Oman Eases Visa Rules

Oman has relaxed its visa rules to attract more tourists from Russia, India and China. Omani authorities have announced that some Indian, Chinese and Russian nationals will be allowed to obtain a non-sponsored tourist visa for Oman, Times of Oman reported. A statement issued by Oman Airports Management Company read, “All passengers from India, China and Russia, who reside in or hold an entry visa to one of the following countries (USSA, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Schengen states) are allowed to obtain non-sponsored tourist visa to enter Oman as per the applied terms and conditions of the authorities.” An additional circular from OAMC added that the spouse and children of the visa holder would also be allowed to enter Oman while accompanying them. Describing this as a proactive step by the government, Wasim Zaidi, general manager of Oman, Jet Airways, said “this will help inbound travel to grow during these challenging times”.