Muscat: Oman has passed a new law that mandates expat residents to renew their resident card 15 days before its expiry. The rule hitherto in prevalence allowed expatriate residents to renew their visa within 30 days of expiry. However, this rule is now amended.
Expat residents living in Oman must renew their residency visas 15 days before its expiry, according to an amended Residence Law, issued through a Royal Decree by Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik.
The Royal Decree No 60/2021 stated that “a foreigner must submit a request to renew his residence permit 15 days before the expiry, and it is permissible to refuse granting or renewing residence without giving reasons.”
The visa issuance that had been suspended for months has resumed in the last few days. Many expats working with private establishments whose resident cards had expired and had to change job designations to comply with the Omanisation requirement as directed by the Ministry of Labour, are now getting their new cards expedited. The renewal of resident card without change in the category was done online in the interim, as were the renewals of dependents of main visa-holder.
