PASSPORT & VISAS, ENTRY FORMALITIES

• All visitors must hold a valid passport.

• Prospective visitors to Oman should obtain a visa issued from the Directorate General of Immigration (Royal Oman Police) by contacting one of the following authorities:
  a) The Oman Embassies & Consulates abroad
  b) The Dept. of Immigration and Passports at Al Buraimi or the Sultanate's  Commercial Office in Dubai for those entering through the border crossing at  Wajajah, Hafit or Hatta at the U.A.E. border.

• A two week entry visa will be issued for businessmen without a sponsor, the issuance of the visa take one week from the date of submission.

• The ordinary visit visas require an Omani Sponsor, duration is for three months and it takes one week to obtain the visa.

• Nationals of G.C.C. countries may enter the Sultanate of Oman without a visa.

• Books, magazines, other printed material, video cassettes and movie films are subject to censorship at the entry points.

• The following imports are strictly prohibited:
  a) Alcohol   b) Fresh foods   c) Israeli currency   d) Firearms

PERMITS

Site Permit
It is necessary to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in Muscat in order to visit archaeological sites, old forts etc.

Road Permits:
To travel across the borders by land, a road permit is needed which can be obtained in a few days from the concerned person's sponsor.

LOCAL TRANSPORT

The State-owned bus company, ONTC, has the franchise to operate public services throughout the Sultanate. It also contracts out some of its fleet for short-term charters and tourism. It currently operates on some 28 routes, covering over 20 million km per year and has an annual replacement programme for its fleet with the most modern vehicles available. Taxi services, run by the private sector, are also well developed and there is an excellent network of minibuses operating as ‘service’ taxis linking up the major centres of population.