. That sponsor is an employer, a family member, a licensed college, or your own company. Once you know which family you sit in, the types of visa in Oman stop looking complicated.

Visa-free entry and the free 14-day tourist visa

The 14 day exemption lets nationals of more than 100 countries enter Oman without applying for anything first. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the stay is capped at 14 days and cannot be extended or converted into a residence visa. You still need a passport valid for six months, a return ticket, a hotel booking, health cover and enough money for the trip.

The new free tourist visa is a separate 14 day permit that the Royal Oman Police added in August 2026 at no cost. The decision appeared in Official Gazette No. 1659 on 2 August 2026 and took effect the next day. It goes to nationals of countries the competent authority names. Holders may also swap it for a paid tourist visa before it runs out. They must meet the rules and pay the fee.

Tourist visas for 10 days 30 days and one year

Tourist permits are the most used of all the types of visa in Oman. They come in three lengths.

The 10 day tourist visit visa carries a listed fee of OMR 5, which suits a short break or a stopover of a few nights.

The 30 day tourist visit visa costs OMR 20 and is the standard choice for a full holiday. The sponsored version runs for 30 days and can be extended once for the same length again. A licensed Omani tourism company acts as the sponsor.

The one year tourist visit visa costs OMR 50 and allows many entries across the year, though each single stay is capped at one month. You must be outside Oman when you apply, and you cannot already hold another valid visa.

A multiple entry visit visa is a separate OMR 50 route. It allows stays of up to three months per entry. Extending an ordinary visit visa costs OMR 20. The August 2026 gazette changed the fee schedule, so check the live figure on the portal before you pay.

Short-stay routes for GCC residents transit and business

The GCC resident visa costs OMR 5. It lets expatriates living in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the UAE apply on their own behalf. You need a passport valid for six months, at least three months of GCC residency, and a job you still hold. Only listed jobs qualify for the online route, and everyone else applies through a licensed travel agency instead.

The companion visa for GCC citizens also costs OMR 5 and gives a single entry. It covers the spouse, family members and domestic staff of a Gulf citizen. You must travel with that citizen, be outside Oman when you apply, and hold no other valid visa.

The airport transit visa costs OMR 5 and lasts up to 72 hours, and the airline applies for it rather than the passenger. Passports must still be valid for six months.

The express visa is the fast business route, priced at OMR 30 with a service target of about 24 hours. It is built for senior professionals and businesspeople invited by a local employer. The applicant must be outside Oman with no other valid visa. Extending it costs a further OMR 30.

People coming for meetings, tenders or site visits normally use the express visa or a sponsored visit visa. Neither one allows paid work, so anyone earning income here needs a residence visa instead.

Work and employment visas

The work visa is filed by the employer, who carries the responsibility, and it costs OMR 20. It runs for two years from the date of stamping and allows many entries. Applicants must be at least 21, and both gender and job title have to match the labour permit exactly or the file is refused. Late renewal brings a fine of OMR 50 per month.

The temporary work visa uses the same OMR 20 fee over a shorter horizon, issued for 4, 6 or 9 months to match the permit. Contractors and project staff usually travel on this one.

Among all the types of visa in Oman, this is the one where order matters most, because the labour permit comes before the visa. Our guide on how to get a work visa in Oman sets out the permit, medical test and stamping steps in sequence.

Investor residency for business owners

Investor routes are among the longest-running types of visa in Oman. They are filed through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion. The official service page lists two tiers: a five year investor visa at OMR 250, and a ten year investor visa at OMR 500. Applicants must be 21 or older. They must also meet the ministry's investment rules.

Those qualifying amounts were revised during 2025, so check the current threshold with the ministry before you commit any funds. Many owners start on a shorter route first. Our explainer on the two year Oman investor visa covers that entry point. The wider guide to types of residency in Oman compares the long-term options side by side.

Family joining family visit and student visas

The joining relatives visa costs OMR 30. It brings a spouse and children under 21 to live with a resident worker or investor. The Royal Oman Police sets it at two years with many entries. The sponsor must hold a senior role and earn at least OMR 600 a month.

The family visa also costs OMR 30 and covers parents, siblings and other relatives, including relatives of Omani citizens. The sponsor's own spouse and children must already be living in Oman before it is granted.

A family visit visa suits a short stay rather than a move. Relatives travel on a sponsored visit visa, arranged by the resident or an agency. It grants no residence rights and expires on schedule.

The student visa costs OMR 30 and is filed by a licensed college or training institute on the student's behalf. It must be used within six months of issue. It then allows a stay of one to two years from entry, with many entries. It renews while the course continues.

Bringing dependants has its own paperwork. Our guide to sponsoring your family for an Oman family visa sets out the salary proof, tenancy and attestation rules.

Resident cards extensions and overstay fines

A residence visa is only half the job. Once it is stamped, you must also get a resident card from the Royal Oman Police. That card is your legal ID inside the country. Renewal costs OMR 11 and you have to attend in person, bringing the expired card, your passport, the employer letter and the medical test results.

Card validity was extended under a 2025 ministerial decision, so terms now run well beyond the old three year standard. Read your own expiry date rather than assuming a fixed period.

Overstay fines run at OMR 10 for every extra day, and they build up daily across all categories. Visit visa holders are charged once the permit lapses, while residents get a short grace window after the card expires. Extending early is always cheaper, since OMR 20 on a visit visa beats OMR 10 a day in fines.

Choosing between the types of visa in Oman

Start with what you plan to do, not with the price. If you are sightseeing for under two weeks, check the visa-free list first, because you may need nothing at all. For a longer holiday, the 30 day tourist visa at OMR 20 is the usual answer. For repeat trips, the OMR 50 one year visa beats buying four separate visits.

If money changes hands for your work, you need a residence visa. Using a visit visa for paid work is the costliest mistake made here. Company owners should plan the visa alongside the licence rather than after it, which is where our post company formation services in Oman come in. As an authorised agent of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, City Squares can confirm which route fits your case before you file.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many types of visa in Oman are there?

There is no single fixed number. The Royal Oman Police groups the types of visa in Oman into four classes: visit sponsored, visit unsponsored, resident sponsored and resident unsponsored. Inside those classes sit the tourist, GCC resident, companion, transit, express, work, investor, family and student routes described above. The eVisa portal has an eligibility tool that shows which ones your nationality can actually apply for.

Can I change a tourist visa into a work visa without leaving Oman?

Usually no, because visit visas and residence visas are separate tracks with separate sponsors. The 14 day visa-free entry in particular cannot be transferred to any residence visa at all. In most cases the employer files the labour permit and the work visa while you are still outside the country.

What happens if I overstay my visa?

You pay OMR 10 for each day beyond the permitted stay, and the fine keeps building until you settle it, normally at the airport on departure. An overstay can also affect later applications. Extend the visa before it lapses rather than after, since an OMR 20 extension is far cheaper than a daily fine.

How long does an Oman eVisa take to process?

The Royal Oman Police advises applying at least four days before you travel, because processing times vary. Paying the fee does not guarantee that a visa will be issued. The express visa carries a shorter published target of roughly 24 hours for eligible business applicants.

Do children need their own visa?

Yes, every traveller needs a visa record in their own name. For families relocating, children under 21 are covered by the joining relatives visa at OMR 30 each, provided the sponsor meets the salary and housing conditions. For a holiday, children need the same tourist visa as the adults they travel with.