ER
OMAN has lifted its tourist visa requirements for visitors from 103 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Australia and New Zealand. Travelers are now allowed to stay for up to 10 days if they have hotel reservations, health insurance and round-trip tickets abroad.
Previously, all tourists entering Oman had to apply for a visa online prior to their visit, and the visa would be valid for 10 days, at a cost of around US$ 13 or IDR182,000, or 30 days for US$52 or around IDR728,000.
Oman has slowly opened its borders since October when international flights were allowed for overseas residents and citizens. At the end of November, tourist visas were issued for the first time in about eight months. Tourism is Oman’s fastest growing non-oil industry, and accommodation providers as well as tour operators are eager to see return visitors.
Before the pandemic, Oman began to better connect itself with its neighbors in the region and become more accessible. In 2019, Dubai’s public transport system started a bus route ending in Muscat. The Oman visa application process was also online last year, although visitors from many countries no longer need to access the system with the new visa-free travel announcements.
Oman has recorded nearly 127,000 cases since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, but the number of new cases appears to be on a downward trend. New arrivals must complete an online pre-registration form prior to departure and undergo a PCR test on arrival at their own expense (approximately US$65).
Passengers also have to download a contact tracing application and perform another PCR test after one week of isolation. The traveler’s health insurance is required to cover at least 30 days of coronavirus treatment.
Following a complete list of countries that can now visit Oman visa-free can be found: Portugal, Sweden, Norway, Andorra, Italy, Bulgaria, San Marino, Switzerland, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Hungary, Serbia, Georgia, Estonia, Denmark, Germany, Greece , Iceland, Belgium, Romania, Slovenia, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Cyprus, Ukraine, Spain, Czech Republic, Vatican, Austria, Ireland, UK, Poland, Slovakia, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands.
Worldwide: Japan, Thailand, South Africa, India, Hong Kong, Russian Federation, People’s Republic of China, Seychelles, United States of America, Brunei Darussalam, Turkey, South Korea, New Zealand, Iran, Guyana, France, Australia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Canada, Malaysia, Macau, Singapore, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Armenia, Panama, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkmenistan, Honduras, Guatemala, Kazakstan, Laos, Albania, Bhutan, Peru, Maldives, El Salvador, Vietnam, Cuba, Mexico
Middle East: Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan.
South America: Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Suriname, Argentina, Brazil, Chile. [bisnis.com/photo special]
