Friday 19 / April / 2024
Muscat: Foreigners are prohibited from acquiring real estate and lands in the Sultanate, except for the integrated tourism complexes.
On Sunday, the Minister of Housing issued the executive regulations of the law banning expats' ownership of land and real estate in specified places.
According to the law, the land and real estate that is prohibited to be owned by expats shall be determined from the date of application of the law and it has to include the follows: agricultural lands in all governorates, other lands and real estate built in all governorates of the Sultanate, wilayats, mountains, and islands defined according to the law, archaeological quarters, land around palaces and the headquarters of specific security and military authorities except for the integrated tourism complexes.
"The Secretariat of the Land Registry in the Ministry shall prepare a register of lands and real estate owned by expats, and refrain from recording the actions undertaken by non-Omani owners on the lands," the ministry said.
According to Article 13, "Expats are prohibited from using lands and real estate built in places of prohibition."
Adding that, they shall dispose of and transfer their ownership to Omanis within two years from the date on which the law comes into force if they can't sell it the ministry will do so and the price will be paid to its expat owner.
