Three real paths to Oman residency
Oman offers three distinct routes to residency for foreigners: investing, owning a business, or being employed. None of them require a local Omani partner to hold a majority stake in your company — the Foreign Capital Investment Law allows 100% foreign ownership in most sectors.
1. Golden Residency (long-term investor visa)
Relaunched in August 2025, Oman's Golden Residency Program grants long-term, renewable residency to qualifying investors and their families, administered through Invest Oman (omanresidence.gov.om).
10-year renewable residency — qualify through any one of:
- Investing OMR 500,000+ in a company (LLC or public joint-stock), government bonds, or listed shares
- Owning property in Oman worth OMR 500,000+
- Holding a fixed-term deposit of OMR 500,000+
- Employing 50+ Omani nationals in your company
5-year renewable residency
- Owning property in Oman worth OMR 250,000+
Residency extends to spouse, children, and dependent parents. Holders can own property, run a business, and sponsor domestic staff without the usual sponsorship restrictions.
2. Standard company/investor visa (the route most founders use)
You don't need Golden Residency-level capital to live in Oman as a business owner. Registering a company — most commonly an LLC — and holding a genuine ownership stake in it is enough to sponsor your own residency visa. This is the route the majority of foreign entrepreneurs in Oman actually use.
The process, broadly:
- Reserve a company name and register with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion (MoCIIP)
- Obtain any activity-specific licenses your sector requires
- Apply for your investor residency visa as a shareholder/owner of the registered company
Setup costs and requirements vary by business activity, legal structure, and free zone vs. mainland registration — see our Company Registration guide for the full process, or message us for a quote specific to your business.
3. Employment visa (sponsored by an employer)
If you're moving to Oman to work for an Omani company rather than to invest, your employer sponsors your visa:
- The employer first secures labour clearance from the Ministry of Labour, confirming the hire doesn't conflict with Omanisation quotas for that role.
- Labour-permit fees are tiered by role and salary under Ministerial Decision No. 12/2021 — roughly OMR 140 at the lower end up to OMR 2,000 for senior or specialist roles earning OMR 4,000+ a month, with a reduced rate for SMEs in their first two years.
- Once cleared, the employment eVisa is issued with 2-year, multiple-entry validity.
- Applicants must generally be between 21 and 60 years old.
Your exact fee depends on the role and your employer's registration status — their HR or PRO (public relations officer) will have the specific number for your case.
Family sponsorship
Once you hold a valid residency visa — investor or employment — you can generally sponsor your spouse and children to join you, subject to Royal Oman Police income and documentation requirements assessed at the time of application. These are checked case by case rather than published as a flat rule, so ask us for the current requirements for your situation.
Which route fits you?
- Buying property or holding OMR 250,000-500,000+ in Oman → Golden Residency
- Starting or buying into a company in Oman → Standard investor/company visa
- Hired directly by an Omani employer → Employer-sponsored employment visa
- Joining a spouse or parent already resident → Family sponsorship
Get help with your specific situation
Golden Residency requires locking up real capital, and the right visa route depends heavily on your goals, budget, and timeline. Figures on this page were checked in July 2026 against Invest Oman's official portal (omanresidence.gov.om), cross-checked with Deloitte Middle East and Trowers & Hamlins' published guidance on the program, and Ministerial Decision No. 12/2021 for labour-permit fees — rules and thresholds change, so confirm current figures with the relevant ministry or with us before committing capital. Message our team on WhatsApp for a straight answer on your specific case.