e-visa Archives • Middle East 24/7

Oman to Launch Online Work Visa Facility in September

According to the ROP, “The facility is likely to be available from the second half of September. We conducted a trial run with a few companies last month to iron out the glitches. Everything went well and there were no issues. We are hopeful that everything will be in place before the launch”, as shared in a report by the Muscat Daily.

Furthermore, the e-visa facility will be made available via https://evisa.rop.gov.om. The ROP explained that company representatives can also visit the website to gain a better understanding of the online work visa application system.

Of note, only Oman-issued debit cards can be used for payment to conform to the Central Bank of Oman’s new regulations.

“This is mandatory for receiving online applications for work visas. Some Sanad offices are already providing the e-visa facility. This service will be extended and used much more once the online facility is introduced,” an ROP representative disclosed.

Among the visa types offered under the e-visa facility are unsponsored tourist visas for GCC and Group 1 countries; sponsored tourist visas for remaining countries (other than those in the Group 1 category); multiple-entry visas for one year and multiple-entry visa for ten years for American citizens as well as Express visas.

The Oman eVisa was first introduced in March 2018 to streamline the process of obtaining a Tourist visa to visit the country. However, Oman is now specifying that visitors to the country will need to apply for visas a week in advance of travel.

In a statement shared by the ROP, “It is recommended to have the application sent at least one week before you travel.” The directive also applies to those applying for tourist visas which need to be used for “one month from the date of issue.”

Of note, the Sultanate has recently stopped issuing visas on arrival in February 2019.

There is currently a temporary ‘Visa on arrival kiosks’ in Muscat International airport. However, for those who didn’t apply for an eVisa, there is no information on how long these kiosks are going to be there for, so it’s advisable to apply for an eVisa before flying Oman.

Other than national benefits offered by the government to residents and citizens, there are also perks granted to citizens based on the homeland’s bilateral connections.

Other than its diplomatic relevance, citizens can also take advantage of immigration and travel opportunities offered by friendly nations, which would also contribute to economic and business growth in the long run. This just supports the fact that strong diplomatic ties can help boost a country’s economy, as well as its sub-sectors.

Oman Among 50 States Eligible for Visa on Arrival in Pakistan — Credits: IHMA

Omani Passport Eligible for e-Visa on Arrival in Pakistan

In relation to this, the Pakistan Embassy in Muscat has started giving Omani citizens visa on arrival as part of its e-visa initiative, as shared in a report by Muscat Daily.

Regarding this development, the Pakistan Embassy in Muscat has also revealed visa charges for their visa on arrival scheme.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan had announced the details of the e-visa initiative to 175 nations in a meeting with the Pakistani community presided by Ambassador Ali Javed at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex last January 30, 2019.

As per Qureshi, the Pakistani government, wisely led by PM Imran Khan has included Oman among 50 friendly nations eligible for the Visa on Arrival scheme, alluding to the depth of relations between the two nations.

Of note, the qualitative change in visa process, which has been put into effect since May of this year, can be viewed by accessing the official website of Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior. On this regard, travellers shall be expected to print, or save on their handheld devices, the ‘Electronic Travel Authorization’ (ETA), prior to departure. For any queries or concerns, applicants may reach out to the Ministry of Affairs by email.

The simplified fee structure is as follows:

Visit/Tourist:

Single Entry: OMR 10

Multiple Entry (one year): N/A

Multiple Entry (2 to 5 years): N/A

Family:

Single Entry: OMR 10

Multiple Entry (one year): OMR 15

Multiple Entry (2 to 5 years): OMR 20

Work/Business:

Single Entry: OMR 39

Multiple Entry (one year): OMR 58

Multiple Entry (2 to 5 years): OMR 77

Transit:

Single Entry: OMR 5

Multiple Entry (one year): N/A

Multiple Entry (2 to 5 years): N/A

Being the closest Gulf country to Pakistan, Oman shares warm and cooperative ties with the former. Aside from economic relations, the two also share militarily ties, with joint exercises and defence procurement on their agenda.

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