ROP Directorate General of Passports and Residence - Qurum

During Ramadan, the Qurum directorate operates a split shift: 09:00 to 14:00 in the morning and 21:00 to 24:00 in the evening Sunday to Wednesday, with Thursday 09:00 to 13:00 only. Friday and Saturday remain closed. The evening session is particularly useful for working residents who cannot attend during the day. Plan all renewals and escalations at least one week before Ramadan because back-office adjudication slows. Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha closures are announced via the ROP smartphone app and on the ROP website approximately two weeks in advance; expect four to five consecutive closed days.

Muscat International Airport is approximately 12 kilometres from the ROP Qurum complex. The fastest route is the Sultan Qaboos Street to Qurum Roundabout corridor, taking 12 to 18 minutes by taxi outside peak congestion. Mwasalat bus route 1 from the airport stops at Qurum Roundabout after about 35 minutes for OMR 0.5; from there it is a five-minute walk. OTaxi and Careem both operate from the airport. Avoid morning peak 07:30 to 09:00 and evening peak 16:30 to 19:00 on the Sultan Qaboos corridor. For evening counter sessions, late traffic after 20:00 is light.

Yes. The Qurum directorate observes the Omani weekend, closing all day Friday and Saturday. Sunday is the start of the working week with full hours 07:30 to 22:00. Thursday closes early at 14:00. If your visa expires on a Thursday afternoon, Friday or Saturday, the overstay clock technically starts at midnight after the printed expiry but you will not be fined provided you renew on Sunday morning; bring the queue ticket as evidence of intent. The ROP smartphone app accepts most renewal applications around the clock including weekends.

Yes for individual sponsors. ROP Decision 78 of 2025 explicitly tightens sponsor verification, requiring the individual sponsor to attend the counter personally with original Omani national ID. The directorate has invested in a Sponsor Verification Interview suite at counter H specifically to enforce this. Corporate sponsors may delegate to an authorised PRO with a Chamber of Commerce-attested board resolution, supported by Ministry of Justice notarised power of attorney for non-routine matters. Family sponsors renewing spouse or child resident cards must always attend personally because the renewal includes co-residence confirmation.

Oman's nearest equivalent to a UAE-style VAL is the Employment Visa Approval issued by the Ministry of Labour after Omanisation-quota verification, transmitted electronically to the ROP for entry-visa printing. The PDF approval is presented at the Oman embassy in the worker's country or at Muscat airport for visa-on-arrival nationalities to obtain the entry stamp. Inside Oman, the holder has 30 days to complete medical fitness, biometrics (often at this Qurum directorate) and resident-card issuance. Missing the 30-day window triggers overstay fines of OMR 10 per day, settled at counter F before any further transaction.

No. Transit visas are issued by the ROP only at Muscat International Airport for nationals on the visa-on-arrival list, valid up to 96 hours; they cannot be applied for in advance from inside Oman. If a transit-visa holder wishes to extend or convert to a tourist, family-visit or employment visa, the Qurum directorate adjudicates the conversion at counter D within two to three working days. The conversion fee is OMR 20 plus the new visa charge of OMR 5 to 20 depending on type and validity. Visa-on-arrival reconciliation for travellers who entered without pre-approval is handled at the same counter.

Use the ROP smartphone app for routine resident-card renewals where biometrics already exist, traffic-fine payment, visa-status checks, family-visit visa applications and overstay-fine settlement; it is available 24/7 and free of any clerical surcharge. Use the Qurum directorate when the Sanad network has escalated your file, when applying for the Investor Residency Programme, when seeking a same-day express PCC, when clearing a travel ban or absconding dispute, when undergoing Decision 78 sponsor verification, or when central biometric capture is required. Many transactions begin online and complete at the counter.

The ROP complex provides a free fenced visitor parking lot opposite the public entrance with capacity for approximately 150 vehicles. Visitors pass a security check at the gate, present their identity document, and park inside the perimeter. The lot rarely fills, even at peak. Wheelchair access is via the eastern ramp. There is no Mwasalat parking meter; on-street parking on the Qurum Roundabout perimeter is also unticketed. Drivers should expect a five-minute security queue at the gate during peak. Cars left overnight without permission may be removed.

Yes. The Qurum directorate maintains a high standard of English at customer-facing counters, complementing Arabic. Senior officers handling appeals and Investor Residency Programme adjudication are bilingual Arabic-English. Counter clerks at biometric capture and PCC desks also speak Hindi, Urdu and Malayalam, reflecting the South Asian client base. The Sponsor Verification Interview suite uses Arabic or English at the sponsor's choice. Certified Arabic-English translation of supporting documents must usually be arranged in advance through a Sanad branch; the directorate accepts pre-translated documents but does not translate on site.

When the Qurum directorate rejects an appeal, the officer prints the decision with reasons in Arabic and English, citing the specific ROP regulation or ministerial decision relied on. The applicant has 30 days to escalate to the ROP Inspector General's Office in Athaiba, with a fresh appeal supported by new evidence. Common second-stage remedies include obtaining Ministry of Labour Omanisation exception, providing additional investment proof for Investor Programme cases, or settling outstanding court orders behind travel bans. Appeals beyond Inspector General level must be filed at the Administrative Court within 60 days of the final ROP decision.

For most routine matters use the ROP smartphone app or the Oman eGovernment portal omanportal.gov.om, both 24/7 and free. For data-entry and document typing, the Al Khuwair, Bowsher, Ruwi and Mabela Sanad branches are alternatives. Regional residents should use the ROP directorates in Sohar, Salalah, Nizwa, Sur and other governorate seats rather than travelling to Muscat. Within Muscat, the ROP traffic and licensing directorates handle vehicle-only matters separately and faster. For final-exit visa specifically, the Muscat International Airport ROP desk processes departures up to two hours before flight time.

Yes. The Qurum directorate has a dedicated ladies' and family waiting area to the right of the main hall, with two counters staffed by Omani female officers. The lounge handles biometric capture for women preferring privacy, family-sponsorship adjudication, marriage-record verification and dependant-visa endorsement. It also operates the Sponsor Verification Interview suite for female sponsors. The lounge follows the same overall hours as the main hall but tends to be quieter, with average waits of 20 to 35 minutes even at peak. Male sponsors accompanying spouses use the main hall.

No, not directly. The Qurum directorate is the ROP residency and passports head office; business incorporation runs through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion via Invest Easy at business.gov.om and through Sanad branches for typing and CR issuance. However, the directorate is involved in the Investor Residency Programme adjudication for foreign investors whose company is established and who hold OMR 250,000+ investment proof; the residency card itself is issued at counter C. Investor Programme cardholders may then sponsor immediate family and household staff through the same directorate.