Travelling to or from Oman? Here's everything you need to know

After much back and forth on travel rules and restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, Oman is set to reopen borders to fully-vaccinated travellers on September 1.

From 12pm, those who have had both doses of a Covid-19 jab can travel to the sultanate. This includes Omani citizens, residents, anyone who does not need a visa to travel to Oman and those who can use the country's visa on arrival service.

Oman had previously suspended entry to travellers from 12 countries including Lebanon, the UK, the Philippines and Egypt but this list has now been terminated, and travellers can enter from any destination so long as they meet the new requirements.

Several airlines fly between the UAE and Oman, including the national airline Oman Air.

From Dubai, Emirates flies to Muscat and has added a fourth daily service to the Omani capital from Saturday, ahead of borders reopening. From Abu Dhabi, Etihad flies to Muscat three times per week. Low-cost airline Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has plans to fly to Muscat from Sunday, October 31 and to Salalah from Wednesday, November 3.

Other budget airlines operating between the UAE and Oman include flydubai, AirArabia and Salam Air.

Travellers flying to the UAE from Oman must follow the rules in place for each emirate. To Dubai, travellers must hold a negative Covid‑19 PCR test certificate, taken no more than 72 hours before departure. Dubai visa holders must also apply for pre‑entry approval via the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).

For those flying to Abu Dhabi, a negative PCR test result taken at an accredited laboratory within 72 hours of departure is required. Another Covid-19 test will be given to travellers upon arrival. All passengers must also apply for ICA approval before flying to the UAE capital, and those who were vaccinated in a country other than the UAE should do so five days before travel to have their vaccine status accepted.

Oman is not currently on Abu Dhabi's green list, so travellers need to self-isolate for 10 days, unless vaccinated in which case they must quarantine for seven days. From September 5, new rules in Abu Dhabi mean only unvaccinated travellers will have to quarantine.

Oman is also set to reopen land borders between the sultanate and the UAE from Wednesday, which means road trips will once again be possible.

Fully vaccinated travellers with a negative PCR test can drive to Oman. From Dubai, it's around a four-hour drive to Muscat and a five-hour drive from Abu Dhabi, depending on traffic and border control queues.

Oman is open to travellers that are fully vaccinated. Visitors must have received both doses of a recognised vaccine at least 14 days before travelling to the sultanate.

Travellers must also have a pre-departure PCR test and valid health insurance to cover medical expenses in Oman for a period of one month. Citizens from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are exempt from insurance requirements.

Oman has approved eight vaccines and visitors must have received both doses of the vaccine at least 14 days before travel. The recognised vaccines are:

Pfizer-BioNTech

Oxford-AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca / Covishield

Johnson & Johnson

Sinovac

Moderna

Sputnik V

Sinopharm

Travellers will have to show a medical certificate containing a QR Code that proves their vaccination status.

All arriving passengers, including Omani citizens, must download and pre-register on the Tarassud+ platform before flying. This is also where people can upload their vaccine certificates and required Covid-19 PCR certificates.