The Omani government has issued an important travel advisory for its citizens planning to visit India, stressing the need to adhere to strict visa regulations. The Embassy of Oman in New Delhi has highlighted those Omani travelers must clearly state the purpose of their visit—whether it is for tourism, medical treatment, or education—to prevent any travel-related issues. The advisory also underscores the necessity for Omani visitors to monitor the validity of their visas and avoid overstaying their permitted duration in India. Overstaying can result in significant complications, including the requirement to obtain an exit visa. Such visas may take up to three days to process and incur a fee of up to $259.
Additionally, travelers who use a visa for purposes other than those stated, such as using a medical visa for tourism, will face the same fee for correction. This has been underscored by recent incidents, including a case where an Omani family was stranded at New Delhi Airport due to visa issues, resulting in additional accommodation costs and delays. Oman, being one of the 125 countries without a visa facilitation agreement with India, necessitates that its citizens secure their visas before departure. According to the Passport Index by VisaGuide.World, Oman’s passport ranks 111th globally, offering visa-free access to 44 countries while requiring visas for entry into 116 countries. Conversely, India’s passport is ranked 132nd, allowing visa-free entry to 32 countries and requiring visas for 125 countries. Notably, Singapore holds the top position with visa-free access to 159 countries.
Data from India Tourism Statistics for 2023 indicates that 56,474 Omani nationals visited India, with the peak visitation period occurring between July and September. This positions Oman as the leading source of visitors from the West Asia region, representing 21.6% of all visitors from the area. However, this figure remains below the pre-pandemic peak of over 74,000 Omani visitors.
