Entry Requirements and Visa Application for Oman

Before your trip to Oman, you should check the current entry and visa regulations for U.S. citizens. For stays up to 14 days, you can enter visa-free without prior application if you meet certain conditions: passport valid for at least six months, confirmed hotel reservation, round-trip ticket, proof of travel health insurance, and sufficient financial means.

For longer stays, an e-visa is required, which you must apply for online in advance. Here you will find all the important information, notes, and images regarding the application.

U.S. citizens only need a visa for stays longer than 14 days. For up to 14 days, entry is visa-free as long as the entry requirements are met.

If you stay longer, you must apply for your e-visa at the Royal Oman Police here.

There are tourist visas available for 10 days (5 OMR), 30 days (20 OMR), and a visa for multiple entries (50 OMR, valid for 1 year, maximum 30 days per stay).

I will guide you step by step below on how to apply for the e-visa online and what documents you need.

Children need their own child passport with sufficient validity.

Although there are usually no problems, it is recommended not to have a visible Israeli entry stamp in your passport.

My experience: At check-in at the airport in Frankfurt, my passport was checked. Additionally, I had to present my return ticket and confirmation of the first hotel stay. Since I wanted to stay longer than 14 days, I also presented my already approved e-visa.

International health insurance is officially required if you want to enter visa-free or apply for an e-visa. The policy should be in English and cover all treatment costs, including for Covid-19. I use the international health insurance from Hanse Merkur (view details here), which includes Covid protection by default. Optionally, there is the additional service 'Corona travel protection' if you want extended coverage.

You can submit your online application for your Oman e-visa up to 1 month before your trip. After approval, you must enter within 30 days - do not apply too early. I applied for my visa 2 weeks before departure and received approval within 2 hours.

Visa obligation only applies for stays over 14 days. For stays of up to 14 days, U.S. citizens can enter visa-free if they meet the entry requirements. The classic visa on arrival is no longer issued - for longer stays, you must apply for the e-visa online in advance.

If you wish to stay in Oman for more than 14 days, you must apply for your e-visa online before your trip. A classic visa on arrival is no longer issued. The official website of the Royal Oman Police is currently only available in English and Arabic. If you do not speak English, you can use the translation feature in the Google Chrome browser (with possible translation errors) or ask friends for assistance.

Apply for the Oman visa only on the official website of the Royal Oman Police: https://evisa.rop.gov.om/. Other websites often charge significantly higher fees and are not official.

Passport that is valid for at least 6 months

Digital passport photo (max. 200 KB)

Digital image of the data page of your passport (max. 200 KB)

Valid round-trip ticket

Proof of the first accommodation (hotel confirmation or invitation)

Credit card to pay the visa fee (my tips for good travel credit cards)

Note: Even when entering visa-free for up to 14 days, you should have hotel booking, return ticket, and insurance policy ready, as these may be checked upon entry.

Create a user account on the official website of the Royal Oman Police with your email address. You will receive a confirmation email with the subject 'Oman eVisa - Email address verification'. Only after confirmation can you begin your visa application.

Select the option 'Apply for Tourist Visa' in the portal.

If you reside in a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) state, you can apply for the 'Tourist Visa for GCC Residents', which is often fee-free. This option is not available for U.S. citizens residing in the United States.

For most trips longer than 14 days, the 26B Tourist Visit Visa (30 days, single entry, 20 OMR) is sufficient.

If you plan to enter and exit multiple times during your stay - for example, if combining with the United Arab Emirates - you will need the 36B Multiple Entry Visa (valid for 1 year, maximum 30 days per stay, 50 OMR)

1. Visa-free entry for up to 14 days: No application necessary if entry conditions are met (passport >= 6 months valid, hotel reservation, return ticket, travel health insurance, financial means).

2. 26A Tourist Visit Visa: 10 days stay, 5 OMR, single entry.

3. 26B Tourist Visit Visa: 30 days stay, 20 OMR, single entry.

4. 36B Multiple Entry Visa: Multiple entries and exits, valid for 1 year, max. 30 days per stay, 50 OMR.

5. Sponsored Tourist Visa: Only possible with an invitation from an Omani citizen; rarely relevant in practice.

6. Tourist Visa for GCC Residents: For foreigners residing in GCC countries, often fee-free.

7. Express Visa: Fast processing, often within a few hours.

1. Regular Tourist Visa (26A or 26B): From approval, you have 30 days to enter Oman. The duration of stay depends on the chosen visa category (10 or 30 days).

2. Multiple Entry Visa (36B): Valid for 1 year, maximum stay per entry 30 days.

3. Sponsored Tourist Visa: Valid for 3 months, only with an invitation from an Omani citizen.

4. Express Visa: Same conditions as the regular tourist visa, but faster processing (often within a few hours).

5. Visa-free entry: No approval period - stay up to a maximum of 14 days from the date of entry.

Enter your passport number, expiration date, full name, and date of birth exactly as they appear in the passport. Carefully check your entries - typos or incorrect numbers can lead to the application being rejected or issues upon entry.

Upload a JPG file of the data page of your passport and a current biometric passport photo. Both files must not exceed 200 KB. Ensure that the images are sharp and fully visible; otherwise, the application may be rejected, and you will need to repeat the upload.

Pay the visa fee exclusively by credit card through the official online portal. After payment, you will receive an email with the subject 'Oman eVisa - Application Payment Receipt', containing your payment confirmation as a PDF.

Once your application is approved, you will receive another email with the subject 'Oman eVisa | Visa No: xxxxx'. The attached PDF must be printed and kept ready both at check-in at the departure airport and for entry into Oman.

Print your approved e-visa and keep it with your passport. Additionally, you should save the PDF file offline on your smartphone or in a cloud like Dropbox or Google Drive, so you can access it anytime - even if the printout is lost or damaged.

A fully submitted e-visa application is usually processed within 1-3 business days. In many cases, approval occurs much faster - my application took only 2 hours. Officially, it is recommended to submit the application at least 4 days before the planned entry to avoid delays.

Important: The approval email can end up in the spam folder - be sure to check that. Print the PDF with your approved visa and also save it offline, such as on your smartphone or in a cloud like Google Drive or Dropbox.

Note for visa-free entry: If you are staying up to 14 days and meet the entry requirements, the visa application is not necessary - you only need to keep all required documents (passport, hotel booking, return ticket, insurance) ready upon entry.

Costs for your Oman Visa

Visa-free entry for up to 14 days: 0 OMR - no application if entry conditions are met.

26A Tourist Visit Visa (10 days, single entry): 5 OMR (approx. 12 EUR)

26B Tourist Visit Visa (30 days, single entry): 20 OMR (approx. 48 EUR)

36B Multiple Entry Visa (multiple entries and exits, valid for 1 year, max. 30 days per stay): 50 OMR (approx. 120 EUR)

Sponsored Tourist Visa: Fees vary depending on the applicant in Oman.

Multiple entries are particularly interesting if you want to combine your trip with the United Arab Emirates. Traveling overland to Yemen is currently not advisable (or possible), and entry into the UAE with rental cars is usually not permitted.

If you wish to apply for an e-visa for travel companions as well, you can do so in the same user account on the Royal Oman Police website. All full documents must be uploaded separately for each person. The fees for all applications can then be settled in one payment - exclusively by credit card. Bank transfers or PayPal are not accepted.

Currently, the best free credit cards for travel are the DKB Bank debit card, GenialCard (Hanseatic Bank), and the Mastercard Gold from TF Bank. With a setup of at least 2 of these cards, you can almost always withdraw cash at ATMs abroad for free and pay locally without foreign transaction fees on foreign currencies!-> Here you will find all the tips based on my experience for the best travel credit cards.

Drones are strictly prohibited. Random baggage checks are conducted upon entry, and carried drones are confiscated. You can retrieve them at the Royal Oman Police at the earliest upon departure - the procedure is cumbersome and involves waiting times. My tip: It's best to leave your drone at home.

Currently, only commercial drone flights are allowed, and a permit is required, which must be applied for before entering. The application process is complex and only available in Arabic or English. More information on the official regulations can be found on the website of the Civil Aviation Authority: https://www.caa.gov.om/regulations.

We had the advantage that locals applied for the necessary documents and permits for us due to our work as travel bloggers. It should be noted that we were able to use drones from locals and did not bring our own.

If you want to go through the process, you can view the document here. More information can be found at https://www.caa.gov.om/regulations

If you have any further questions about visa-free entry or the e-visa for Oman, feel free to write them in the comments - I will respond as quickly as possible.

I hope this updated article has helped you simplify your travel preparations. Now nothing stands in the way of your time in Oman.

You will also find my overview of my travel reports and tips for your Oman vacation here.

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