- Owner Visa, Investor Residency, retirement and family routes compared
- Eligibility confirmed in writing before you commit to a property
- Applications coordinated through licensed partners
- Renewals, dependants and what happens on sale explained
Residency in Oman: the routes that exist today
Oman has moved in two years from one of the Gulf’s more restrictive residency regimes to one of its most accessible for property owners. Three decisions did it: the relaunch of the Investor Residency Programme in August 2025, the Sultan Haitham City rule of September 2025, and Royal Oman Police Decision No. 87/2026 in June 2026, which made the Owner Visa sponsor-free. Add the long-standing employment and family routes and the retirement visa, and most buyers have more than one option.
Our role is to tell you which applies to you, what it requires, what it costs and how long it takes, in writing and before you choose a property, then to coordinate the application through licensed partners. We do not promise outcomes: every route is eligibility to apply, decided by the authorities.
The routes compared
| Route | Basis | Who it covers | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner Visa | Ownership of a registered residential unit; ROP Decision 87/2026 | Owner, spouse, first-degree relatives | No sponsor; renewable; ends on sale |
| Sultan Haitham City rule | Under-construction unit in the city; September 2025 decision | Buyer; family where price is above OMR 50,000 | Eligible once 30% of the price is paid |
| Investor Residency, five years | Qualifying property or investment of OMR 250,000 | Investor, spouse, children, dependent parents | Relaunched 31 August 2025 via Invest Oman |
| Investor Residency, ten years | Qualifying property or investment of OMR 500,000, or a business employing Omanis at scale | Investor and family | As above |
| Retirement visa | Fixed income at or above the published monthly threshold | Retiree and spouse | Five years, renewable |
| Company representative | Legal representative of a property-owning or licensed investor company | Representative and family | Sponsor-free under 87/2026 |
| Employment and family joining | Employer sponsorship; sponsorship by a resident relative | Employee; dependants | Traditional routes, unchanged |
Detail on each in the residency overview, residency by property, the Investor Residency Programme, family and dependants and retiring in Oman.
Matching the route to the purchase
Family needing residency soon
Sultan Haitham City above OMR 50,000: eligible at 30% paid, typically one instalment after booking. Or a completed home anywhere for the Owner Visa on registration.
Buyer who wants a long-term permit
A villa or combined holdings at OMR 250,000 for five years or OMR 500,000 for ten; the resort villas and Al Mouj are where the stock is.
Retiree
The retirement visa on income, or the Owner Visa on a completed home, whichever fits the finances; many use both in sequence.
Business owner
Company formation with a property-holding or operating company; the representative’s sponsor-free residency under 87/2026, or the Investor tiers through business investment.
How an application works
- Eligibility checkWe confirm the route, thresholds and documents in writing before you buy.
- TriggerRegistration of the home, the 30% payment certificate in Sultan Haitham City, or the qualifying investment evidence.
- DocumentsPassport, ownership or payment certificate, attested family certificates, photographs, medical and police clearances where required.
- FilingThrough a licensed public-relations partner with the Royal Oman Police or Invest Oman portal, as the route requires.
- Issue and entryVisa issued; entry within its validity; residence card issued in Oman.
- RenewalDiary of renewal dates and conditions; family additions handled as they arise.
Documents and attestation
- Passport valid for the period required
- Title deed, registered contract or payment certificate for the property route
- Attested marriage and birth certificates for spouse and children
- Proof of income for the retirement route; investment evidence for the Investor tiers
- Photographs, medical and police clearance certificates where required
- Company documents and authorised-signatory evidence for corporate routes
Attestation runs through your home country’s authorities, the Omani embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oman; we sequence it so nothing is done twice.
Renewals, dependants and what ends a permit
Property-based permits are renewable while you own the home and end when it is transferred; family permits follow the principal’s. Dependants of investors and owners benefit from relaxed age-related conditions under the 2026 rules. The Investor tiers run for their five or ten years and renew on continued qualification. We keep a diary for clients and advise before any sale or restructuring that would affect status. See family and dependants.
What residency does and does not give you
Residency lets you live in Oman, open bank accounts, sponsor eligible family, enrol children in schools and access services; it does not by itself confer the right to work for an employer, which needs a work permit, though business owners operate through their companies and the Investor tiers carry broader rights. It is not citizenship and does not lead to it. It is renewable, conditional and can change with the regulations; we say so on every page.
Fees and timing
Government fees for owner and family permits are modest and published by the Royal Oman Police; Investor Residency fees are higher and published by Invest Oman. Our partners charge fixed filing fees agreed in advance. Processing times vary by route and season and we give current estimates rather than promises.
Residency guides
Residency in Oman: Overview
The main routes to living in Oman, how they differ from ownership, and what each requires, in plain language.
Explore
Residency by Property
When a purchase can support a residence application: the owner’s residence that comes with a qualifying home, the…
Explore
Investor Residency Programme
Oman’s long-term residency for investors, often searched as the Oman Golden Visa: renewable five- and ten-year permits…
Explore
Family & Dependants
Sponsoring your spouse, children and parents in Oman on the back of your own residence, and the documents that need to…
ExploreFrequently asked questions
Does buying property in Oman give me residency?
What is the minimum property value for residency?
Do I need a sponsor?
Can my family be included?
Can I work in Oman on a property residency?
How long does the application take?
What happens if I sell the property?
Is there a retirement visa?
Page reviewed 2 November 2026. Availability, prices, payment terms and residency rules are confirmed in writing before you commit and may change.