Visa fine waiver: Oman police clarifies eligibility for overstaying expats

Move supports ongoing efforts to ease process of rectifying visa and residency statuses

Last updated: May 07, 2025 | 06:14

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The ROP has upgraded all technical systems to facilitate transactions and urged eligible expats to take advantage of the grace period, which continues until Thursday, July 31, 2025.

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Muscat: The Royal Oman Police (ROP) has clarified on social media that certain expatriate workers and visitors who have overstayed their visas may be exempted from fines or legal action — provided they meet specific conditions outlined by the ministry of labour.

The move supports the ministry’s ongoing efforts to ease the process of rectifying visa and residency statuses.

Also Read: Oman, Russia sign visa waiver agreement during Sultan's visit to Moscow

In an official statement, the ROP said:

"The Royal Oman Police has closely followed discussions regarding the exemption from fines and financial obligations recorded against individuals and employers. It clarifies that the exemption applies to specific cases mentioned in the Ministry of Labour’s announcement regarding status rectification."

Who qualifies for exemption?

Expats wishing to stay in Oman
Foreigners who intend to renew their residency or transfer employment within Oman will be exempted from all fines related to expired visas or residency cards, provided their legal status is verified and rectified through the Ministry of Labour.
Expats planning to leave Oman permanently
Individuals holding non-work-related visas who wish to exit the country permanently will also be exempted from all accumulated fines.

Also Read: Oman clarifies on new tourist visa procedure

The ROP added that it has upgraded all technical systems to facilitate transactions and urged eligible expats to take advantage of the grace period, which continues until Thursday, July 31, 2025.

Drop in expat numbers

According to data from the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI):

The total number of expat workers in Oman declined to 1,808,940 by December 2024, compared to 1,827,248 in December 2023—reflecting a 1.0% decrease.
The government sector saw the sharpest drop, with expat employment falling by 3.1% (from 44,178 to 42,801).
In the private sector, numbers declined by 1.4%, from 1,448,342 in 2023 to 1,427,363 in 2024.
-- Fahad Al Mukrashi is a freelance journalist based in Muscat