I recently travelled to Oman with my family for a short holiday. In this post, I will explain the process of obtaining a tourist visa, based entirely on my experience.
Oman has an eVisa policy for Indians and offers multiple tourist visa categories. Depending on your situation, the process can be quite straightforward. Based on our case, I will cover the following categories:
- If you have a valid Schengen / USA / UK / Canada / Australia / Japan visa – Category 26N
- Dependents (spouse and children only) of the above visa holder – Category 26E
- If you do not have any of the above visas – Category 6A (Sponsored Tourist Visa)
The official Oman eVisa portal is:
https://evisa.rop.gov.om/
All visa categories and requirements are clearly listed on this website.
My experience
Category 26N
I applied for my visa about three weeks before travel. First, I had to create an account on the eVisa portal. The application process was simple and asked for basic details only.
The required uploads were:
- Passport copy
- Photograph
- Valid Schengen visa
No travel details or supporting documents were asked. After submission, I received an email confirming that my application was received.
Within a few hours, I got another email saying my visa was approved. I then paid 5 OMR using a credit card and downloaded the eVisa.
Important points to note:
- Visa validity starts from the date of issue, not the date of travel
- Valid for 30 days from issue
- Allowed stay: up to 10 days in Oman
- There is also a 30-day stay option, if required
So, do not apply too early.
Category 26E (Dependents)
Along with my application, I also applied for my wife and daughter using the same account.
In addition to passport and photo, the application asked for:
- Proof of relationship
- Visa of the primary applicant
Initially, I uploaded my passport (which has my wife’s name as spouse) and my Schengen visa.
While my visa was approved, my wife’s and daughter’s applications were returned asking for:
- Marriage certificate for my wife
- Birth certificate for my daughter
- My Oman visa (26N) as proof
This means you cannot complete a 26E application unless the primary 26N visa is issued first, which makes sense.
I was slightly worried because both certificates were issued long ago and had initials instead of full names, and the birth certificate was handwritten. Still, I uploaded all documents as requested. Within a few hours, both visas were approved.
Other category (6A – Sponsored Tourist Visa)
My father-in-law, who travelled with us, did not fall under the above categories. The official eVisa portal says that the visit “Must be sponsored by an approved Oman sponsor”, which makes it complicated.
After some research, I found that Altys provides Oman visa services. The process was completely online:
- Passport copy
- Photograph
- Old passport (if available)
The fee was around ₹3,500, which is almost three times the cost of applying directly on official portal. The visa was issued in three days, under Category 6A (Sponsored Tourist Visa).
Altys claims they charge zero service fees, but this comes with a disclaimer (“for now”). In practice, the service charge is included when the visa is issued.
Immigration experience
Nothing unusual here. During check-in, Oman Air staff scanned the QR code on the eVisa to verify validity. At Muscat immigration, we were not asked any questions and the process was smooth.
Summary
Overall, Oman is very easy to visit for Indian tourists, especially if you already hold a Schengen or similar visa. The eVisa process is simple, fast, and mostly hassle-free. Oman is truly underrated and incredibly beautiful, and well worth considering for a short family holiday.
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