Muscat, Dec 23 - While Oman offers visa on arrival at the Muscat International Airport, tourists have been asked to procure appropriate e-visa for a seamless trip. This is what sources at the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and Royal Oman Police (ROP) had to say. Sources at MoT said tourists should process their visa electronically before their arrival in Oman and avoid standing in queues at the counters. The Muscat Airport has been equipped with e-visa gates to help in-bound tourists avoid queues and enter the country smoothly.
A senior executive of a popular travel agency said: “Immigration officers are within their right to deny anyone a visa if they found ineligible. E-visa or booking through an agent is not expensive anymore. It will allow tourists to travel with a less degree of uncertainty.”
An official at the emigration department of Muscat Airport said the visa on arrival was available. For example, for nationals coming from one of the eligible nations such as the UK, a one-month stay costs RO 20 and ten-day stay RO 7.
“Sometime back, I saw reports about the authorities urging travellers to avail of the e-visa option instead of visa-on-arrival. Visa on arrival is a better option for me as travellers may be not comfortable applying online and then waiting for response or no response,” said Rebecca, a UK passport holder who wants to get her friends to Oman early January.
A transit visa is also available for travel on Oman-based airlines. The travel itinerary must involve Oman plus two countries.
Applicants should have a six-month valid passport and length of stay in Oman should not exceed 72 hours. He should have enough money to cover expenses and an onward ticket. A short transit visa for 24-hour stay is also available on similar conditions.
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