Oman lifts travel ban on India, Pakistan, Bangladesh

Muscat: With Oman lifting the travel ban on all countries, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, thousands of expatriates stuck in various parts of the world can now enter the Sultanate.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), all Omani citizens, residents of Oman, visa holders of Oman, and those who can obtain a visa on arrival, are eligible to enter the Sultanate from September 1 in accordance with the pre-COVID guidelines.

All passengers arriving to the Sultanate are required to present a COVID-19 vaccine certificate containing a QR code stating that they have received two doses of a vaccine approved in Oman, or in cases where a single dose is approved by the health authorities of the Sultanate, have received one dose of such a vaccine.

The last dose is required to have been received not less than 14 days ahead of estimated arrival time.

The CAA also said that all passengers arriving to the Sultanate presenting a negative COVID-19 PCR test result are exempted from quarantine.

The COVID-19 PCR test shall indicate the medical test result which can be validated and certified with a QR code and the test shall be conducted within 96 hours prior to the scheduled time of arrival in the Sultanate for the international flights of more than eight hours duration, including transit, and 72 hours before for shorter flights.

All passengers arriving in the Sultanate without holding a negative COVID-19 PCR test or subject to a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival will be required to enter mandatory quarantine with electronic tracking bracelet until a negative PCR test result is received.

In case of a positive PCR test result, the passengers shall be required to undergo mandatory health isolation for 10 days starting from the test date.

However, passengers who have recovered from COVID-19 but tested positive on arrival, are exempted from health isolation provided they are able to submit proof that they have completed the prescribed isolation period in the country where they were infected before travelling to the Sultanate.

Before boarding the aircraft, all passengers arriving in the Sultanate, including diplomats, are required to complete pre-registration via Tarassud+ platform and to upload the vaccine certificate as well as a COVID-19 PCR certificate, both containing QR codes.

If the passenger prefers to conduct the COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival, the passengers shall pay the prescribed fees by registering via Tarassud+ platform before boarding the aircraft.

Arriving passengers aged 18 years and below are exempted from the requirements of the vaccine and COVID-19 PCR test.

Patients with diseases that prevent them from receiving the vaccine according to an approved medical certificate are also exempted from presenting vaccine certificates

The decision will come into effect from 12.00pm (Oman local time) on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, with the exception that Omani citizens and their families who departed the Sultanate before the issuance of this circular are exempted from vaccine requirement for a maximum of two months from the issuance of this circular.