More than 3,000 receive Omani citizenship in 10 years

Muscat: More than 3,200 foreign nationals have been granted Omani citizenship by the Sultanate in the last 10 years, according to government records.
These people were granted citizenship through the signing of 64 Royal Decrees during this period, with the latest of these being Royal Decree No. 115/2020, which was signed on September 1, 2020.
Moreover, the Omani nationality of 660 people was restored, while none have had their citizenship taken away during this period.
Seven people have also been granted the right to maintain their status of dual citizenship over the span of 10 years.
During the reign of His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, 50 persons have been naturalised, while an additional 41 people have had their citizenship restored to them through five Royal Decrees.
While 19 were made citizens of the Sultanate in 2019, 2018 saw it conferred on 139 people, including six who had the right to dual Omani-Yemeni citizenship.
In 2017, through four Royal Decrees, Omani citizenship was granted to 344 people, and restored to 19, after the signing of two more decrees, while 222 more people were given citizenship and 108 had it restored to them in 2016, following the signing of 12 Royal Decrees.
In 2015, five Royal Decrees meant the naturalisation of 409 persons could proceed, in addition to restoration of nationality for 39 others.
One person was authorised to hold dual nationality. 521 more people became Omani citizens in 2014, and 24 had their Omani citizenship restored to them through six Royal Decrees
176 people became Omani nationals in 2013, and 22 had it returned to them that year, thanks to a total of three Royal Decrees, although this was significantly lower than the 492 foreigners who received new Omani passports in 2012, as well as the 135 people who had their citizenship restored to them.
2011 saw a further 171 people gain Omani nationality, while 79 people saw it returned to them, after two Royal Decrees were signed.
693 people were granted Omani nationality in 2010, in addition to 154 people seeing their Omani citizenship returned to them, after six Royal Decrees making it possible were signed.