Oman Overstay Fine Waivers: The Grace Period Has Ended

The fine waiver for expired visas and residence permits in Oman is over. The Royal Oman Police (ROP) called the extension to 31 December 2025 the final one, and the Ministry of Labour said it would not consider requests submitted after the end of that month. As of 6 November 2026 we found no announcement of a new amnesty. If you have an old overstay, plan on the normal fines and procedures, and ask the ROP before you travel.

How it started

Earlier in 2025 the Ministry of Labour announced it would waive fines and legal action for people whose visas or residence had expired, as part of an effort to tidy up the labour market. After public discussion of who exactly qualified, the ROP set out the cases on 5 May 2025. At that point the cut-off was 31 July 2025. In November 2025 the ROP announced a last extension to 31 December.

What the ROP clarified

• Fixing your status inside Oman. If you renewed your residence or moved to another employer in Oman, the fines for the expired visa or card were waived once the Ministry of Labour confirmed that your status was corrected.
• Leaving for good. People permanently leaving Oman were exempt from fines linked to expired visas that were not work visas.
• Undocumented workers. Workers with expired permits who wanted to leave could apply on the Ministry of Labour website. The Observer reported that approval for a free exit took about a week and that the worker needed a ticket home.
• No criminal cases. The waiver did not apply to anyone involved in criminal activity.

What the December 2025 reporting added

The Observer's December 2025 report on the Ministry's rules said the relief for employers and workers included fines on work cards that had been expired for more than seven years, and some old debts recorded in 2017 or earlier, including repatriation ticket costs. It also said work cards inactive for more than ten years were cancelled but could still be reactivated for renewal, departure, service transfer or reporting an absence.

If you missed it

We did not find any published rule on what exactly applies after the deadline, so we will not guess at amounts. Practical steps:

1. Check your status with your employer or sponsor before you plan to travel or leave.
2. Ask the ROP or the Ministry of Labour what is owed and whether any exemption still exists in your case.
3. Do not rely on old articles that mention July or December 2025 deadlines as if they were still open.

For help sorting out residence or visa problems, see our visa services and residency services. If you are renewing a card, the resident card validity update explains the current fees.