- Owner Visa: sponsor-free residence for property owners since June 2026
- Investor Residency: five years from OMR 250,000, ten from OMR 500,000
- Retirement, employment and family routes alongside
- Residence is separate from ownership and is not citizenship
Residence is separate from ownership
A residence card, issued by the Royal Oman Police, lets you live in Oman, open bank accounts, enrol children in school, access services and come and go without visit visas. It does not by itself allow employment, which needs a work permit, and it is not citizenship. Owning property does not grant residence automatically; a qualifying home opens a route to apply, and since June 2026 that route needs no sponsor.
Oman now has more routes to residence than at any time in its history, and they changed in buyers’ favour three times in a year: the Investor Residency relaunch of August 2025, the Sultan Haitham City rule of September 2025 and ROP Decision 87/2026 of June 2026. This page sets out all of them, what each requires and gives, and how they fit together.
The routes compared
| Route | Basis | Who is covered | Term | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner Visa | Residential unit registered in your name (ROP Decision 87/2026) | Owner, spouse, first-degree relatives | Renewable while you own | None |
| Sultan Haitham City rule | 30% of price paid on an under-construction unit (September 2025) | Buyer; family where price is above OMR 50,000 | Renewable while you own | None |
| Investor Residency, five years | OMR 250,000 qualifying property or investment | Investor, spouse, children, dependent parents | Five years, renewable | None |
| Investor Residency, ten years | OMR 500,000 qualifying property or investment, or a business employing Omanis at scale | Investor and family | Ten years, renewable | None |
| Retirement | Fixed monthly income at or above the published threshold | Retiree and spouse | Five years, renewable | None |
| Company representative | Legal representative of a licensed investor or property-owning company | Representative and family | Renewable | None |
| Employment | Work permit from an Omani employer | Employee; dependants by sponsorship | Two years, renewable | Employer |
| Family joining | Sponsorship by a resident spouse or parent | Dependants | Follows the sponsor | Resident relative |
The Owner Visa in detail
Royal Oman Police Decision No. 87/2026, published in the Official Gazette and effective 22 June 2026, amended the Executive Regulations of the Foreigners’ Residence Law to let foreign owners of residential units obtain an entry visa and residence permit directly from the competent authority, without a local sponsor, on a certificate of ownership. The benefits extend to first-degree family members and to the legal representatives of companies that own property; the amendments also cover units whose registration procedures are not yet complete, broaden who may sponsor family, relax some age-related conditions for dependants, and provide that permits lapse when the property is transferred. Entry must take place within the visa’s validity after issue. See residency by property.
The Sultan Haitham City rule
A ministerial decision of September 2025 covering Sultan Haitham City’s under-construction projects makes a foreign buyer eligible to apply for residency once 30% of the purchase price has been paid: for the buyer alone where the property is priced at OMR 50,000 or below, and for the buyer with spouse and first-degree relatives where it is above. The permit is renewable and tied to ownership. Under-construction units outside the city carry a one-year multiple-entry visa instead until completion. See Hay Al Wafa and the city guide.
Investor Residency
Relaunched on 31 August 2025 and administered through Invest Oman, the programme grants a five-year renewable residence for qualifying property or investment of OMR 250,000 and a ten-year residence from OMR 500,000, with a further ten-year route for businesses employing Omanis at scale. Family inclusion covers spouse, children and dependent parents; holders may own property and businesses and sponsor domestic staff. See the Investor Residency Programme.
Retirement, employment and family
The retirement visa, part of the 2025 relaunch, grants five years to applicants with a fixed income at or above the published monthly threshold, with a spouse included. Employment residence remains the route most foreigners in Oman use, sponsored by an employer with a work permit. Family joining lets a resident sponsor a spouse and children, and the 2026 amendments widened who may sponsor. See retiring in Oman and family and dependants.
How applications work
- EligibilityRoute and thresholds confirmed in writing against your documents and, for property routes, the specific unit.
- TriggerRegistration of title, the 30% payment certificate, or evidence of the qualifying investment.
- FilingThrough a licensed partner with the Royal Oman Police, or through the Invest Oman portal for the Investor tiers.
- Issue and entryVisa issued; entry within its validity; medical, biometrics and the residence card in Oman.
- Family and renewalDependants added on the principal’s status; renewals diarised and conditions tracked.
What residence does and does not give you
- Does: the right to live in Oman, bank, school children, access services, come and go
- Does: let you sponsor eligible family and, under the Investor tiers, domestic staff
- Does not: include a work permit for employment on the property routes
- Does not: lead to citizenship; Oman has no citizenship-by-investment programme
- Does not: survive the sale of the property on which it was granted
Fees and timing
Owner and family permits carry modest published fees from the Royal Oman Police; the Investor tiers carry higher published fees through Invest Oman; licensed partners charge fixed filing fees agreed in advance. Processing times vary by route and season and we give current estimates rather than promises. Legalising family documents early is the single biggest time-saver.
Residency guides
Residency by Property
When a purchase can support a residence application: the owner’s residence that comes with a qualifying home, the…
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Investor Residency Programme
Oman’s long-term residency for investors, often searched as the Oman Golden Visa: renewable five- and ten-year permits…
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Family & Dependants
Sponsoring your spouse, children and parents in Oman on the back of your own residence, and the documents that need to…
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Retire in Oman
Options for retirees: property-linked residence that needs no employer, a retirement route based on fixed income, and…
ExploreFrequently asked questions
How can a foreigner get residency in Oman?
Does residence lead to citizenship?
Do I need a sponsor?
Do I have to live in Oman full-time?
Can I work on a property residency?
How long is the Owner Visa valid?
How long does an application take?
Can my parents join me?
Page reviewed 2 November 2026. Availability, prices, payment terms and residency rules are confirmed in writing before you commit and may change.