Employment Residence Visa in Oman
Renew your Omani employment residence visa through ROP or a Sanad service centre, usually within a week if all paperwork is clean.
Last verified: 2026-06
Overview
Oman's residence visa is the legal basis for any expatriate to live and work in the Sultanate. It is issued by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) Directorate General of Passports and Residence, typically tied to a sponsoring employer or family sponsor.
Employment residence visas are usually valid for two years and renewed by the sponsor through ROP's online services or a Sanad service centre. The most common renewal blockers are unpaid traffic fines, lapsed health insurance under the unified Dhamani scheme (where applicable), and Ministry of Labour holds on the establishment's file.
Documents required
- Passport valid for at least 6 months
- Current resident card (if renewing)
- Valid employment contract attested by the Ministry of Labour
- Active health insurance policy (Dhamani-compliant where required)
- Cleared traffic and ROP fines
- Recent passport-size photograph
Eligibility
- Sponsored by a licensed Omani employer or eligible family sponsor
- Sponsor's establishment is in good standing with the Ministry of Labour
- No outstanding immigration or labour violations
Fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Employment residence visa (2 years) | 301 OMR | Confirm current amount on ROP eServices - figure is the long-standing standard for the 2-year employment visa. |
| Resident card issuance | 10 OMR | Plastic card fee charged separately at ROP / Sanad. |
| Medical fitness test | 15-25 OMR | Paid to the approved clinic; varies by governorate. |
| Sanad service charge | 5-10 OMR | Typing-centre style fee for end-to-end processing. |
Step by step
- 1
Sponsor secures labour clearance
Employer obtains or renews the labour clearance / work permit through the Ministry of Labour portal before any ROP submission.
1-2 weeks · online
- 2
Medical fitness test
Expatriate completes a medical fitness test at a Ministry of Health approved clinic. Results are uploaded electronically to the ROP file.
1-3 days · center
- 3
Submit residence application via ROP or Sanad
Sponsor (or a Sanad office on their behalf) submits the residence visa application through ROP eServices with passport, contract, photo, and medical results.
Same day · either
- 4
Pay fees and collect resident card
Pay the visa and card fees electronically. Once approved, the resident card is printed and collected from ROP or the Sanad office.
3-7 days · either
Processing time: Typically 5-10 working days for a clean file; longer if labour clearance or medical results are delayed.
Where to do it online
- ROP
Submit and renew residence visas, check status, pay fees
- Oman eGov
Single sign-on access to ROP, Ministry of Labour, and other government services
Sanad service centres are Oman's equivalent of typing centres. Almost any ROP residence transaction can be filed through a Sanad office for a small service fee, which is the route most expatriates use.
Renewal
Employment residence visas are usually renewed for 2 years at a time. Start the renewal at least 30 days before expiry to avoid overstay accumulation.
Fines & penalties
- Late renewal accrues a daily overstay penalty (confirm current daily amount on ROP eServices)
- Unpaid traffic fines block residence renewal
- Working outside the sponsor's licence exposes both worker and sponsor to Ministry of Labour fines
Common pitfalls
- Letting the visa lapse even by a day - overstay fines start immediately
- Renewing before settling all traffic and ROP fines
- Assuming the employer has renewed the labour clearance when it has actually expired
- Using a Sanad office that is not authorised for residence work - always check the ROP signage
FAQs
Use ROP eServices (rop.gov.om) and select the visa status enquiry. You can search by passport number and nationality without logging in.
No. The employment residence visa is renewed by the sponsoring employer. You can, however, walk into a Sanad office with your documents and have them file on the sponsor's behalf if the sponsor has authorised it.
Most employment residence visas are issued for two years. Some categories (such as investor or family-sponsored visas) can be issued for different durations.
Yes. Under Oman's unified health insurance scheme (Dhamani) and existing labour rules, expatriate workers must have an active health insurance policy covering the residence period.
Report the loss at a ROP station, then apply for a replacement card through ROP or a Sanad office. A replacement fee applies in addition to the standard card fee.
Skip the hassle
A vetted typing centre can handle the paperwork end-to-end.
Get help with Employment Residence Visa