COVID-19 Precautionary Measures in Oman (19 July Update)

Can a resident enter the country?

• Yes

• Citizens and residents are allowed to enter Oman.

• Travellers arriving from or who have travelled in the last 14 days to the following countries are not allowed to enter Oman until further notice: United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sudan, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Exempted travellers include Omani citizens, diplomats, their families, health staff, and their domestic workers while travelling with their sponsors.

• Arriving residents should present proof of their accommodation to enter Oman.

Can a foreigner enter the country?

• No with exceptions

• Most travellers are not allowed to enter Oman. Exempted travellers include nationals of Oman, holders of resident visas, and passengers with valid visas issued by Oman. Visa on arrival (VOA) services are suspended until further notice.

• Travellers will not be allowed to enter Oman for visits that are less than 8 days. Airlines must ensure that there are no travel reservations made to depart Oman before the mandatory quarantine period ends (7 days with negative PCR test result on the 8th day).

• Travellers arriving from or recording a travel history to the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sudan, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam in the 14 days preceding requested travel to Oman are prohibited from entering the country. Exempted travellers include Omani citizens, diplomats, their families, health staff, and their domestic workers while travelling with their sponsors.

Is transit allowed through the country?

• Yes

• Transit is allowed through Oman. Travellers are advised to possess a negative COVID-19 test certificate before departure.

• Transiting travellers (travelling for more than 8 hours) must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate issued within 96 hours prior to arrival in Oman. Travellers (travelling less than 8 hours) must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate issued within 72 hours prior to arrival in Oman. Some airlines may ask for proof of a PCR test before boarding.

Is a test required on arrival?

• Yes with exceptions

• All arrivals must complete a pre-registration through SAHALA platform for a mandatory PCR test on arrival at their own expense and must download the Tarassud+ app.

• Travellers aged 15 years or younger, diplomats working at foreign embassies accredited to the Sultanate of Oman, and visiting diplomats are exempted from PCR tests on arrival and from wearing a tracking bracelet.

Is a test certificate accepted?

• Yes with exceptions

• Test certificates issued outside Oman are accepted. The certificate must be in Arabic or English.

Test certificate required?

• Yes with exceptions

• Arriving travellers (travelling for more than 8 hours) must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate issued within 96 hours prior to arrival in Oman. Travellers (travelling less than 8 hours) must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate issued within 72 hours prior to arrival in Oman. Some airlines may ask for proof of a PCR test before boarding.

• Travellers with a diplomatic passport and travellers under 16 years of age are exempt from this requirement.

• Exemptions from the negative pre-departure test apply to Omani nationals who test positive after recovering from COVID‑19. These categories of travellers will be allowed to travel to Oman without the test certificate if they can present proof of having completed the prescribed quarantine period before taking the COVID‑19 PCR test prior to travel to Oman.

Is quarantine required on arrival?

• Yes with exceptions

• Omani citizens and their families are exempt from the mandatory hotel quarantine. However, they will be required to enter a seven-day (7) quarantine at their home.

• Non-Omani travellers who are allowed to enter Oman through any border and arriving from any country are subject to a mandatory 7-day institutional quarantine at their own expense. Travellers will be required to wear a tracking bracelet during the isolation period. A second COVID-19 PCR test is required on the eighth day. With a negative result, the traveller can leave quarantine and remove the tracking bracelet.

• Aircraft crew and children aged below 18 years are exempted from quarantine requirements.

• Non-Omani travellers must hold a pre-confirmed hotel reservation in Oman covering the mandatory quarantine period (at least 7 nights). All guests will need to provide proof of a hotel booking for 7 nights or a guarantee letter from their sponsor, which specifies details of the arrangements that have been made in accordance with the institutional quarantine requirements.

• Passengers arriving in Oman must book accommodation in hotels and institutional isolation via the (Sahala) platform on https://covid19.emushrif.om/. All passengers must confirm the booking prior to check-in to avoid non-acceptance.

• Based on the above restrictions, all incoming travellers will be required to enter a minimum 7-day quarantine and may end quarantine between days 8-9, unless they test positive.

Is a vaccination required?

• No

• A COVID-19 vaccination is not required to enter Oman. Local authorities may impose their own restrictions.

• The vaccines approved by the Oman government are Pifzer, AstraZeneca, Sputnik, Sinopharm, Sinovac, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson.

Insurance required?

• Yes with exceptions

• All foreigners who are allowed to enter Oman must have a health insurance policy, including coverage for COVID-19 for a period of one month from the date of scheduled arrival in Oman. Omani citizens, GCC nationals, and arrivals with free treatment cards do not require COVID-19 health insurance.

Entry form required?

• Yes

• Before boarding, travellers must complete a traveller registration form and pay for the PCR test performed on arrival. The form can be found here. Airlines must not check in any passenger who did not complete this requirement.

Recommended Border App

• Yes

• All travellers arriving in Oman must download the Tarassud+ app prior to departure for Oman. Airlines must not check in any passenger who did not complete this requirement.

Airline restrictions

• Moderate

• International and domestic commercial flights are operating.

• Flights from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, UK, Tunisia, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Indonesia, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Guinea, Colombia, Argentina and Brazil remain suspended until further notice. Cargo flights are not affected.

• Certain domestic flight routes may be restricted to fully/ partially vaccinated travellers. Residents of Dhofar and Musandam governorates are exempted from this restriction.

• Repatriation flights may be available.

Border restrictions

• Significant

• Land borders are closed. Commercial truck traffic is not affected.

• Omanis and GCC citizens who are residents in Oman and also working in any of the GCC countries are allowed to move daily across the land borders, provided they can show the evidence of the workplace from the employer.

• Cruise ships are prohibited from docking at Oman's ports.

Curfew restrictions

• Significant

• A curfew is in effect from 17:00-04:00 (local time) until 31 July. All public places and non-essential businesses are required to remain closed during curfew hours. Local authorities may impose additional restrictions.

• A full lockdown will be enforced in Oman, from 20-24 July in view of Eid Al Adha. Musandam governorate is exempted from the lockdown measures.

Social restrictions

• Significant

• All gatherings are banned until further notice.

Internal travel restrictions

• Moderate

• Face masks are mandatory.

• Movement of people and vehicles is restricted during curfew hours.

• Public transport services are currently operating.

• Only those who have taken at least one dose of the approved vaccine in Oman (from among citizens and residents aged 18 years and above), as well as foreign travellers who have taken both doses of the vaccine, will be allowed to visit Musandam and Dhofar.

• Movement of vehicles will be prohibited between 20-24 July.

Non-essential shops open?

• Yes with exceptions

• Commercial establishments, including shops, and other businesses are operating at a limited capacity.

• All public places and non-essential businesses are required to remain closed during curfew hours.

• All non-essential services will remain suspended between 20-24 July.

Accommodations open?

• Yes

• Hotels are open with occupancy limits.

Restaurants open?

• Yes

• Restaurants are operating at a reduced capacity. Delivery and takeaway services are permitted.

Bars and cafes open?

• Yes

• Cafes are operating at a reduced capacity. Delivery and take away services are permitted

Beaches and tourism sites open?

• Yes

• Beaches are open. However, gatherings are prohibited at beaches and parks.

Places of worship open?

• Yes

• Mosques are open for daily prayers with occupancy limits.

Events allowed?

• Yes with exceptions

• Social functions such as weddings, exhibitions are allowed with capacity limitations.

• Eid Al Adha prayers, traditional pre-Eid souqs (habta) and gatherings are prohibited in all governorates of the country.

Masks required in public?

• Yes

• Face masks are mandatory in all public places. People violating this restriction could be fined.

Other

• Parks are open.

• Government offices are open with reduced staffing capacity.

The COVID-19 epidemic is constantly changing worldwide. Travel and border restrictions may change with little or no notice. Airlines may have their own requirements for testing, masking, and distancing. It is recommended that travellers carry a supply of face masks since the requirement can vary by location. It is recommended that travellers practise social distancing, maintain a 6-foot distance from other individuals and avoid crowded areas. Check with your airline, booking agent, or country's embassy for information on your specific travel plans.