Housing Ministry urges expats to transfer ownership of prohibited land, real estate

Muscat: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has urged expats owners to transfer their ownership of land and real estate of various uses located in sites where ownership is prohibited, to Omanis before October 31, 2021.

A statement issued online by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning said: "Within the framework of the executive procedures of the law prohibiting expats from owning land and real estate in some sites, issued by Royal Decree No. 28/2018, the ministry calls for the initiative to transfer all ownership of land and real estate for various uses to Omanis no later than October 31, 2021."

 "The ministry also calls on the owners of land and real estate usufruct contracts with all their uses and located in prohibited sites to transfer the right of usufruct contract to Omanis no later than June 28, 2022, " the Directorate said in a statement.

Sites where expats are prohibited from owning land and real estate in all their uses are:

1- Governorates of Dhofar except for the wilayats of Salalah, Musandam, Al Buraimi, Al Dhahirah, and Al Wusta.

2- The wilayats of Liwa, Shinas, and Masirah.

3- Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Jabal Shams, and any other mountains of strategic importance determined by the competent authorities.

4- Islands.

5- Sites close to palaces, security and military authorities, which are determined by the competent authorities.

6- The archaeological and old lanes, which are determined by the competent authorities.