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Travelling to Oman? Here's a checklist and everything you need to know

Oman Thursday 02/September/2021 09:13 AM
By: Times News Service
Travelling to Oman? Here's a checklist and everything you need to know
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Muscat: All passengers arriving to Oman who present a pre-travel negative COVID-19 PCR test result are exempted from quarantine, said the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The CAA said in it's circular that based on the decision of the Supreme Committee for dealing with COVID-19 on 19th August 2021 and further to the CAA circular number (20/21 COVID-19 ) issued on August 23, 2021, the CAA informed all travellers and airlines operating in Oman on the following updated requirements for passengers travelling to the country:

1- All Omani citizens, residents, visa holders, those who do not require a visa to travel to Oman and those who can obtain a visa upon arrival are allowed to enter Oman in accordance with the pre-pandemic system.

2- Institutional quarantine will continue to apply, until further notice, to all arrivals from the Republic of Iraq and Islamic Republic of Iran, including Omani citizens arriving from the aforementioned two countries.

3- All passengers arriving to Oman are required to present a COVID-19 vaccine certificate containing a QR code stating that they have received two doses of any COVID-19 vaccine approved in Oman (Pfizer BioNTech , Oxford AstraZeneca, Covishield AstraZeneca, Sputnik, Sinovac, Moderna, and Sinopharm or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson). The last dose received should not be less than 14 days ahead of estimated arrival time. The Ministry of Health publishes and updates the list of vaccines approved in Oman.

4- All passengers arriving to Oman who present a pre-travel 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 schedule time of arrival in Oman for the international flights of more than eight hours duration, including transit, and 72 hours for shorter flights.

5- All passengers arriving to Oam without holding a negative COVID-19 PCR test in accordance with paragraph number four of the circular are subject to a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival where after the traveller shall be required to enter mandatory quarantine with electronic tracking bracelet until a negative PCR test result is received. However, in case of a positive PCR test result, the passengers shall be required to undergo mandatory health isolation for ten days starting from the test date. Except that 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 Oman.

6- Before boarding the aircraft, all passengers arriving to the Sultanate, are required to complete pre-registration via (http://covid19.emushrif.om/) and to upload the vaccine certificate as well as the 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 when registering via (http://COVID19.emusharif.om/) platform before boarding the aircraft.

7- Arriving passengers aged 18 and less are exempted from the requirements of the vaccine and the COVID-19 PCR test. Passengers with health conditions that prevent them from receiving the vaccine according to an approved medical certificate are also exempted from presenting vaccine certificates.

8- Arriving passengers shall have international health insurance covering the cost of treatment for COVID-19 for a period of at least one month is mandatory except for Omani citizens.

9- Omani citizens and their families and non-Omanis working  in public or private units and with valid residency who are not vaccinated in accordance with item three of this circular are allowed to return to Oman and subject to the health requirements issued before 1st September 2021.

10- Diplomats working in the foreign diplomatic missions accredited to Oman and visitor diplomats are exempted from the registration in (https://covid19.emushrif.om/) and from the COVID-19 PCR test.

11- Aircrews are subject to the precautionary measures for COVID-19 issued by the Ministry of Health. This decision is effective from Wednesday, September 1, 2021.