25 countries added to nationals eligible for unsponsored tourist visas

25 countries added to nationals eligible for unsponsored tourist visas

IMPACT – LOW

What is the change? Oman has added 25 countries to the list of those whose citizens are eligible for non-sponsored tourist e-visas if they hold a valid visa or resident permit from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom or a Schengen Area country.

What does the change mean? The list of countries, mostly in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, is tabled below. Previously, only nationals of China, India and Russia were eligible.

  • Implementation time frame: Immediate.
  • Visas/permits affected: Tourist e-visas.
  • Who is affected: Nationals of the 25 countries traveling to Oman as tourists.
  • Impact on processing times: Eligible nationals may apply for an e-visa, which saves time.
  • Business impact: The business impact is minimal, as the e-visas are for tourism only.

Background: The 25 countries that were added to the program are:

Countries Added to the Program
Albania Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Bhutan
Bosnia-Herzegovina Costa Rica Cuba El Salvador Georgia
Guatemala Honduras Iran Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan
Laos Maldives Mexico Nicaragua Panama
Peru Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Vietnam

Travelers must hold a valid visa or be a resident of the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Canada or a Schengen Area country at the time of application. Additionally, their passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the application date and they must have a round-trip ticket and confirmed hotel reservations in Oman. Spouses and children of eligible applicants may also apply for the e-visa. E-visas are valid for one month.

BAL Analysis: The expansion of the e-visa program to more nationals will benefit people traveling for short-term tourism, who do not have a sponsor and those traveling on short notice who do not have time to apply for and obtain a visa at a consulate.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Oman. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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