Summary
- Foreigners with a visitor visa will have to leave the country in order to apply for an employment visa.
- The new measure is expected to postpone work start dates and increase costs for foreign workers in Oman.
- New changes follow the authorities’ decision to review the policies of some of the visa types.
As of the beginning of the month, visitor visa holders in Oman have not been able to change their immigration status while being in the country. As the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has revealed, the new rule applies to all types of visitor visas, including those issued for tourism purposes and express visitor visas.
According to the announcement, foreign nationals with visitor visas must leave the country to apply for and obtain an employment visa.
Before this announcement, this category of visa holders could convert their visitor visa info into an employment visa while still being in the country. The new measure is expected to delay work start dates and cost more expenses for foreign nationals as they must travel to obtain their necessary documents.
The new decision also suspends the issuance of new visas for Bangladeshi nationals until further notice as the authorities are reviewing the policies for obtaining some of the visas.
However, there wouldn’t be any hassle in renewing the existing visas, and they can follow the usual channels for renewing residency status for this nationality.
Source from Royal Oman Police
Another change that foreign nationals can encounter in Oman this year includes applying online for an e-visa, with the process being simple and intended to reduce long waiting times at airports for getting visa permits. In general, Oman e-visa is estimated to take two to three days to be processed, while a Tourist Visa can be issued within one week or seven business days.
