Travel to Oman – Top Medical Schools

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: botschaft-oman@t-online.de

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:

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: info@omantourism.gov.om

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: info@omantourism.de

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: botschaft-oman@t-online.de

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: HGKOman@t-online.de

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: info@maskat.diplo.de

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: maskat-ob@bmeia.gv.at

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. oman@chello.at

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: consulch@omantel.net.om

Representations of Oman in Switzerland