Oman's property-owner residence: own the home, keep the visa
Buy a home in a licensed tourism complex like Al Mouj or Muscat Bay and you can get a two-year, renewable residence visa with no income test and no published minimum price.
Since June 2026, owners get this residence without an Omani sponsor, and the rules now reach homes still waiting on registration. The visa fee is OMR 50 (about $130). The home is the real cost.
Who it fits
Built for buyers with cash, not a paycheck
There's no income test and no minimum price on the official service page. If your money is savings or home equity you'd put into a property anyway, this is Oman's lowest-cost route to residence.
- Retirees buying a home they'll live in
- Second-home owners tired of tourist-visa limits
- Not for anyone planning a local job
- Not for renters: no home, no residence
The numbers that matter
OMR 50
Residence visa fee, about $130
Same fee for each family visa
2 years
Visa validity
Renewable while you own the home
3 months
To enter Oman once it's issued
Owner Visa rule since June 2026
OMR 110,000+
One-bedroom in Al Mouj, about $286,000
Listing prices, June 2026
Residence Visa for Property Owners in Integrated Tourism Complexes (ITC)
Foreigners who own a built home in a government-licensed Integrated Tourism Complex can get a 2-year residence visa without a local sponsor, renewable for as long as they keep the property. A spouse and first-degree relatives can hold matching residence. It is residence only: working in Oman needs a separate permit, and selling the property ends the residence for the whole family.
- Government cost
- $130
- Timeline
- 2 years, renewable while the property is owned
- Difficulty
- Moderate
About that data card
Our listing says "Family renewals need proof of relationship, a 6-month-valid passport, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning registry copy and a letter from the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism." Those papers belong to each relative's own visa to join you, not to renewals. Each one must be a first-degree relative and needs your property registry copy, a Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning letter and a letter from the authority that oversees your complex.
How it works
Applying, step by step
1. Buy where foreigners can own
That means licensed Integrated Tourism Complexes such as Al Mouj Muscat, Muscat Bay, Jebel Sifah and AIDA, plus the new future cities and integrated neighborhoods like Surouh. Despite the 2026 headlines, ownership isn't open nationwide. Budget about 3% to 10% of the price for buying costs.
2. Get the title in your name
Owning doesn't grant residence on its own; you apply. Since June 2026, owners of units still waiting on registration can get a sponsor-free owner visa of six months to a year, with stays of up to three months per visit.
3. Apply from outside Oman
The Royal Oman Police wants you outside the country, holding no other valid Omani visa, when you file. Send your passport copy, a photo, your ownership document and a letter stating where the unit is.
4. Enter and register
Enter within three months of issue, then register for your resident card within 30 days of arrival.
5. Bring your family
Your spouse and first-degree relatives each apply for a visa to join you. No sponsor needed.
Owner residence or Golden Residency?
Owner residence
OMR 50 fee, a two-year renewable visa and no published minimum price. It's residence only, with thinner benefits than the investor route.
Golden Residency
Ten years from OMR 200,000 (about $520,000), with an OMR 500 fee. Investor residency adds rights the owner permit lacks, such as visa-free movement across the GCC.
Before you buy
What this visa won't do for you
It isn't a work permit
A local job needs separate labor authorization.
Selling ends it for everyone
Transfer the title by any legal act and your residence ends, along with your family's.
Long absences are a risk
Oman's residence law ends residence after six straight months abroad without a valid reason. Ask the Royal Oman Police how that's applied to owners before planning long U.S. stays.
Healthcare is on you
Free public care doesn't extend to expats outside government jobs. Public emergency rooms must treat you, then bill you, so plan on private coverage.
Taxes change in 2028
From January 2028, Oman taxes residents (more than 183 days a year) at 5% on income above OMR 42,000 (about $109,000), and rent counts. The U.S. has no income tax treaty with Oman. Today there's no annual property tax and no capital gains tax on sales.
People who can help
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
Hunter Schultz is a healthcare coach who helps people moving abroad work out how they'll get and pay for medical care.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
ExpatInsure arranges global health insurance for people living outside their home country.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
MyExpatTaxes prepares U.S. tax returns for Americans living abroad.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Moneycorp handles currency exchange and international money transfers.
Oman property-owner residence FAQ
Can I work in Oman on a property-owner residence?
No. The owner residence covers living in Oman. Taking a local job needs separate labor authorization, usually through an employer.
What happens to my Oman residence if I sell the property?
It ends. If the title is transferred by any legal act, your residence and your family members' residence end with it.
Is there a minimum property price for Oman's property-owner residence?
No minimum is published on the Royal Oman Police service page, and the owner permit has no investment threshold. That sets it apart from Oman's 10-year Golden Residency, which starts at OMR 200,000 (about $520,000).
Can I apply for Oman's property-owner residence while I'm in Oman?
No. The Royal Oman Police requires you to be outside Oman when you apply and not to hold another valid Omani visa. Once the visa is issued, you have three months to enter.
Can I get Oman residence if my unit isn't registered yet?
Partly. Since June 2026, owners of units whose registration isn't finished can get a sponsor-free visa valid six months to one year, renewable, with stays of up to three months per visit. Full residence follows once the title deed is in your name.
Do I need an Omani sponsor to get residence as a property owner?
No. Royal Oman Police Decision No. 87/2026, in force since June 2026, lets foreign property owners get the Owner Visa and Property Owner Residency without a sponsor, based on a certificate from the competent authority.
Can my spouse and children live in Oman with me?
Yes. Your foreign spouse and first-degree relatives can each get a visa to join you without a sponsor. Each needs proof of kinship, a valid passport, your property registry copy and letters from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning and the authority over your complex. The fee is OMR 50 (about $130) each.
Does Oman's property-owner residence lead to citizenship?
Not in any practical sense. Oman's 2025 nationality law requires 15 years of residence for general naturalization, so plan on this as a long-term residence, not a second passport.
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