Oman: Entry visas alloted to foreign nationals by type (residence/visit), purpose (employment, family reunion, etc.) and sector of employment of visa holder (public/private) (2010)

Type/ purpose of visa	2010
Type/ purpose of visa	Public	Private	Total
Employment visa	17,801	469,777	487,578
without family	6,950	369,015	375,965
with family	ـــ	6	6
Family joining reunion)	7,985	50,884	58,869
Domestic servant	2,866	49,872	52,738
Visit visas	18,071	77,899	95,970
Family	4,800	60,759	65,559
Business Visa	45	7,677	7,722
Tourist	6	9,438	9,444
Government	13,220	25	13,245
Business visas	25	147	172

Source: Royal Oman Police
ANNEXED NOTE

1. Technical Notes and Definitions

The Directorate General of Passports and Residence of the Royal Oman Police is responsible for issuing passports for Omanis and granting visas to foreigners wishing to enter the Sultanate. It is also involved in regulating and monitoring the entry and exit of people to and from Oman at border checkpoints.
The office also monitors the number of expatriates living in the country in accordance with policies set by the state.
Visas are granted at the request of an Omani sponsor and on his responsibility.
The employment visa is granted at the request of a local sponsor and on his responsibility to the foreigner coming to Oman for employment and whose age is not below 21.
The family joining Visa is granted to the wife of the foreigner, who is resident in Oman, and as well to his children who are below 21 years. It is also granted to the foreign wife of an Omani national at his request, and subject to a certificate from the concerned authority (Ministry of Interior) confirming the status of the marriage.
The family Visa is granted by the concerned authority at its discretion, and at the request of a local sponsor and on his responsibility, to the relatives of the Omani national and the relatives of the foreigner who are not included in the categories eligible for Family Joining Visa.

2. Institution which provides data

National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI)

3. Data availability

The present data is published in 2011′ Statistical Yearbook, section “Social Services and Security”, available online on NSCI’s website. Each thematic section is presented in PDF format.
The “Social Services” section is available at:
http://www.ncsi.gov.om/NCSI_website/book/SYB2011/20-SocialServices.pdf
2011′ SYB is available at:
http://www.ncsi.gov.om/NCSI_website/book/SYB2011/index.htm

Date of access: December 2014.