Travelers are often confused about whether they can get an Oman visa on arrival when they land. Although getting a Muscat Airport visa on arrival is no longer possible, there are other ways to get a travel permit last-minute.
Before visiting Oman, all foreign citizens should check the Oman visa requirements to see if they require a travel document to enter the country. There are only a few nationalities who are visa-exempt for Oman, which are citizens of Gulf Cooperation Countries such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
All other visitors are required to obtain an Oman visa to enter the country. A number of foreign nationalities were previously able to obtain a visa on arrival for Oman, but this system has been phased out following the introduction of the Oman eVisa.
As the Oman visa on arrival systems are no longer in place, travelers are advised to apply for an electronic visa before departure, to ensure they can gain access to the country.
Can Travelers Get an Oman Visa on Arrival?
A number of eligible nationalities were previously able to obtain a visa on arrival for Oman at Muscat airport and select border checkpoints in the country.
However, the implementation of the online Oman tourist visa for citizens of the same eligible countries has been designed to replace the Oman visa upon arrival system and expedite the visa application process.
When the online tourist visa system was first introduced, it was still possible for eligible citizens to either get an eVisa or a visa on arrival for Oman. However, the government stopped issuing Oman visas upon arrival in February 2019 at the majority of the border entry points.
For a while, the government maintained a grace period for the visa on arrival to ensure that those that arrive in Oman without an eVisa were still able to gain access to the country. During this time, visitors were still able to use the visa on arrival Muscat airport service at the main international airport in Oman.
However, in November 2019, Omani authorities confirmed that all foreign nationals must apply for an Omani visa in advance and that going forward, a Muscat visa on arrival would only be granted in very exceptional cases.
Can Travelers Get an Oman Visa at Muscat Airport?
Citizens from countries eligible for the eVisa used to be able to apply for a Muscat Airport visa on arrival in a designated area of the arrivals terminal before passport control. However,
the government now only maintains the visa on arrival Muscat Airport service for exceptional cases only.
As the Muscat visa on arrival facilities are now not openly available, travelers should submit their visa application online in advance to avoid problems boarding a flight or passing through Omani passport control.
Alternatives to the Oman Visa on Arrival
Citizens who were previously eligible for the visa on arrival are now able to submit an online application for a tourist visa for Oman through a simple online application. To apply, it's necessary to have a passport from an eligible country valid for 6 months from the intended date of entry to Oman.
The online form only takes a few minutes to complete with personal and passport information to receive an approved eVisa for Oman via email. It usually takes around 24 hours for the eVisa to be processed, but this may take longer in some cases.
Once the visa is approved, travelers are able to print a copy of the eVisa to present at Oman border control to gain entry to the country. This eliminates the need to wait in an Oman visa upon arrival line before passing through border control.
The online visa for Oman is available as either a single entry visa that permits stays of 30 days in Oman (28 days for GCC residents), or as a multiple entry visa which allows a total stay of 30 days during its 1-year validity. Those who wish to visit Oman for longer consecutive periods are required to apply for a visa from an Omani embassy or consulate.
