The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has said that the transfer of all ownership of land and real estate in areas prohibited for expatriates or foreigners to Omanis should be completed by October 31, 2021.
The announcement comes within the framework of the executive regulations of the law prohibiting non-Omanis from owning land and real estate in some places, issued by Royal Decree No 29/2018.
The ministry called on the owners of land and real estate usufruct contracts in prohibited places to transfer the right of usufruct contract to Omanis before 06/28/2022.
The prohibited areas include Dhofar (except Salalah), Musandam, Al Buraimi, Al Dhahirah, and Al Wusta, Liwa, Shinas and Masirah, Al Jabal Al Akhdhar, Jabal Shams, and any other mountains of strategic importance determined by the competent authorities.
It also includes locations near palaces, security, and military authorities, archaeological and heritage lanes, which are determined by the competent authorities.
Earlier, the ministry called for the legal transfer of ownership of all lands and real estate in the prohibited places to Omanis.
The Ministry will not receive any new applications that will lead to cause a change in the nature of the lands or real estate owned by non-Omanis in prohibited places, such as extension, division, change of use, or modification of the shape or height of the plot of land.
With regards to usufruct contracts, If the land is occupied the usufruct contract is transferred to an Omani citizen, provided the approval of the Ministry, and that the person disposed to has not previously used or leased government lands designated for the same use. The relationship between them is the provisions of the agency contract.
If the land is vacant, the Ministry will recover it and settle the financial dues if any.
Use of land and real estate for companies: Companies in which Omanis own no less than (60%) of their capital may benefit from built lands and real estate with all their uses (except for agricultural lands) located in the exclusion zones for the purpose of establishing projects that serve the purposes of development in the Sultanate, according to the following conditions – the approval of the concerned authorities on the project, the term of the usufruct contract shall not exceed ten years.
Expatriates are allowed to own land and real estate in the Sultanate if they are citizens of the GCC countries: Except for the exclusion zones, they are allowed to own land and real estate for all its uses, except agricultural lands.
Expatriates and foreigners are allowed to own land and real estate located in integrated tourist complexes only, even if it is they are in the prohibited places.
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