- (+968) 79646432
- info@omanbusinesssetup.com
- Muscat, Oman
Visa Services in Oman
Getting an Oman visa wrong — wrong category, missing attestation, or an overlooked sponsor condition — can delay your plans by months. Here you’ll find clear explanations of every visa type in Oman, along with eligibility rules, required documents, government fees, and the complete application process from start to finish. Whether you are moving for work, investing in Oman, joining family, or applying for the Golden Visa, you will find accurate, current information below.
MakeMyCompany has been providing visa services in Oman from our Muscat office for 14+ years, with more than 500 successful visa applications across employment, investor, family, and tourist categories. Our team coordinates directly with Royal Oman Police, Ministry of Manpower, and Ministry of Commerce — not through intermediaries.
Do You Need an Oman Visa? GCC Nationals and Visa on Arrival Countries
Before applying, confirm whether you actually need a visa. The rules vary significantly by nationality.
GCC Nationals — No Visa Required
Citizens of the six Gulf Cooperation Council member states — Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait — do not require a visa to enter Oman. They can enter freely with a valid national ID or passport.
Visa on Arrival
Nationals of many countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, European Union member states, Australia, Canada, Japan, and several others, qualify for an Oman visa on arrival at international airports. The standard visa on arrival grants a stay of up to 10 days and can often be extended once inside Oman. Always verify your country’s current status with the Royal Oman Police eVisa portal before travel, as the approved nationality list is updated periodically.
Advance Visa Required
If your nationality is not covered by the GCC exemption or visa on arrival category, you must apply through the ROP eVisa system or through a licensed visa consultancy before entering Oman. Attempting to travel without prior approval will result in denial of entry. If you are unsure which category applies to you, contact our Muscat office for a quick eligibility check — no obligation.
Types of Visas in Oman: Which Category Applies to You?
Oman offers a wide range of visa categories. The table below summarises all types, who they are for, and approximate processing timelines. Detailed breakdowns for each category follow below.
| Visa Type | Purpose | Processing Time | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Visa (incl. Domestic Workers) | Work | 3–5 weeks | Employer sponsorship, Ministry of Manpower quota approval, licensed permit for domestic worker roles |
| Investor Visa (Standard) | Business / Residency | 4–6 weeks | Company registration + minimum 20,000 OMR capital |
| Golden Visa – 5-Year & 10-Year | Long-term residency | 6–12 weeks | Qualifying investment, property ownership, or specialised eligibility criteria |
| Family Residence & Citizen Spouse Visa | Family reunion | 4–7 weeks | Sponsor salary 600–1,000 OMR, attested marriage/birth certificates |
| Tourist / Visit & Multiple Entry Visa | Tourism / Multiple visits | 3 days–2 weeks | Return ticket, hotel booking; valid sponsor for multiple-entry visa |
| Official & Friend / Relative Visit Visa | Official business / Personal visit | 1–3 weeks | Government invitation letter or an Omani sponsor with valid residence |
| Student Visa | Education | 3–5 weeks | Acceptance letter from an approved educational institution |
| Transit Visa | Transit | 1–3 days | Confirmed onward travel documentation |
| Property Owner Joiner’s Visa | Family / Residency | 5–8 weeks | Registered property ownership documents |
Oman Golden Visa: Long-Term Residency for Investors and Specialised Talent
The Oman Golden Visa is a long-term residency programme that allows qualifying investors, property owners, professionals, and retirees to live in Oman without being tied to an employer or sponsor. Unlike a standard employment visa, it remains valid if you change jobs or end a business relationship — making it the preferred option for entrepreneurs and high-earning professionals seeking long-term stability.
Who Is Eligible?
- Real estate investors owning property above the qualifying value threshold
- Business investors with a direct investment in an Omani company or project
- Specialised professionals in medicine, engineering, research, technology, and culture
- Retirees meeting minimum income or savings requirements
- Entrepreneurs with active businesses contributing to Oman’s Vision 2040 goals
5-Year vs 10-Year Golden Visa
The 5-year variant suits investors and qualified professionals meeting intermediate investment thresholds. It is renewable and includes family sponsorship rights. The 10-year variant is for high-net-worth investors and exceptionally qualified individuals — it requires a higher investment amount and involves capital verification, business plan assessment, and multi-authority approvals. Processing takes 6–10 weeks for the 5-year option and 8–12 weeks for the 10-year.
Key Benefits
- Residency independent of any employer
- Right to sponsor spouse, children, and in some cases parents
- Freedom to work professionally or operate a business
- Renewable — no status change required
Applying Through MakeMyCompany
We coordinate all three authority touchpoints — Royal Oman Police for residency approval, Ministry of Commerce for investment verification, and approved medical centers for the health examination. We begin with a free eligibility assessment to confirm which variant you qualify for, then manage the complete process through to approval.
Our Visa Services in Oman
Complete processing for all categories with documentation, authority coordination, and approval guarantee. Employment, investor, family, and tourist visa services with dedicated consultation and government coordination.
Employment Visa Services
Complete expatriate processing. Ministry of Manpower verification, quota confirmation. Duration: 1-2 years. Job transfers included. All sectors covered.
Investor Visa Services
Business visa for entrepreneurs. Ministry of Commerce verification, capital documentation (20,000+ OMR). Family/employee sponsorship included.
Family Visa Services
Reunion processing. Sponsor eligibility verification, salary confirmation (600-1,000 OMR), accommodation validation.
Tourist Visa Services
Quick processing (10-30 days). Pre-approval coordination, visa on arrival handling. No employment permitted.
How to Apply for a Visa in Oman: Step-by-Step Process
Applying for a visa in Oman involves several government touchpoints, and each step must be completed in the correct order to avoid delays. Below is a clear breakdown of the full process from eligibility assessment to residence card issuance.
Eligibility Assessment
Confirm the correct visa category based on your nationality, sponsor situation, qualifications, and purpose of stay. Selecting the wrong category is the most common and most costly error in the Oman visa process. Our Muscat team conducts this assessment free of charge.
Document Planning
We provide a personalised document checklist based on your specific situation, sponsor type, and nationality. Generic checklists miss nationality-specific attestation requirements.
Sponsor and Quota Verification
- For employment visas, we confirm the employer holds a valid Ministry of Manpower licence and has available workforce quota. For family visas, we verify the sponsor meets the income threshold. This step happens before any documents are prepared or fees are paid.
Document Preparation and Attestation
We guide document collection from your home country, coordinate the full attestation chain, and arrange certified translation where needed.
Medical Examination Coordination
We book your medical appointment at an ROP-approved center in Muscat. The standard examination includes a blood test, chest X-ray, and biometric collection. Results feed directly into the ROP application system.
ROP Application Submission
- We submit the complete application to Royal Oman Police and track processing in real time. Our direct ROP relationships allow us to resolve queries and respond to requests for additional information the same day — without the delays that come with third-party coordination.
Approval and Residence Card Collection
Upon ROP approval, we coordinate residence card issuance and collection. The full process from submission to card collection typically takes 3–7 weeks depending on visa category.
Oman Visa Requirements: General Eligibility Conditions
Regardless of visa category, all applicants must meet these baseline requirements set by Royal Oman Police:
- Passport validity: Minimum 6 months from the intended date of entry into Oman
- Clean record: No prior overstay, deportation, or entry ban in Oman or the GCC
- Medical fitness: Must pass an approved medical examination for residence and employment visas
- Financial sufficiency: Ability to support yourself financially during your stay (more relevant for tourist and visit categories)
- Valid sponsor: Required for employment, investor, family, and most residence categories
- Clean security clearance: ROP conducts background checks at submission
Oman Visa Costs: Government Fees and Processing Charges
Your total visa cost in Oman has three components: ROP government fees, medical examination fees, and professional service fees. These are always quoted separately and transparently. Here is what each component covers:
Government Fees (Set by Royal Oman Police and Ministry of Manpower)
- Employment Visa: ROP application fee is 20 OMR. Additional Ministry of Manpower work permit charges apply and vary by occupation category and nationality.
- Tourist Visa: Fee varies by nationality and intended stay duration — 10-day, 21-day, and 30-day durations have different fee structures. Some nationalities receive fee waivers under bilateral agreements.
- Investor Visa: The primary financial requirement is the minimum company capital of 20,000 OMR (this is a capital requirement, not a visa fee). Visa processing fees are set separately by ROP.
- Residence Card: Biometric collection and residence card charges apply on approval.
- Attestation: 20–100 OMR per document, depending on document type and origin country.
Government fees are non-refundable regardless of application outcome. This is one reason why correct document verification before submission matters significantly. We provide a full cost breakdown — government fees, medical costs, and our service fee — before any payment is made.
Factors That Affect Your Total Visa Cost
- Your nationality (some nationalities attract different ROP fee tiers)
- Number of dependants being sponsored
- Number of documents requiring attestation and their countries of origin
- Visa validity period (1-year vs 2-year contracts attract different processing)
- Urgency of processing (standard vs expedited coordination)
Contact our Muscat office for a specific quote. We guarantee that what we quote is what you pay — no items added after the fact.
Oman Visa Quota: How Many Visas Can Your Company Sponsor?
Companies cannot sponsor unlimited foreign employees — Oman’s workforce nationalisation (Omanisation) policy sets specific limits based on company type, size, and activity.
Free Zone Companies
For companies operating from an Oman free zone (Salalah, Sohar, Al-Mazunah, or Duqm), visa allocation is typically based on office space: approximately 1 visa per 9 square meters of occupied office area. This means a 50-square-meter office qualifies for approximately 5 employee visas. Larger operations can access higher quotas by leasing additional space.
Mainland Companies
For mainland companies, the Ministry of Manpower determines quota based on the company’s commercial registration, sector, number of Omani employees, and activity type. Quota is not automatically granted at registration — it is applied for separately and increases as the company demonstrates legitimate business activity and Omanisation compliance.
We verify your company’s current quota status and available allocation before accepting any employment visa mandate. This prevents the situation where documents are prepared and fees paid only to discover quota was exhausted or not yet approved.
Document Attestation and Translation Services for Oman Visa
Many Oman visa applicants underestimate the time and complexity involved in document attestation. It is the most common source of delay for employment and family visas. The full chain — home country Foreign Affairs → Oman Embassy abroad → Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs — takes between 2 and 4 weeks under normal circumstances.
We manage the entire attestation process, including courier coordination with embassies and government offices outside Oman. For documents not in Arabic or English, we arrange certified translation by translators approved by the Omani judicial system. Translation without proper certification is rejected at submission.
Visa Renewal, Transfer, and Cancellation in Oman
Visa responsibilities extend beyond initial approval. Our long-term partnership includes renewal tracking with 3-month advance alerts, status change handling, and proper cancellation coordination. Many clients maintain 5-8 year relationships through multiple cycles.
Visa Renewal
Most Oman residence visas are valid for one to two years and must be renewed before expiry. Overstaying results in daily fines and can lead to travel bans affecting future Oman or GCC entry. We send renewal alerts 3 months before expiry and coordinate the full renewal process — sponsor confirmation, updated medical examination, passport re-verification, and submission to ROP. Many of our clients have maintained continuous legal status in Oman through 5–8 years of renewal cycles without a single lapse.
Visa Transfer and Status Change
If you change employers, move from employment to investor status, or a dependent converts to an employment visa, the process involves cancelling the existing visa and applying for the new category. Transfers must be done correctly — attempting to start a new job on an active visa from a previous employer is a legal violation. We coordinate the cancellation and new application to ensure there is no gap in legal status.
Visa Cancellation on Departure
If you are leaving Oman permanently, your residence visa must be formally cancelled. This involves obtaining a No Objection Certificate from your sponsor, submitting the residence card to ROP, completing exit clearance, and confirming your departure is properly recorded. Leaving without completing cancellation creates complications for any future return to Oman or other GCC countries. We handle the complete departure cancellation process including all government submissions.
Why Work with MakeMyCompany for Visa Services in Oman
Self-filed visa applications frequently face rejections due to documentation errors, wrong category selection, or overlooked sponsor eligibility issues. Professional review eliminates these before submission — which matters because government fees are non-refundable and a rejected application creates a record that complicates the next attempt.
14 Years of Direct Authority Relationships
Our Muscat office maintains active daily coordination with Royal Oman Police, Ministry of Manpower, and Ministry of Commerce. When ROP raises a query on a submitted application, we respond the same day from our physical office — there is no lag of overnight emails or third-country relay. Over 14 years, these relationships translate to an approval track record across 500+ applications in healthcare, engineering, education, hospitality, IT, trading, and financial services.
Specific, Measurable Results
Our established ROP and Ministry of Manpower relationships allow us to resolve processing queries 3–4 weeks faster than applicants coordinating without local presence. We maintain 5–8 year ongoing relationships with many clients through multiple visa cycles, renewals, dependent additions, and status changes.
Complete Transparency on Cost and Timeline
Before you commit to anything, we provide a written breakdown of government fees, medical costs, attestation charges, and our service fee. We do not add items after the fact. Processing timelines are quoted based on current ROP workload and your specific category — not generic estimates.
Sectors We Cover Regularly
- Healthcare — doctors, nurses, medical technicians
- Engineering — civil, mechanical, electrical, petroleum
- Education — teachers, academic staff, trainers
- Hospitality — hotel management, F&B, tourism operations
- IT — software, cybersecurity, infrastructure
- Financial Services — banking, accounting, insurance
- Trading — import/export, general trading, logistics
We are always ready to help you
Our dedicated team is committed to providing exceptional service and support for all your business needs. Whether you have questions, require guidance, or need immediate assistance, we are here for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Oman Visa Services
How long does an Oman visa take to process?
Processing times vary by visa type. Employment visas typically take 2 to 4 weeks, investor visas 3 to 6 weeks, family visas 2 to 3 weeks, and tourist visas 3 to 7 days. Timelines depend on document completeness, medical examination scheduling, and authority processing speeds.
Can foreigners apply for Oman visas without a sponsor?
Tourist visas can be obtained without an Oman-based sponsor through approved channels. However, employment visas require an Oman employer sponsor, investor visas require an Oman-registered company, and family visas require an Oman resident sponsor. The visa category determines sponsor requirements.
What is Oman Golden Visa and who is eligible?
The Oman Golden Visa is a long-term residency permit available in 5-year and 10-year variants. Eligibility categories include qualifying investors, property owners, specialised professionals (medicine, engineering, technology, research), retirees meeting income or savings criteria, and entrepreneurs contributing to Oman’s Vision 2040 economic goals. It allows residency independent of employer sponsorship and includes the right to sponsor immediate family members.
Is medical examination mandatory for all Oman visas?
Medical examinations are required for employment visas, investor visas, and family/dependent visas for extended stays. Tourist and short-term visit visas typically do not require medical examinations. Medicals must be completed at government-approved health centers in Oman.
Can Oman visas be renewed?
Yes. Most Oman residence visas can be renewed before expiration. Employment visas are renewed based on continued employment, investor visas based on active business operations, and family visas based on sponsor eligibility. Renewal applications should be submitted at least one month before expiry.
What are common reasons for Oman visa rejection?
Common rejection reasons include incomplete or incorrect documentation, applying under the wrong visa category, sponsor or employer quota or compliance issues, failed medical examinations, and previous immigration violations. Proper preparation and documentation review significantly reduce rejection risk.
Can I work in Oman on a tourist visa?
No. Working in Oman requires a valid employment visa sponsored by an Oman-registered employer. Working on a tourist visa is illegal and can result in fines, deportation, and future entry bans. Always obtain the correct visa category for your purpose of stay.
How much does an Oman visa cost?
Visa costs vary by category, nationality, and processing requirements. Employment visa costs range from OMR 200 to OMR 500+ depending on job type and family inclusion. Investor visas typically cost OMR 300 to OMR 600+. Family visas cost OMR 100 to OMR 300 per dependent. Tourist visas range from OMR 20 to OMR 70 depending on duration. Contact us for accurate pricing for your specific situation.
What happens if my visa application is rejected?
If rejected, we review the rejection reasons with you, advise whether reapplication is possible, identify what needs to be corrected or changed, and assist with submitting a new application if appropriate. Some rejections are final, while others can be addressed through corrections or additional documentation.
Can I sponsor my parents on a family visa in Oman?
Yes, if you meet the income requirements and your parents meet eligibility criteria. Parent sponsorship typically requires higher income thresholds than spouse or child sponsorship. We verify your eligibility and guide you through the parent sponsorship process.
Do I need to cancel my visa if I leave Oman permanently?
Yes. Proper visa cancellation is required when leaving Oman permanently. This involves obtaining no-objection from your employer or sponsor, settling any outstanding obligations, officially canceling your residence permit, and obtaining exit clearance. Failure to cancel properly can create future immigration issues.
Why Professional Visa Services in Oman Prevent Costly Rejections
The most common reasons for Oman visa application rejection — and how we address each before submission:
- Wrong visa category selected: We conduct a detailed eligibility assessment before any document preparation begins.
- Incomplete or incorrectly attested documents: We provide a personalised checklist and verify every document against current ROP requirements before submission.
- Sponsor not meeting eligibility criteria: We verify employer quota, income thresholds, and company registration status upfront.
- Undisclosed medical history: We review your situation in advance and prepare proper documentation where concerns exist.
- Expired documents or passport: We check all validity dates and coordinate renewal where needed before the application moves forward.
- Timing errors: We manage all deadlines — application submission windows, medical appointment timing, and sponsor document validity — as a single coordinated timeline.
Our consistent approval track record across 500+ applications reflects a process built around preventing problems before they reach ROP, not reacting to rejections after they happen.
Contact Our Visa Consultants Firm in Oman Today
As professional visa consultants in oman, we protect your career, business, and family plans through expert visa process in oman handling.
Our Service Package:
- We provide free consultation
- We create custom processing plan
- We handle complete processing
- We send real-time updates
500+ visas | 14+ years as trusted visa consultants firm in oman | Our Muscat offices
Contact us at MakeMyCompany for comprehensive oman visa services. Your approval is our commitment.
Need assistance with Oman visa processing? Our team provides professional visa services with clear guidance, proper documentation review, and direct handling from our Muscat office.
Get started with a free consultation to discuss your visa requirements. We’ll assess your eligibility, explain the applicable visa category and process, review documentation requirements, and provide a transparent cost estimate.
Contact us today:
WhatsApp: +968 7205 9272 (fastest response)
Phone: +968 79646432
Email: info@omanbusinesssetup.com
Office Address: Shop Number 120, Way Number 2013, Building 0325, Muttrah, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Our visa consultants are ready to assist you with employment visas, investor visas, family visas, tourist visas, renewals, and all visa-related matters in Oman. Reach out via WhatsApp for immediate assistance or schedule a detailed consultation call at your convenience.