One of the most visited countries in the GCC region for British travellers is Oman. The Oman visa is coveted due to the multitude of tourist attractions in the country. UK nationals also have business interests in the country, for which they frequently seek an Oman business visa. In fact, in 2018 alone, the country attracted 4.2 million international travellers, visiting its beaches, forts, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, deserts and cultural events. Most travellers also visited the vibrant, multicultural city of Muscat.
Saudi Able Link is an extension of Rapid Visas Ltd. in London, specialising in visas for UK citizens to the GCC nations. GCC or the Gulf Cooperation Council is a six-member economic and political alliance in the Persian Gulf, promoting ties between its people in various areas, such as finance, customs, trade, tourism, military, administration and legislation. Apart from visas for Oman, Saudi Able Link also offers visa services for other GCC countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain.
Rapid Visas Ltd., established in 2007, is a reputed, London-based visa service agency, with a huge list of clientele, including individual travellers and Fortune 500 companies. Apart from visa services to over 30 countries globally, the agency provides passport application services, such as issuance of a second UK passport, renewal of passports and passport replacements, in case of theft, damage or loss.
Our visa consultants have extensive knowledge regarding country-specific visa laws and are known for their prompt customer services, detailed pre-checking of documents before submission of visa applications and strong relationships with consular and government officials, which leads to a high visa approval rate.
Oman Visa Requirements for UK Citizens
Sultanate of Oman
Situated on the south eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman shares strategic land borders with Yemen to the southwest, Saudi Arabia to the west and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the northwest. Oman has sizable oil reserves, but a major portion of its GDP also comes from agricultural trade and fisheries in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
Oman had a population of 4.8 million, as of 2018. A majority of its citizens follow Islam, while Arabic is the official language. Oil reserves form two-fifths of the country’s GDP, but by the end of the 1990s, Oman sought to privatise and diversify its economy, by expanding its stock market and creating a more liberal investment environment for foreign companies.
Revenues generated from petroleum products have led to huge development in the country over the last 50 years. Foreign companies, including several large British corporations, own 40% of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO).
Oman’s Vision 2040 initiative aims at achieving economic diversification. This includes significant investments in non-oil sectors, such as agriculture and fisheries, mining, logistics, manufacturing and tourism. Till the end of 2018, the Special Economic Zone Authority of Duqm (SEZAD) attracted $14.2 billion worth of investments. This special economic zone is the largest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and amongst the largest in the world.
Oman ranks at #75 on the 2020 Index of Economic Freedom. The maximum corporate tax rate is 12% and there is no individual income tax. The World Bank expects increased economic growth from 2021 onwards, driven by higher gas production from the Khazzan gas project and increased investment in non-oil sectors, such as manufacturing and tourism.
Oman attracts millions of tourists during The Khareef Festival, held in Salalah, Dhofar, during the monsoon season. It is similar to the Muscat festival. Muscat, the country’s capital, was listed as the second best city to visit in the world by travel guide publisher, Lonely Planet, in 2012. To drive tourism, the Oman eVisa was introduced in 2019 and the Oman tourist visa on arrival facility was offered for certain nationalities.
Oman and the UK share strategic business and military bilateral ties. Post-Brexit, many UK companies might see Oman as a favourable hub for trade with the GCC and East Africa. The Sultanate’s political and economic stability, robust infrastructure development, legal system, multilingual workforce and new legislations for foreign investments hold promise for UK-based businesses.
General Types of Bahrain Visas for UK Citizens
To travel to Oman, you need a visa, unless you belong to a GCC nation (except Qatar) or a country that has visa exemption. Citizens of 71 countries can apply for the Oman visa online, and obtain a single-entry or multiple-entry Oman eVisa, valid for 30 days.
Visa for Oman from UK: Do You Need a Visa for Oman?
If you are a UK citizen, you can apply for an online Oman eVisa for travel to the country, and stay for a period of up to 30 days. You can choose to obtain a single entry visa for a period of 10 days or 30 days. Multiple entry visas will allow you to stay for up to 30 days over a period of 1 year. To streamline this process, the Omani Government has introduced an online visa issuance system, which grants UK citizens electronic authorisation to enter the country. This is equivalent to a visa, but without any stamp on the passport.
To be eligible for the Oman eVisa, British citizens should have:
- Passport validity for 6 months beyond the date of entry into Oman. The passport should be machine readable and have two blank facing visa pages.
- Proof of onward travel or return tickets to the UK
- Documents showing proof of funds sufficient to cover the trip.
- Proof of accommodation in Oman.
- Documents showing purpose of stay in Oman and documents related to the next destination of travel, if any.
The following types of Oman visas are issued to UK citizens:
- Oman Tourist Visit Visa
- Oman Work Visa
- Oman Business Visa
- Oman Transit Visa
- Oman Official Travel Visa
Oman visa applications for work, and official and business visas need to be submitted to the Oman Embassy in London. For official visit visas, sponsors must make an application (along with the applicant’s passport details) to the Immigration Department, to organise approval for an entry permit. Business visit visa applicants will need to submit a letter of introduction, issued by their UK-based employer, to the Embassy, stating the purpose of travel to Oman and other particulars, such as the designation of the applicant and days of stay requested for. Along with this, a letter of invitation has to be issued by the sponsor entity in Oman to, support the letter.
Oman Visa Immigration Rules and General Information
For business and employment purposes, UK citizens need Oman work visas and labour cards to enter and reside in the country. Applicants must be between 21 and 60 years of age to apply for a work visa. They also need to sign an employment contract, directly with an Oman corporate entity. The terms of this local employment contract will determine the validity of the work permit, which is usually up to a maximum of 2 years. Labour cards can be renewed but they do not grant permanent residence.
“Omanisation” rules determine the percentage of local employees that Oman companies need to ensure as part of their workforce. Along with that, there continues to be a ban on companies in 87 sectors by the Omani Ministry of Manpower (MOM), which prevents Oman companies from employing foreign nationals. These include IT, sales and marketing, finance and accounts, medicine and air transport, among several others. However, some companies are exempt from this ban; such as those registered with the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development.
We assist companies across all sectors and of sizes in the UK, in matters related to corporate immigration. Get in touch with us at help@saudiarabiavisa.co.uk for further queries.
Oman Visa Medical and Legalisation Services
Certain documents need to be legalised or attested by the Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by the Oman Embassy in London, to be legally accepted in the UK. Similarly, UK issued documents, such as business certificates, education certificates, marriage and birth certificates and others, will have to be legalised by the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London, to be recognised in Oman. Apostille stamped documents are also necessary for certain visa procedures. Apostille is a specific format of document legalisation that grants it legal status in 92 nations belonging to the Hague Convention.
Saudi Able Link will take care of all your Embassy document attestation and legalisation needs, through its extensive contacts in major government and consular bodies.
We will also guide you through the complete Oman visa medical procedure, by ensuring that you get the right medical tests at the right centres in the UK, and submit the requisite documents to the Embassy. Medical tests, such as blood work for Syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis B&C and Malaria, are essential to apply for an Oman work visa and residency permit.
Please get in touch with us regarding all your Oman visa queries. You can email us at help@saudiarabiavisa.co.uk or call us at 02070961985.
