No more Visa on Arrival for travellers to Oman
Feb 26th 2018, 6:56 am
#1
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No more Visa on Arrival for travellers to Oman
The Royal Oman Police recently announced the implementation of Evisas from 21st March 2018. It wasn’t absolutely clear whether this meant that people from those countries who could get a visa on arrival were also included in the new rules so we went to Muscat airport this morning to find out. The officer at the Visa Issuing desk told us that Visa on Arrival will be discontinued from 21st March and that everyone will have to get an Evisa if they wish to travel to Oman. The ROP Evisa page is here:
https://evisa.rop.gov.om/
This will obviously have a much greater impact on those who are doing regular visa runs than on those who visit Oman for holidays or whatever. There is, apparently, the opportunity to apply online for a multiple entry visa, valid for twelve months, for OMR50 which may help.
With Muscat airport’s new passenger terminal opening on 20th March I foresee lots of confusion.
https://evisa.rop.gov.om/
This will obviously have a much greater impact on those who are doing regular visa runs than on those who visit Oman for holidays or whatever. There is, apparently, the opportunity to apply online for a multiple entry visa, valid for twelve months, for OMR50 which may help.
With Muscat airport’s new passenger terminal opening on 20th March I foresee lots of confusion.
Feb 26th 2018, 7:01 am
#2
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Re: No more Visa on Arrival for travellers to Oman
It looks like what the US or Australia does. You just need to fill out a form online and you get the visa. Just one extra step and $. Those doing visa runs will likely apply for the e-visa in advance and proceed with the visa runs as usual.
Feb 28th 2018, 10:31 am
#3
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Re: No more Visa on Arrival for travellers to Oman
I got an e-visa for myself and visitors for a recent road trip to Oman, prior to them being required. The procedure was pretty easy though some of the steps required a bit of faffing to figure out (particularly payment). I expected that it would make things easier and faster at the border. When we drove up to the booth (Hafit crossing) I handed over the passports and printed out visas to the police officer expecting to get the passports stamped and drive on. However, he handed them back and instructed us to "bark and go inside". There in the arrivals hall we had to "queue" in the usual way as though we were getting the visa on arrival so there was no real benefit. Perhaps the queues may move quicker in future if all have to have pre-arranged visas? Anyway, I'm off again with the bf to Muscat next week when he renews his Schengen visa and then again in a few weeks on a leisurely trip to Masirah post retirement (yahay) so i'll be interested to see if this makes any difference to the efficiency of road crossings.
Feb 28th 2018, 10:52 am
#4
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Re: No more Visa on Arrival for travellers to Oman
I got an e-visa for myself and visitors for a recent road trip to Oman, prior to them being required. The procedure was pretty easy though some of the steps required a bit of faffing to figure out (particularly payment). I expected that it would make things easier and faster at the border. When we drove up to the booth (Hafit crossing) I handed over the passports and printed out visas to the police officer expecting to get the passports stamped and drive on. However, he handed them back and instructed us to "bark and go inside". There in the arrivals hall we had to "queue" in the usual way as though we were getting the visa on arrival so there was no real benefit. Perhaps the queues may move quicker in future if all have to have pre-arranged visas? Anyway, I'm off again with the bf to Muscat next week when he renews his Schengen visa and then again in a few weeks on a leisurely trip to Masirah post retirement (yahay) so i'll be interested to see if this makes any difference to the efficiency of road crossings.
Oman is nifty. No other place quite like it.
so true....
May 10th 2018, 5:51 am
#13
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Re: No more Visa on Arrival for travellers to Oman
Has anyone flown in to Muscat since these new rules started? Do Brits need to apply for a visa online in advance, or can one still (as I thought I read somewhere) still get a visit visa on arrival?
Thanks!
Thanks!
May 10th 2018, 7:09 am
#14
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Re: No more Visa on Arrival for travellers to Oman
A couple of weeks ago there was a desk in Arrivals where people “who didn’t know” about the new Evisa were able to get a VOA but whether it’s still there I don’t know. I do know, though, that this was only ever going to be a temporary facility so, if I were you, I’d get an Evisa and be done with it. It has to be paid for whichever way you go about it so you may as well do it online before you travel.
May 10th 2018, 7:15 am
#15
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Re: No more Visa on Arrival for travellers to Oman
Yup, as I will be arriving there this time quite late at night, I came to that same conclusion after I posted above. I was a bit concerned how long it might take to be approved (I need to go there at short notice on Saturday night), but the approved visa arrived in about 10 minutes, so all good. Thanks.
Now curious to see what the new airport is like...
Now curious to see what the new airport is like...
