Mutual visa exemption between Oman and Türkiye

On 22 December 2025, Oman and Türkiye brought into force a mutual visa exemption agreement for holders of ordinary passports. The change removes the need for short-term tourist visas between the two countries and sets clear limits on how long citizens can stay visa-free.

Key features of the new visa-free regime

The agreement creates a reciprocal visa exemption for Omani and Turkish citizens who hold ordinary passports and are travelling for short visits, such as tourism or family visits.

• Omani citizens can visit Türkiye without obtaining a visa in advance and may stay for up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period.
• Turkish citizens can enter Oman without a prior visa and may stay up to 30 consecutive days per visit, up to a total of 90 days within any 180-day period.

The announcement was made by the Foreign Ministry of Oman, which confirmed that the agreement on visa exemption for ordinary passports has now been implemented.

Who can travel visa-free?

Omani citizens travelling to Türkiye

Omani nationals with valid ordinary passports can now:

• Enter Türkiye without arranging a visa before travel.
• Stay in Türkiye for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• Use the exemption primarily for tourism and other short-term, non-remunerated visits.

This builds on an earlier unilateral step by Türkiye. In December 2023, a Turkish presidential decree exempted Omani ordinary-passport holders from tourist visa requirements for stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day period. The 2025 agreement confirms and embeds those rights within a formal bilateral framework.

Turkish citizens travelling to Oman

For Turkish citizens, the new agreement is a major change. Under the mutual exemption now in force, Turkish ordinary-passport holders can:

• Enter Oman without obtaining a visa in advance.
• Stay up to 30 consecutive days per visit.
• Accumulate a maximum of 90 days of stay within any 180-day period.

The arrangement is intended for tourism and other short-term visits. Paid work, long-term residence, and study are not covered and still require appropriate visas or permits from the relevant authorities.

Understanding the 90 days in 180 rule

The agreement uses a rolling 180-day window similar to rules used in many other visa-free regimes.

• For Omani citizens in Türkiye: you may spend up to 90 days in total within any 180-day period.
• For Turkish citizens in Oman: you may spend up to 90 days in total within any 180-day period, with each individual visit capped at 30 consecutive days.

To calculate your entitlement, immigration authorities look back over the previous 180 days from each day of stay and count how many days you have already spent in the country. If you have reached the 90-day limit, you must leave and wait until earlier days fall outside the 180-day window.

Passport validity and entry requirements

Omani citizens entering Türkiye

In its implementation notice, the Omani Foreign Ministry advises citizens travelling to Türkiye to ensure that:

• Their passport is valid for at least six months from the date of entry into Türkiye.
• They have travel health insurance covering the period of their stay.

In practice, travellers should also be prepared to show at the border:

• A return or onward ticket.
• Proof of accommodation, such as a hotel booking or address of stay.
• Proof of sufficient funds for the visit, if requested.

These checks are at the discretion of Turkish border authorities and may vary case by case.

Turkish citizens entering Oman

For entry to Oman, border and consular guidance generally requires that:

• Passports are valid for at least six months from the date of arrival in Oman.
• Travellers hold a return or onward ticket.
• Proof of accommodation and travel health insurance can be shown if requested.

Omani authorities can deny entry or limit the period of stay if these basic conditions are not met or if a traveller is considered not to meet immigration, public order, or public health requirements.

What you can and cannot do visa-free

The mutual visa exemption is designed for short stays. Under the new regime, Omani and Turkish citizens may typically use visa-free entry for:

• Tourism and holidays.
• Visiting family and friends.
• Short business trips, meetings, or conferences where no local employment contract is involved.
• Cultural or sports events, subject to any specific accreditation rules.

The following activities still normally require a visa or residence permit obtained in advance:

• Taking up paid work or engaging in activities that require a work permit.
• Long-term study in schools or universities.
• Long-term residence beyond the 90-days-in-180 limit.
• Most forms of paid professional activity based in the destination country.

Travellers planning these activities should contact the relevant embassy or consulate to obtain the correct visa or permit before travelling.

Overstays and penalties

Even under a visa-free regime, overstaying the permitted period can lead to penalties.

• In Oman, foreign nationals who stay longer than their authorised period may face daily fines and, in serious or repeated cases, possible entry bans.
• In Türkiye, overstays can similarly lead to fines, removal, and future entry restrictions.

Travellers should carefully track their days of stay, especially if they make multiple trips within a six-month period.

How the agreement was reached

The mutual visa exemption is the result of a broader deepening of relations between Oman and Türkiye.

• In December 2023, Türkiye first removed visa requirements for Omani ordinary-passport holders visiting for tourism, allowing stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• On 23 October 2025, during high-level talks between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the two countries signed a series of agreements. These covered areas such as a coordination council, defence industry cooperation, mining and energy, as well as a joint declaration on visa exemption for ordinary passports.
• On 22 December 2025, Oman’s Foreign Ministry announced that the mutual visa exemption for holders of ordinary passports between Oman and Türkiye had officially come into effect.

The agreement is intended to facilitate travel, strengthen people-to-people contacts, and support tourism and business ties between the two countries.

Practical tips for travellers

• Check your passport: ensure it is valid for at least six months beyond your planned date of entry.
• Keep proof of arrangements: carry copies of hotel bookings, return tickets, and travel insurance documents in case border officers request them.
• Monitor your days: note each entry and exit to stay within the 90-days-in-180 limit, and for Turkish travellers to Oman, remember that each individual visit may not exceed 30 consecutive days.
• Confirm before you travel: rules can change, so check the latest official information from the Omani and Turkish foreign ministries or consular services, and from your airline, before departure.

By observing these requirements and limits, Omani and Turkish citizens can benefit fully from the new visa-free regime and travel more easily between the two countries.

Sources

1. 1https://www.fm.gov.om/mutual-visa-exemption-between-oman-and-turkiye-comes-into-effect/Foreign Ministry of Oman · fm.gov.om
2. 2https://bypass.iletisim.gov.tr/englIsh/Haberler/detay/turkiye-and-oman-sign-11-agreementsTürkiye Directorate of Communications · bypass.iletisim.gov.tr
3. 3https://timesofoman.com/article/140250Times of Oman · timesofoman.com
4. 4https://www.muscatdaily.com/2023/12/24/turkiye-announces-visa-exemption-for-omanis/Muscat Daily · muscatdaily.com
5. 5https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/oman/entry-requirementsUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · gov.uk