Oman expat residency card validity extended to 10 years

Dubai: Oman has announced a major change to its residency regulations, extending the validity of the expatriate residency card from three to 10 years.

The decision, issued by Lieutenant General Hassan bin Mohsin Al Shuraiqi, Inspector General of Police and Customs, amends the executive regulations of the Civil Status Law, according to a report by Atheer newspaper.

Under the new rules, residency cards will now be valid for up to 10 years. Cardholders must renew their IDs within 30 days of expiry.

The regulation also sets the issuance and renewal fees at five Omani rials per year, with a replacement fee of 20 rials for lost or damaged cards. Previously, in a decision issued last August, residency cards were valid for one, two, or three years only.