Oman: entry and exit regulations
Formalities, visas
German citizens need a visa to enter Oman. It is valid for one month from entry and costs around 13 euros. In addition, a passport with a minimum validity of another 6 months is required for entry. The identity card and the child ID are not sufficient. However, children can be entered in their parents’ passport.
Issuing of visas in Germany
Embassy
Clayallee 82
14195 Berlin
Tel: +49 – (0) 30 – 84 41 69 70
Fax: +49 – (0) 30 – 81 00 51 99
Email: [email protected]
Foreign exchange import and export
There are no foreign exchange regulations for Oman. Israeli shekels, however, are not allowed to be imported.
Importing and exporting goods The importation of drugs, fresh food, more than one bottle of alcohol, as well as pornographic media and weapons is strictly prohibited. A multilingual medical certificate should be carried for pain relievers and hallucinogenic drugs such as antidepressants and other psychotropic drugs, as a number of these drugs are considered illegal drugs in Oman and their possession and importation is punishable. In principle, only items for personal use may be imported duty-free.
Oman: transport/arrival
How to get to Oman
The quickest way to get to Oman is by plane. The flight time from Germany is about 6.5 hours. Several international airlines offer daily flights to Oman. The national airline is called Oman-Air.
Travel in the country
Air connections The national airline Oman-Air offers flights between Muscat and Salalah.
Bus
With the bus you can reach all major places in Oman as well as Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Roads
The road network in Oman is around 35,000 km. 9,700 km of this are asphalted. The length of the motorways is approx. 550 km.
Rental cars
On presentation of an international driver’s license, you can easily get a rental car in the larger cities.
Taxi
In Muscat there are taxis and shared taxis that are much cheaper than taxis. You have to stop shared taxis with a sign. The price is paid upon exit. However, the fare should be clarified in advance.
Ferry connections
The sea routes of Oman are important. The largest international transshipment points are located in Salalah and Matrah.
Traffic rules
To avoid trouble with the police or even the courts, drivers should strictly adhere to the traffic regulations in force in the country. Regardless of the information provided here, it is advisable to obtain more detailed information from the ADAC, the AvD or the Oman’s traffic clubs.
Top speeds
- Urban: In built-up areas there is a speed limit of 40 km/h.
- Motorways: There is a speed limit of 120 km/h on motorways.
In addition, it is of course necessary to pay attention to the current local speed limits, which are indicated by traffic signs.
Blood alcohol limit
The official blood alcohol limit in Oman for drivers of motor vehicles is 0.0.
International license plate
According to Abbreviationfinder, the international license plate of Oman is:
OM |
Tourist offices
Ministry of Tourism
PO Box 200, PC 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Tel: 00 968 – 24 58 87 00
Fax: 00 968 – 24 58 88 80
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.omantourism.gov.om
Representation in Germany
Sultanate of Oman, Ministry of Tourism
c/o Interface International GmbH
Karl-Marx-Allee 91A
10243 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 42 08 80 12
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 42 25 62 86
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.omantourism.de
Oman: Travel Medicine, Vaccinations and Warning Labels
Infectious Diseases
The following infectious diseases are to be expected in Oman, which do not or rarely occur in Germany, Austria or Switzerland.
- Malaria, there is an almost negligible residual risk in the north of the country
- Intestinal infections from contaminated food or water, including amoeba, lamblia, salmonella, shigella and worm infestation, as well as all kinds of viruses and bacteria
- Hepatitis A and B, an infection with hepatitis B, is only possible in people who can come into contact with blood or those who seek sexual contact
- Leishmaniasis Disease
- Polio, polio
- tetanus
- rabies
- Typhoid fever, an infection risk only exists for travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
Vaccination recommendations When traveling to Oman, the same vaccinations are recommended as in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
- Diphtheria, a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist, also in the home country
- Hepatitis A and B, vaccination against hepatitis B, is only required for people who may come into contact with blood or who are looking for sexual contact.
- Polio, polio, a vaccination against polio should always exist, also in the home country
- Tetanus, a vaccination against tetanus, should always exist, also in the home country
- Typhoid, but only in travelers who may come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
Compulsory vaccination
When entering and staying in Oman, all persons older than 1 year and arriving from a country designated by the WHO are required to be vaccinated against yellow fever.
Yellow fever vaccination for children
In most countries where a yellow fever vaccination is mandatory, this also applies to children over 1 year of age, in some countries even from 6 months. It should be noted that
vaccination against yellow fever had a number of side effects, such as encephalitis. Around two thirds of those affected were children under 6 months. Therefore, under no circumstances should children under this age be vaccinated. But children under one year of age should also not be vaccinated if possible. If in doubt, yellow fever infection areas must then be avoided.
Any vaccination against yellow fever may only be carried out in specially authorized yellow fever vaccination centers!
Malaria prophylaxis
No malaria prophylaxis is required when traveling in the country.
Who pays for vaccinations in Germany?
Most children in Germany are vaccinated against a number of infectious diseases at an early age. However, the vaccination protection only lasts up to 10 years, in some cases even shorter. Therefore, before traveling abroad, you should carefully consider against which infectious diseases a vaccination is necessary or useful in the country concerned and whether the vaccination protection, if applicable, was not too long ago.
Most statutory health insurances have been reimbursing the costs for the following vaccinations since June 2007.
There is even no 10 € practice fee – but the insured usually have to pay the statutory co-payment, which is 10% of the vaccine price – that is at least 5 € and a maximum of 10 €. Under these conditions, the following vaccinations are free of charge:
- cholera
- diphtheria
- Early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE)
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis A and B
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Pneumococci
- Polyo (polio)
- Tetanus (tetanus)
- rabies
- typhus
Some health insurance companies also reimburse the cost of malaria prophylaxis.
As a rule, private health insurance companies (inquire beforehand) also cover the costs mentioned.
Warning notices
Foreign Office (AA) of the Federal Republic of Germany
Citizens’ Service
Division 040
D-11013 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 51000
www.auswaertiges-amt.de
Oman: currency, shopping
The national currency of Oman is the Omani Rial = 1,000 Baizas.
The following banknotes are valid and in circulation in the country:
- 1
- 5
- 10
- 20th
- 50 rials
- 100
- 200
- 250
- 500 baizas
Coins are in circulation in the following denominations:
- 5
- 10
- 25th
- 50
- 100
- 200
- 250
- 500 baizas
Conversion rate
You can find a currency converter here:
www3.forium.de
Bank opening times
- Monday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Friday: closed
- Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Shop
Shop opening times
- Monday: 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Friday: closed
- Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Cheap or country-specific goods, souvenirs
In Oman you can buy jewelry, especially silverware. Local souvenirs are also swords and daggers, wooden chests decorated with carvings and pottery.
Oman: embassies, consulates
Visit Countryaah for a full list of Oman embassies and consulates in each country around the world.
Representations of Oman in Germany
The embassy building of the Sultanate of Oman is located on Clayallee in Grunewald in Berlin-Dahlem – and not like many embassies – in the old and new embassy district in the Tiergarten.
The building is located directly on Clayalle and impresses with its modern architecture with its cubic forms and with a clinker coating that is quite atypical for Oman.
The building was designed by the Berlin architects Hierholzer and completed in 2004.
Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Berlin
Clayallee 82
14195 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 81 00 500
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 81 05 51 97/98
Email: [email protected]
Honorary Consulate General of the Sultanate of Oman
Feuerbachstrasse 26-32
60325 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: 0049 – (0) 69 – 1 70 07 90
Fax: 0049 – (0) 69 – 1 70 07 91 25
Email: [email protected]
German representations in Oman
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Muscat
Ruwi, PC 112
Muscat
Tel: +968 – 24 83 24 82
Fax: +968 – 24 83 56 90
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.maskat.diplo.de
Austrian representations in Oman
Austrian Embassy in Muskat
Shatti al Qurum, Al-Kharijia Street, Way no. 3013, Villa no.898
Muskat
:
PO Box 2070
Postal Code 112 RUWI
Muskat
Tel: 00 968 – 24 69 41 27
00 968 – 24 60 51 27
Fax: 00 968 – 24 69 92 65
E-Mail: [email protected]
The Austrian embassy in Oman is still responsible for Yemen.
Representations of Oman in Austria
Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Vienna
Währinger Straße 2 – 4/24-25
1090 Vienna
Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 310 86 43/-44
Fax: 0043 – (0) 1 – 310 72 68
E-Mail: embassy. [email protected]
Swiss representations in Oman
Embassy
The embassy in Saudi Arabia is responsible
Consulate of Switzerland in Muscat
Al Asfoor Plaza Building, 1st floor, Apt. 104, Al Qurum
Muscat
Tel: 00 968 – 24 568 205
Fax: 00 968 – 24 568 206
Email: [email protected]
Representations of Oman in Switzerland
Embassy
The embassy in Berlin () is responsible.
Consulate of the Sultanate of Oman
Chemin de Roilbot 3a
1292 Chambésy
Tel: 0041 – (0) 22 – 758 96 70
Fax: 0041 – (0) 22 – 758 96 66