Oman updates residency, ID card rules, offering 10-year validity for foreign resident cards
The changes, announced by Lieutenant General Hassan bin Mohsin Al Shraiqi, are aimed at making renewals more flexible and efficient for the expatriate community
- Aug 12, 2025,
- Updated Aug 12, 2025 12:09 PM IST
In a move designed to streamline administrative processes, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has unveiled new validity options and fee structures for expatriate residence and personal identity cards, according to Gulf News. The changes, announced by Lieutenant General Hassan bin Mohsin Al Shraiqi, are aimed at making renewals more flexible and efficient for the expatriate community.
Expatriate residents will now be able to choose from three validity options for their residence cards: one, two, or three years, with corresponding fees of 5, 10, and 15 riyals. The cost for replacing lost or damaged cards has been set at 20 riyals.
In addition, the validity of Omani personal identity cards has been extended to 10 years, aligning it with the duration of the national passport. The renewal, issuance, or replacement fee for these identity cards remains 10 riyals.
The ROP clarified, “These amendments are designed to ease administrative processes and provide residents with flexible options to suit their needs.” All residents are required to renew their cards within 30 days of expiration to remain compliant.
With approximately 1.8 million expatriates living in Oman as of June 2025, these changes are expected to simplify the residency process for a large portion of the population, which includes many private-sector workers, domestic staff, and government employees. This move is part of Oman's broader effort to modernise its civil status laws and improve public services, bringing them in line with international standards.
In a move designed to streamline administrative processes, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has unveiled new validity options and fee structures for expatriate residence and personal identity cards, according to Gulf News. The changes, announced by Lieutenant General Hassan bin Mohsin Al Shraiqi, are aimed at making renewals more flexible and efficient for the expatriate community.
Expatriate residents will now be able to choose from three validity options for their residence cards: one, two, or three years, with corresponding fees of 5, 10, and 15 riyals. The cost for replacing lost or damaged cards has been set at 20 riyals.
In addition, the validity of Omani personal identity cards has been extended to 10 years, aligning it with the duration of the national passport. The renewal, issuance, or replacement fee for these identity cards remains 10 riyals.
The ROP clarified, “These amendments are designed to ease administrative processes and provide residents with flexible options to suit their needs.” All residents are required to renew their cards within 30 days of expiration to remain compliant.
With approximately 1.8 million expatriates living in Oman as of June 2025, these changes are expected to simplify the residency process for a large portion of the population, which includes many private-sector workers, domestic staff, and government employees. This move is part of Oman's broader effort to modernise its civil status laws and improve public services, bringing them in line with international standards.