Oman Flight News 2021: The Latest Travel News & Updates

This article is reviewed regularly (on a monthly basis) by Wego’s editorial team to ensure that the content is up to date & accurate.

Updated 25 August 2021

Ever since the beginning of the pandemic, Oman has greatly restricted who’s allowed to cross its borders in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19. 

However, the country’s Supreme Committee, tasked with dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, has announced several relaxations for entry into the country, lifting the existing travel ban from September 1 and granting entry for all vaccinated tourists. 

Oman latest flight news and updates

Oman had earlier suspended flight services from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and several other countries at the height of the second wave of COVID-19.

In news that will bring relief to thousands of stranded expats, the Red List will be terminated from September 1. Moreover, Oman will welcome all vaccinated international tourists, provided they have been jabbed with a COVID-19 vaccine approved in the country. 

As Oman eases its travel restrictions, Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, will start flights from earlier banned countries such as India. Flights to India begins on 8th October with 2 flights per week connecting Muscat with Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi. Flights to and from other popular destinations have also resumed. 

Who can enter Oman right now?

Omani citizens, residents with valid residency permits, and travellers with a valid visa can enter Oman without prior approval.

Getting vaccinated is mandatory to enter Oman. All travelers coming to the Sultanate must present a medical certificate with a QR Code of taking two doses or the first dose of the following locally approved COVID-19 vaccines:

• Pfizer/BioNTech
• Sputnik V
• AstraZeneca (Oxford and Covishield)
• Sinovac

The second dose is to be taken 14 days prior to the scheduled time for arriving in Oman. 

 

Pre-registration

All travellers coming to the Sultanate (including diplomats) before their arrival are required to :

• Pre-register via Tarassud+ Platform and upload the vaccine certificate as well as the COVID-19 PCR certificate, both containing QR codes. 
• If the passenger prefers to conduct the COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival, the passenger shall pay the prescribed fees when registering via Tarassud+.

Testing requirements

All travellers (Omani citizens & foreign) arriving in Oman must have a pre-travel negative PCR test. Such passengers are exempt from quarantine. Travellers aged below 18 years are also exempted from vaccine and test requirements.

The test should be conducted within 96 hours prior to the scheduled time of arrival in the Sultanate for international flights of more than 8 hours duration, including transit, and 72 hours for shorter flights less than 8 hours duration. 

Quarantine requirements

All travelers coming to Oman without a pre-travel PCR test are required to take a PCR test upon their arrival at the airport: 

• Wear Tarrasud+ bracelet and adhere to quarantine until a negative PCR test result is detected.
• If tested positive, 10 days quarantine is required.

Can Omanis travel abroad now?

Omani citizens and residents are free to travel abroad right now. Before booking a flight, you must consider the following requirements:

• Omani citizens and residents can travel abroad without pre-approval.
• Omani citizens shall have health insurance covering COVID-19 valid in the country they are travelling to.
• Check the latest COVID-19 travel and testing requirements for your destination.

If your final destination from Oman requires a PCR test result: 

• PCR tests can be done at the Airport Drive-through and Walk-in facilities, located in the P5 car park in Muscat and at Lifeline Hospital Salalah.
• The cost of the drive-thru PCR test is 19 OMR. You can register for it through the Emushrif site here. 
• The certified Ministry of Health test report is now electronically available on https://covid19.emushrif.om for a fee of 5 OMR.

Countries open to Oman residents

Although travel restrictions still persist in many parts of the world, there still remain destinations to which Omani residents may travel.

The Americas and Caribbean

No quarantine required

• Belize. Either a negative PCR test result or proof of having received two full doses of a COVID-19 vaccine is required.
•  Ecuador. Passengers aged 2 and above must have one of the following documents. A completed “Declaracion de salud del viajero” must be presented upon arrival.
  • a negative COVID-19 antigen or RT-PCR test taken at most 3 days before arrival
  • a COVID-19 vaccination certificate, or a
  • COVID-19 recovery certificate.
• El Salvador. Visitors need an LAMP, NAAT, RT-PCR test result issued within 72 hours of the scheduled arrival, or proof of vaccination. Passengers younger than 2 years and those having a diplomatic passport are exempt from this.
• Guatemala. Arrivals need to present one of the following-
  • COVID–19 vaccine certificate proving the vaccine was administered at least two weeks prior to arrival
  • a negative COVID–19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival
  • proof of having tested positive for COVID–19 and recovered within three months of arrival
• Honduras. You must fill an Immigration Pre-check form and present a negative COVID-19 test result upon arrival from a test taken in the previous 72 hours.
• Panama. Travellers have to show a negative COVID-19 PCR, RT-PCR, or Antigen test result, taken at most 48 hours before arrival and need to take a second test on arrival. A completed “Declaracion Jurada de Salud” must be presented upon arrival. Quarantine is necessary for 3 days on arrival.
• Mexico. Arriving passengers are not required to obtain a negative COVID test to enter Mexico.
• The Dominican Republic. Travellers are not required to take any pre-departure tests but will be subject to randomized breath testing and health screening on arrival. Quarantine is required only if you exhibit symptoms of COVID-19. Passengers must complete an “Electronic Ticket” form.
• Venezuela. All travellers entering Venezuela must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test performed within 48 hours of boarding their incoming flight and will be subjected to a COVID-19 test at port of entry.

Quarantine required

• Bermuda. Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken at most 5 days before arrival. Unvaccinated travellers will need to quarantine for 14 days in a hotel at their own expense. The hotel must be booked here. A travel authorization needs to be obtained at most 3 days before departure.
• St. Kitts & Nevis. The authorities of St. Kitts & Nevis have recently announced that the islands will only accept fully vaccinated travellers henceforth. A negative PCR test issued within 72 hours prior to departure is also required.

Africa

No quarantine required

• Cape Verde. No test or quarantine required.
• Ghana. Quarantine not required if COVID test result returns negative.
• Kenya. Quarantine not required if COVID test result returns negative.
• Mozambique. Quarantine not required when presenting a valid negative test result.
• Rwanda. Passengers entering or transiting through Rwanda must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point. No quarantine is necessary unless arriving from India or Uganda.
• Seychelles. The country is welcoming all visitors from any part of the world as long as they have had a negative PCR test performed within 72 hours of departure for Seychelles. Fully vaccinated travellers can enter Seychelles without quarantine.
• Somalia. Must present a negative COVID test and will be quarantined if showing symptoms.
• South Africa. A health screening and negative PCR test are required for all countries. Depending on screening results, quarantine may be required. Passengers entering or transiting through South Africa must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point.
• Tanzania. Arriving passengers from the UAE are not required to obtain a negative COVID test to enter Tanzania, unless exhibiting symptoms.
• Togo. Quarantine not required if COVID test result returns negative.
• Uganda. Travelers showing symptoms of COVID-19 will be tested upon arrival and required to quarantine until results are in.
• Zambia. Must present a negative COVID test and will be quarantined if showing symptoms.

 

Asia, Oceania and the South Pacific

No quarantine required

• Afghanistan. Travellers above 8 years of age must have a printed medical certificate with a negative Coronavirus (COVID-19) PCR test result, taken at most 72 hours before departure. Quarantine is required only if you have a high temperature.
• Armenia. Travellers are asked to present the results of a PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival or take to a PCR test at the airport.
• Kyrgyzstan. Passengers aged 8 and above must have a printed medical certificate with a negative Coronavirus (COVID-19) PCR test result, taken at most 72 hours before departure of the first embarkation point. You may be asked to do a second test upon arrival.
• The Maldives. Travellers have to carry a negative RT-PCR test, and also submit a health declaration form on the Maldives immigration portal 24 hours before departure from their home country.
• Uzbekistan. All Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result. The test must have been taken at most 72 hours before the departure of the flight to Uzbekistan. The test result must be in English or Russian (NIH-approved Test Lab having BAR/QR Codes are acceptable). PCR exemption is for infants only (i.e. less than 2 years old).
• Bahrain. All passengers regardless of their vaccination status must provide an approved PCR test certificate with a QR Code 48 hours before departure. All passengers from all countries must undergo the PCR test again upon arrival in the Kingdom of Bahrain and on the 10th day after arrival.
• Thailand (Phuket). Travellers travelling to Phuket with a COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that they were fully vaccinated at least 14 days before arrival will not be subjected to quarantine. Vaccines accepted are: AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), AZD1222 (SK Bioscience Co Ltd.), Covidshield, Janssen, Moderna , Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinopharm and Sinovac.
• Saudi Arabia. As of 1 August, non-Saudi nationals holding tourist visas are now allowed to enter the Kingdom should they have completed the required doses of one of the COVID-19 vaccines approved by the Saudi Ministry of Health
• Nepal. Nepal is open to both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. However, vaccinated individuals can bypass the testing rules that require travellers to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test taken no more than 72 hours before travel.

Quarantine required 

• Qatar. Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR or RT-PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure. They must undergo 7 days of hotel quarantine with PCR test (at expense of the passenger) at the hotel on the sixth day. The passenger shall be cleared on the seventh day if the test is negative.
• United Arab Emirates. Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR or RT-PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure. Passengers will be required to wear a medically approved wristband and quarantine for seven days if they have been fully vaccinated. Passengers who are not vaccinated will have to quarantine for 10 days.
• Iraq. Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR or RT-PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point and could be subject to quarantine at a designated facility for up to 14 days.. The test result must be in Arabic or English.
• Pakistan. Travellers to Pakistan will also be required to provide their contact information through the Pass Track App or through a web-based form. All arriving passengers of age 6 years and above will be tested through Rapid Antigen Testing upon arrival at the airport. Positive testing passengers will be quarantined. 
  

Europe

Quarantine not required

• Albania. Except for screening measures in the presence of medical personnel, there are no testing requirements.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina. Passengers must have a medical certificate with a negative Coronavirus PCR test result issued at most 48 hours before arrival.
• France. Passengers is either fully vaccinated with both doses at least one week prior to travel and is a holder of D-type Schengen visa valid from three to five years or is partially/unvaccinated with a yet to be recognised vaccine. The traveller must provide a vaccination certificate, proving they don’t have any infection symptoms.
• Germany.Travellers, who have been administered with both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine or who can show proof of recovering from the virus, will not be required to isolate themselves on their arrival in Germany.
• Iceland. Travellers who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from the virus can enter Iceland. A vaccination certificate/proof of a previous infection is a must. There are no testing or quarantine requirements.
• Kosovo. Travellers must have a negative RT-PCR test certificate for COVID-19 done in the last 72 hours. Quarantine is mandated only if you don’t carry the certificate.
• Russia.  Passengers entering the Federation must have a printed negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued at most 72 hours before arrival.
• Serbia. Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued at most 48 hours before arrival. Quarantine is mandated only if you don’t carry the result.
• Switzerland. Travellers who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from the virus can enter Iceland. A vaccination certificate/proof of a previous infection is a must. There are no testing or quarantine requirements.
• Turkey. Fully vaccinated travelers can enter Turkey without PCR test and quarantine.

Quarantine required

• Montenegro. Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point. This doesn’t apply to passengers with a COVID-19 vaccination certificate if they have received the second dose at least 7 days before arrival and those with a positive serological -IgG antibodies test result issued at most 30 days before arrival.

Countries banning flights from Oman

While there is currently no ban on outgoing travel from the country by the Government of Oman, few countries have advised their citizens not to travel to Oman, owing to the rise in COVID-19 cases reported in the country. 

Philippines

The Philippines government has extended the ban on inbound travel from Oman until August 31 to prevent transmission of the COVID-19 variant, B.1617. Those who have been to Pakistan in the 14 days preceding arrival will no longer be allowed to enter the scenic archipelago of the Philippines. 

United Kingdom

Oman has been included in the red list of countries barred from entering the UK. Oman’s inclusion on the red list means all travellers from the country will not be granted entry unless they are citizens of the UK or have residential rights. All arrivals from Oman are required to serve a 10-day hotel quarantine.

United States of America

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Oman due to COVID-19, warning people to avoid travelling to Oman.