Oman: Foreigners’ Residence Law

Title

Oman: Foreigners’ Residence Law

Date of adoption

Entry into force

Text versions

Source:

–  Sultanate of Oman Royal Oman Police, accessed: 12 October 2014, http://www.rop.gov.om/english/roplaws.asp

Abstract

This law regulates residence of foreigners in Oman. Foreigners are defined as those who do not hold Omani citizenship (Art. 2).

This law does not apply to certain categories listed in Art. 4, including citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Chapter V of this law deals with the residence of foreigners.

In accordance with Art. 14, the Inspector General shall specify the types of residence for foreigners and the duration, conditions and renewal procedures for each type. Granting a visa to a married foreigner entails granting it to his/ her spouse and children under the age of twenty-one as well. The residence duration shall not exceed two years and may be renewed by submitting a request for renewal fifteen days before its expiry. The request for residence or its renewal may be denied without giving any reasons as to why.

Every foreigner who remains in the country for more than three months shall obtain a residence permit, which shall only be issued to persons already residing in the country (Art. 15).

The residence permit confers the right of entering the Sultanate for its holder for the duration of its validity as long as it is stamped on the passport (Art. 16).

The residence permit for a foreigner who has entered the Sultanate shall be issued through his sponsor. The sponsor shall submit to the competent authority a sponsored exit request two weeks prior to the expiry of the residence, in case of its non-renewal or cancellation (Art. 17).

A foreigner shall lose his right to residence if he resided outside the Sultanate without a valid reason for six continuous months or eight non-continuous months in a year or for eighteen months within a three-year period. This shall not apply to his dependents so long as his residence is valid (Art. 18).

The residence of an Omani man’s foreigner wife shall end with the dissolution of the marriage upon which she is required to leave the country unless she can give valid reasons for her stay acceptable to the competent authority. In that case, she must obtain a new sponsor for her residence. If both spouses are foreigners then the residence of the spouse whose residence is dependent on the other spouse, shall end with the dissolution of their marriage (Art. 19).

The transfer of foreigner’s residence shall take place in accordance with the procedures and conditions specified by the Inspector General. The transfer of the foreigner’s sponsorship to another sponsor shall entail the transfer of his residing dependents directly to that sponsor (Art. 20).