Oman Reopens Its Borders in September

Traveling to Oman has become easier now. The country has lifted the travel ban from 18 countries and adopted new rules that become valid on September 1, 2021. Now, not only Omani citizens and residents but also tourists with valid visas can enter the country without prior approval. It seems hotels in Muscat are going to get more visitors soon.

That being said, the sultanate has some rules that tourists must comply with. Only vaccinated travelers are allowed to enter the country at the moment. They need to have a medical certificate with a QR code. Travelers need to have taken one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that is approved in Oman. The second dose of the vaccine must be taken at least 14 days before the arrival in the Sultanate. The list of approved vaccines currently includes Pfizer, AstraZeneca (Covishield), Sinovac, Oxford AstraZeneca, and Sputnik V. The Ministry of Health may expand this list and add more supported vaccines in the future.

To escape the mandatory 7-day quarantine, travelers need to have a PCR test made before departure. Travelers coming to Oman using long international flights (8 hours or longer) need to have a negative PCR test made within 96 hours of the arrival, and shorter international flight travelers need to have a negative PCR test made within 72 hours.

Travelers who come without a pre-travel PCR test need to take the following steps: take a PCR test upon arrival, use a special Tarrasud+ bracelet, and self-isolate until the PCR test results are out. If the test result is positive, 10-day quarantine is required.

According to the new rules, all travelers coming to Oman need to register on the Tarrasud+ Platform. This is where they need to upload the vaccine certificate and the COVID-19 PCR certificate. Both the documents must have QR codes. Travelers can choose to take a PCR test upon arrival in Oman. In this case, they need to pay the test fee using the Tarrasud+ Platform. Travelers below 18 and travelers with confirmed medical conditions that make COVID-19 vaccination and PCR testing impossible are exempt from the rules. The new rules, which become effective on September 1, 2021, also require vaccination to be able to enter shopping malls, private sector facilities, restaurants, and government offices.