Outside Oman for more than six months? Here's what happens to your residence visa

Muscat: Expats living outside Oman for more than six months will have to obtain an exemption certificate from the ROP to enter Oman again, a senior official of the ROP said.

The Royal Oman Police recently published an announcement of the conditions for requesting an exemption of the 180-day period from the departure of the employee or worker outside the Sultanate, the following papers are required:

1- A letter addressed to the Director of Administrative and Financial Affairs At the General Administration of Passports and Residence, requesting the return of the employee or worker to the Sultanate. The visa must be valid.

2- A copy of the passport or ID card of the employee or worker.

3- A copy of the commercial registration papers.

4- A copy of the authorized signatory in the company.

5- Attaching a returning ticket within a period of 14 days from the date of issuance of the certificate.

An official from the Royal Oman Police, (ROP), spoke exclusively to Times of Oman: “According to normal procedures, the residency of expat worker ends as a result of the foreigner's remaining outside the Sultanate for a period of more than 180 days, but due to COVID 19 and the inability of foreigners to return to the Sultanate within 180 days, employers may apply for an exemption certificate from the 180-day system.”