Dubai: More than 200 expats living in Oman have been granted the Omani citizenship.
Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik issued Royal Decree No 2023/83 granting Omani citizenship to 201 expatriates who met all necessary conditions.
Expatriates seeking Omani citizenship are required to submit an application, which carries a fee of 600 Omani riyals (around Dh2,860). Spouses or former spouses of Omani citizens are subject to a fee of 300 riyals, as per the Ministry of Interior’s regulations.
Applicants must be living and working in Oman and have not been involved in any legal disputes. Additionally, they are required to provide a medical certificate confirming their good health and absence of communicable diseases, as this is a crucial factor in the citizenship application process.
The application process for Omani citizenship involves presenting a set of documents, as outlined in Executive Regulation 92/2019. These documents include a valid passport with a visa, a personal identification card, a valid residency card, a marriage certificate (if applicable), copies of the spouse’s passport and children’s documents, a certificate of good conduct from Oman, and a similar certificate from the expatriate’s home country.
Other required documents include an income document from the employer, proof of the embassy’s permission to forfeit the original passport, a written declaration of intent to forfeit the current passport, and a declaration listing the names of all underage children and their documents.
Once granted citizenship, individuals are required to return to the ministry to obtain an Omani passport and must maintain long-term residency in Oman.
Furthermore, Article 16 of the law stipulates that new Omani citizens must undergo an Arabic language proficiency test, either in written form or through an interview at the ministry. Those who do not pass the exam can retake it after six months, with a total of four chances provided.
New citizens of Oman are also subject to certain restrictions, including limitations on spending extended periods outside the country during the initial 10 years after acquiring citizenship unless they obtain special permission from the Ministry of Interior.
Applicants seeking Omani citizenship can apply at the Sultanate’s Ministry of Interior.
