TRAVEL ALERT! Important information about the Coronavirus situation in Oman

Precautionary Procedures and Measures

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Introduction

The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and travel and tourism agencies and operators, has provided these instructions to our guests from tourists, travel agencies, tour operators, transport operators, and tour guides to implement the highest standards of health and safety and take the necessary precautionary and preventive measures to combat COVID-19 pandemic.

You can also find further instructions and precautionary measures through the social media accounts of the Ministry of Health. Concerning the latest developments regarding travel procedures related to the Coronavirus (Covid-19), you can follow the website of Oman Airports, noting that travel procedures are continuously updated following the decisions of the Supreme Committee charged with examining a mechanism for dealing with developments resulting from the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19).

Websites that may interest you: 

Requirements for entering the Sultanate of Oman through Oman airports:

Oman Airports COVID-19 Travel Guidance

In an effort to prevent the spread of new coronavirus strains in the Sultanate and based on the decisions issued by the Supreme Committee for dealing with COVID-19, the Civil Aviation Authority adopted the following restrictions regarding the condition of entering the Sultanate through Oman Airports:

 

Entry Requirements:

  • The list of countries from which arrivals are prohibited from entering the territory of the Sultanate has been terminated.
  • Omani citizens, residents with valid residency permits, and travelers with valid visas are allowed to enter the Sultanate without prior approval.
  • Omani citizens and their families and non- Omanis working in the Sultanate in public or private units and with valid residency are allowed to return to the Sultanate and subject to the health requirements issued before 1st of September 2021
  • The institutional quarantine will continue to be applied, until further notice, to all arrivals from the Republic of Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran, including Omani citizens arriving from the aforementioned two countries.

 

Entry Requirements for all Arrivals before arriving in Oman:

  • All travelers arriving in the Sultanate are required to present a COVID-19 vaccine certificate containing a QR Code stating that they have received two doses of any COVID-19 vaccine approved in Oman Pfizer BioNTech, Oxford Astrazeneca, Covishield AstraZeneca, Sputnik, Sinovac, Moderna, and Sinopharm, or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson. The last dose is required to have been received not less than fourteen (14) days ahead of the estimated arrival time. The Ministry of Health publishes and updates the list of vaccines approved in Oman.
  • All travelers coming to the Sultanate (including diplomats) before their arrival are required to :
  1. Pre-registration via (https://covid19.emushrif.om) and upload the vaccine certificate as well as the COVID-19 PCR certificate, both containing QR Codes.
  2. If the passenger prefers to conduct the COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival, the passenger shall pay the prescribed fees when registering.

 

  • All travelers arriving in the Sultanate of Oman are required to obtain international health insurance to cover the cost of one month’s treatment of COVID- 19, with the exception of Omani citizens, citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council States and travelers with a free treatment card.

 

  • Travelers below 18 and travelers with medically confirmed health conditions that prevent them from taking the vaccination are exempt from presenting the COVID-19 vaccine certificate and PCR test certificate.

 

  • Diplomats working in the foreign diplomatic missions accredited to the Sultanate and visitor diplomats are exempted from the registration in (https://covid19.emushrif.om/) and from the COVID-19 PCR test.

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  • Aircrews are subject to the precautionary measures for COVID-19 issued by the Ministry of Health.

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Entry Requirements for all Arrivals upon Arriving in Oman:

  • All travelers coming to the Sultanate on long international flights (with a period of no less than 8 hours) with a pre-travel negative PCR test (within 96 hours) are exempt from quarantine as well as travelers on shorter flights with a negative COVID-19 PCR test (within 72 hours).
  • All travelers coming to the Sultanate without a pre-travel PCR test are required to::
  1. Take a PCR test upon their arrival at the airport, wear Tarrasud+ bracelet and adhere to quarantine until a negative PCR test result is detected.
  2. If the result is positive, 10 days quarantine is required.

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Departing from Oman procedures:

Before booking a flight, you must consider the following requirements:

  • Omani citizens and residents can travel abroad without pre-approval.
  • Omani citizens shall have health insurance covering COVID-19 valid in the country they are traveling to.
  • Check the latest COVID-19 travel and testing requirements for your destination.
  • Consider online check-in, where possible, prior to arrival at the airport to avoid face-to-face contact at the airport
  • Travelers need to be at the airport at least 3 hours before the official time of departure or 4 hours at most.
  • Never travel if you display coronavirus symptoms.
  • If required, PCR tests can be done at the Airport Drive-through and Walk-in facilities, located in P5 car park in Muscat and at Lifeline Hospital Salalah.
  • The cost of the drive-thru PCR test is 19 OMR, you can register for it through https://covid19.emushrif.om
  • Test results will be available within 24 hours at: https://covid19.emushrif.om
  • The certified Ministry of Health test report is now electronically available on https://covid19.emushrif.om for a fee of 5 OMR

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Travel Safely. Stay Healthy.

Oman Airports has implemented protective measures at the terminal building and at security checkpoints to make the travel procedures and screening process safer for our passengers and employees. Travelers are reminded to observe the following travel, safety, and health measures:

  • You must have a valid air ticket to be allowed into the airport terminal building
  • Do not travel if you feel sick or have a fever.
  • Wear a face mask at all times while at the airport and during your trip. Face masks must be changed every 4 hours, so please bring enough for your journey
  • Maintain social distancing of at least 1.5 meters inside the airport terminal.
  • Check-in online to avoid face-to-face contact at the airport.
  • Avoid carrying your phone or other items in your hands when going through the check-in process and security checkpoints.
  • Clean and disinfect touched objects and surfaces, including mobile phones.
  • Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Wearing a face mask is mandatory inside the airport terminal.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a paper towel cover or a flexed elbow when sneezing or coughing, even when wearing a mask.
  • Avoid unnecessary contact with others, including handshaking and other greeting gestures.
  • Meeters and greeters are not allowed into the airport terminal, except for individuals accompanying passengers with special needs (one accompanying individual only).

* Precautionary measures that must be adhered to in public transportation, shopping places, hotels and resorts, parks, restaurants, and cafes:

  • Maintain social distancing.
  • Committing to wearing a face mask and not doing so will expose you to a fine.
  • Commitment to measuring the temperature at the entrances.
  • Avoid gatherings and events.
  • Avoid crowded places as much as possible.
  • Pay attention to good personal hygiene.
  • Refrain from going out in case of illness or fever.
  • Avoid touching the eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Covering the mouth and nose with a tissue paper or with the elbow when sneezing or coughing.
  • Avoid shaking hands.
  • Do not share personal items such as phones, cameras, beverages, or food.
  • Minimize touching common surfaces and door handles as much as possible.
  • Washing hands continuously with soap and water or medical sterilizers.
  • Expedite the request for the service available in the place when feeling any symptoms
  • Keep emergency and public service numbers and don’t hesitate if you need to. 

* Protocols for tourist sites:

(for employees) 

-Selling tickets online.

-Measuring the temperature of the employees twice a day, with the obligation to wear a mask.

-Reducing and limiting the number of visitors to the site.

-Recording the temperature of visitors and asking them to wear masks.

-Stopping group tours.

-Providing sterilizers.

-Place posters on the floor to remind visitors to leave a safe space between themselves and others.

-Removing paper publications such as brochures and maps and replacing them with illustrative electronic means.

-Activating and providing the automated guide service to ensure social and physical distancing.

-Increasing the media and electronic introductory and explanatory panels on the site.

-Putting a one-way path that enables visitors to view the artwork without going back.

-Allocating specific periods for elderly visitors.

-Putting guiding boards to educate site visitors about the precautionary measures.

-Banning any activity in castles and forts.

-The role of restaurants and cafes near castles and forts to be limited to serving takeout only.

-Opening marketing and souvenir outlets, provided that they adhere to the precautionary measures.

(for tourists):

-Travel and tourism companies must provide sterilizers and masks for all passengers and site visitors.

-Ensure that the specified safety distances are left.

-The preventive instructions issued by the Ministry of Health and the concerned authorities must be followed.

-Maintain a specified distance to use all common spaces.

-Enjoy visiting natural tourist sites while maintaining social distancing.

-Maintaining cleanliness of toilets, if they are located in the sites.

-Wear protective masks and dispose of them in a hygienic manner.

-Follow personal and small group tours and packages for tour companies wishing to visit tourist sites.

-Avoid crowding at outlets selling products of all kinds in tourist sites.

-Avoid touching common surfaces in natural tourist sites.

-Avoid visiting tourist sites, if you have any symptoms.

-Take the initiative to spread tourism awareness among your family members, friends, and community to follow the instructions issued by visiting natural tourist sites.

-Do not expose yourself to the legal matter by not following the instructions and social distancing.