On-arrival visa to Maldivians from Oman ‘conditional’

Maldivian Foreign Ministry states that on-arrival visa to Maldivian citizens from Oman are subject to certain conditions.

The Foreign Ministry had announced the decision of Oman to grant visa exemption for Maldivian travelers on March 30.

In the statement, the Foreign Ministry said the visa exemption allows Maldivians holding valid passports to enter and stay in Oman for a maximum period of 14 days from the day of their entry.

But on Sunday, a group of Maldivian citizens who travelled to Oman were expelled from the country, after being detained at the airport for 12 hours.

On Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said that its March 30 statement was information received from official sources within the Oman government.

The Foreign Ministry said that it had since been inform that the on-arrival visa was subject to certain conditions. They are:

A valid visa from or citizenship in the United Kingdom, the United States, Schengen countries, Canda, Australia, or Japan

Hotel booking, health insurance, and a return ticket

The Foreign Ministry asked Maldivian travelers who do not meet the conditions to obtain a visa before travelling to Oman.

It also added that the Maldives is engaged in discussion with Oman regarding granting unconditional on-arrival visa to Maldivian travelers.

Maldivian citizens currently receive on-arrival visa from 90 countries.