Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Muscat: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said issued a Royal Decree on the law banning non-Omani ownership of land and real estate in some places.
The Royal Decree was issued on November 11, 2018.
Article 1 of the Royal Decree prohibits non-Omanis from owning land plots and real estate for all its uses in any of the following places:
1. The Governorates of Dhofar, except Salalah, Musandam, Buraimi, Al Dhahirah and Al Wusta.
2. The wilayates of Shinas, Liwa and Masirah.
3. Jabal Al Akhdar and Jabal Shams, and any other mountains of strategic importance determined by the competent authorities.
4. Islands.
5. Sites near palaces, and security and military authorities, which are determined by the competent authorities.
6. Archaeological and ancient houses, which are determined by the competent authorities.
Article 2 of the Royal Decree states that non-Omanis shall be prohibited from owning land plots for agricultural use in all governorates of the Sultanate.
Article 3 pertains to plots on which there is no building and or construction is going on.
It states: “Any person who loses Omani nationality or who has been deprived of or withdrawn from it shall transfer the land assigned to him by the State and located in the places provided for in Article 1 of this Law to an Omani person by any means of the Transfer Property Law.”
The transfer should be within two years from the date of the loss or withdrawal of Omani nationality, and may be extended for one year only after the approval of the Minister of Housing, in coordination with the competent authorities. If he or she did not do so during that period, the Ministry of Housing would reclaim the land, with compensation of the land plot.
Article 4 pertains to plots on which there is an existing building or construction undergoing.
It stipulates that whoever loses Omani nationality or has been deprived of or withdrawn from it shall transfer the land granted to him by the State to another Omani national, in which there are existing buildings located in the places stipulated in Article 1 of this law.
The transfer should be within two years from the date of the loss or withdrawal of Omani nationality, and may be extended for one year only after the approval of the Minister of Housing, in coordination with the competent authorities.
If he or she did not do so during that period, the court shall sell the land and the related works mandatory to the Omani national on the request of the Housing Minister, in accordance with the Civil and Commercial Procedure Code, provided that the sale price should return to the owner of the land.
The law states that a jail term of not less than three months and not more than one year and a fine of not less than OMR1,000 and not more than OMR3,000 shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately enters into a contract of ownership or performs any act in contravention of the provisions of this law or mediates it.
A person who used any methods of fraud should be jailed for not less than six months and not more than two years, and fined not less than OMR2,000 and not more than OMR5,000 .
