Border Crossing into Oman for UAE Expats

At the time of posting (December 2019), there are four border posts between the UAE & Oman that allow non GCC citizens (both UAE residents and tourists) to pass through. 

Please note that I have used all 4 of these border posts personally. There may be others but I cannot write about something I have never used. Whether you are allowed through these border posts is up to the discretion of the immigration officers & is subject to change at anytime.

Meyzad Border Post

Exiting through this border is simple. They will check your passport, the contents of your car and the vehicle registration card. You will be asked to pay 30AED in exit tax with your debit card. At the time of posting, they were not accepting cash.

You will enter Oman through the Hafeet border post which is 1.3kms away from Meyzad. You can walk between the 2 on a cool day.

There you will be asked for the Oman Insurance, no objection letter (if a rental car), vehicle registration card, passports and printed evisas. You will be asked where you are going and when you will exit Oman (no need to show proof of this).

Khatam Al Shikla Border Post

Exiting through this border is the same as above. They will check your passport, the contents of your car and the vehicle registration card. You will be asked to pay 30AED in exit tax with your debit card. You may be able to pay cash but I would advise having your  debit/credit card. 

You will enter Oman through the Wadi Jizzi police checkpoint. You cannot walk between the two border posts.

The process is the same as above. There you will be asked for the Oman Insurance, no objection letter (if a rental car), vehicle registration card, passports and printed evisas. You will be asked where you are going and when you will exit Oman (no need to show proof of this).

Al Wajajah Border Post

As with the above border posts, the documents required is the same however you will be required to exit your vehicle and go into the building. In order to get to this border you must avoid the Hatta border post (GCC nationals only) by taking the E55 to Al Malaiha. Turn onto the Sharjah/Kalba road (signs for Shawka). Turn right towards Hatta onto the E44 after around 30kms thus avoiding the Omani territory & Hatta exit point. Although the quickest border posts for those coming from Dubai, it can be the slowest due to having to exit your car.

At the time of posting, the Omani borders were under construction and there was no place to purchase insurance but I was asked for it at both border posts. 

Your end destination will determine which border post you pass through: 

Meyzad is usually good for trips to Nizwa or Jebel al Akhdar.

Khatam Al Shikla is more convenient for trips to Sohar, Al Buraimi and/or Muscat. 

Al Wajajah is good for those driving from Dubai.

Dibba Border Post

This is more of a police checkpoint. In order to cross here you need to have a hotel booking (usually with Golden Tulip or Six Senses) or a dhow cruise booking. The dhow cruise operator will organise your entry visa for you and give it to you prior you passing the checkpoint. 

Note: There is no place to buy Oman Insurance at this border but the Omani police will ask you for it. 

Visas:

Oman is phasing out the visa on arrival system for GCC residents. Please use the Omani Police website to apply for you eVisa 24-48 hours in advance. It costs 50AED/5 OMR. Have it printed as it will be taken from you when you enter Oman. 

Please note that if you are not a resident of the UAE, in order to go to Oman and return into the UAE you will need to be of a nationality eligible for visa on arrival.

If you are not eligible for visa on arrival and arrived on a single entry visa, you will not be allowed back into the UAE.

Please check this official government website for more details on visas.

Renting a car: 

At the time of posting only 4 rental companies were renting out cars that cold be driven to Oman from the UAE: Dollar, Thrifty, Hertz and National. Each has their own surcharge for crossing a border.

The rental company must provide you with:

• Orange Oman insurance paper
• No objection certificate 
• Vehicle registration card (a copy is fine)

These 3 things are checked at the border posts.

Your own vehicle:

You can use your own vehicle to cross the border even if it is financed by the bank (you don’t need permission to cross from your bank). Make sure your UAE insurance covers crossings into Oman and provides you with the orange paper to prove it. If they don’t, apply for it them from your insurance company and pay the additional cost (mine was 200AED from Al Wathba Insurance- valid for 1 week in Oman).

Petrol stations:

There are ADNOC stations near the Khatam Al Shikla and Meyzad Border Posts. Use the restrooms and fill your car there as petrol stations in Oman are more scarce. 

Shell petrol stations in Oman accept UAE dirhams at a rate of 1:10 when paying for petrol.  I am not sure about other petrol stations but its rare to find one that accepts debit cards out of Muscat. 

For information about planning a trip to Oman, click here!

For another informative blog post discussing road trips from the UAE to Oman check out Tia Takes The World’s post.

Please share your journey with me in the comments so I can update this post to make it relevant for future users.