MUSCAT: Expat resident card holders in the country “need not panic” if their visas have expired and they can continue to stay in the country legally, a senior Royal Oman Police (ROP) official informed The Arabian Stories.

Early this week, ROP had suspended issuing all types of visas and its customer service offices that renew visas and resident cards. This has created a panic among expat residents in the country. However, a senior ROP official has assured that their “visa status will be renewed after the coronavirus threat is over without the overstaying fines”. 

“This is a global pandemic and what we need to understand is that every country has kept restrictions in place and this is temporary. We will be more than happy to renew the expired visas of our resident card holders who are currently in Oman after the coronavirus threat is over,” he assured.  

Residents abroad can extend visa via online
Oman had banned the entry of all foreign nationals (including resident card holders) as part of the precautionary measures to contain the coronavirus. The ROP official said “those people who are abroad during this situation and if their visas expire, they can extend the visa through the ROP website and can do the necessary formalities including renewing the resident card after arriving in Oman,” the official said. 

For those who are on a short-term visit or business visa also need not fear about their stay in the country. “We fully understand their concerns. They need not fear about their stay. At this moment, all of us need to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus,” he added.