No Objection Certificate

Any foreign national intending to travel to Oman must have a valid visa, also known as a 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC), from the Royal Oman Police Immigration Department. NOC application forms are obtainable from the PRO. After having submitted the Passport/NOC details, the expatriate should be advised neither to change nor to renew the passport/NOC details. It is significant to note that the NOC will be granted against the passport details filled in the application form, and that any changes thereon will result in an invalid NOC.

A NOC is usually valid for entry into Oman within 6 months from the date of issue. If the journey is delayed beyond 6 months from the date of issue, it is not possible to extend the validity of the NOC and therefore a new application has to be made.

For company sponsored persons, the recommended practice is for the original NOC's to be sent via the PRO to Seeb Airport, so that the airport authorities may advise the airline concerned.

Airlines will not allow passengers to board a flight to Muscat unless they can produce proof that they have a valid NOC. This is usually done when the NOC has been deposited with Oman Aviation Services (OAS) at Seeb Airport who in turn informs the airline concerned. Proof for the airline that the visitor possesses a valid NOC is the OAS notification. In addition, the PRO will fax a copy of the NOC to the HR department of the Company of the employee concerned or, in case of visitors, to the person who requested the NOC for his/her visitor. On arrival at Seeb Airport, the NOC form is presented to and retained by the Immigration Officers, who then stamp the appropriate visa in the passport. Therefore, the passport should carry sufficient blank pages. Sometimes restrictions are imposed on expatriates with passports bearing visa stamps of some countries 'blacklisted' by the Immigration Authorities. The PRO will from time to time provide an update concerning this. The duration of a visa holder's stay in Oman or the ability to leave and return depends on the type of visa that has been granted.