Oman’s 2026 residency reform has rewritten the rules for foreign property investors across the Gulf. Ownership of qualifying property in the Sultanate now secures a sponsor-free residency permit directly eliminating the dependency that blocked thousands of buyers from long-term legal stability.
The amendments were published in Official Gazette No. 1653 on June 21, 2026, under Decision No. 87/2026 issued by Inspector General of Police and Customs Lt. Gen. Hassan bin Mohsin Al Shuraiqi, coming into effect the following day. MFN Auditing has analyzed this reform in full here is the complete legal, eligibility, and investment breakdown.
What Decision No. 87/2026 Actually Changed
Before this decision, every foreign national including property owners needed a local Omani sponsor to maintain residency. That dependency is now removed for eligible buyers. Under Decision No. 87/2026, eligible foreign property owners can obtain visas and residency permits without a local sponsor. Approval is based on a certificate from the competent authority instead. Three specific changes came into effect:
- The “Owner Visa” was revised so foreign nationals who own real estate can apply directly to the competent authority without any sponsorship
- Foreign nationals whose properties are still undergoing registration procedures are now also eligible, based on certification from the competent authority
- Eligible sponsor categories were expanded to include GCC nationals, licensed foreign investors, foreign property owners, and foreign employees working for government entities
Who Qualifies Under the New Rules
| Eligible Applicants | Not Eligible |
| Foreign nationals who own registered residential units in Oman | Tenants or long-lease holders without confirmed freehold title |
| Foreign nationals who own land designated for construction | Buyers of properties outside designated foreign-ownership zones |
| Buyers whose properties are still in the registration process (subject to authority certification) | Applicants who cannot produce certification from the competent authority |
| Spouses and first-degree relatives of eligible property owners | |
| Legal representatives of companies that own land plots or real estate units in Oman |
Which Properties Actually Unlock Residency
This is where most investors make costly mistakes. Not every property in Oman qualifies.
ITC Properties: The Primary Route
ITCs are licensed real estate projects where foreigners are granted full freehold ownership. These developments include residential units, hotels, malls, and leisure areas in gated communities. Owning property in an ITC grants the investor and their family eligibility to apply for a property-based residency permit. Foreign investors can purchase property in designated ITCs including Al Mouj Muscat, Muscat Bay, Muscat Hills, and AIDA.
Pre-Registration and Under-Construction Properties
Eligible ownership includes both built properties such as villas, apartments, or commercial units, and undeveloped plots designated for construction. Where land is purchased in an undeveloped state, the law requires the owner to commence construction within four years of title registration. The revised regulations allow residency permits to be granted for both registered and certain unregistered properties, subject to approval by the competent authorities.
Outside ITC Zones
Outside ITCs, foreigners in Oman can buy apartments on a usufruct basis a long lease, not full ownership in specific locations approved under Ministerial Decision 357/2020. These usufruct arrangements do not carry the same residency rights as ITC freehold ownership.
How the System Works: From Purchase to Permit
The process follows a direct ownership-verification-activation chain:
- Purchase a qualifying residential unit or designated construction land in an approved ITC zone
- Complete legal registration and obtain title documentation
- Apply for a competent authority certificate confirming ownership
- Submit the Owner Visa application to the Royal Oman Police no sponsor needed
- Enter Oman within three months of the visa issuance date
Residency activates upon entry and remains valid as long as ownership is maintained.
Visa Validity, Permit Tiers and Stay Rules
Oman’s property residency now operates across multiple tiers depending on investment value and registration status.
Standard ITC Owner Permit
As soon as the property is registered in the Ministry of Housing and the title deed is issued, a residency is granted with a visa for 2 years, renewable, covering the owner and immediate family.
Pre-Registration and Unregistered Property Permits
These visas are issued for periods ranging from six months to one year, renewable for similar durations. Holders are permitted to stay in Oman for up to three months per visit.
Golden Residency Tier
A 10-year renewable residency requires a minimum property investment of OMR 500,000. A 5-year renewable residency requires a minimum investment of OMR 250,000.
The Hard Cancellation Rules Read Before You Buy
This clause ends residency with zero grace period. Most investors discover it too late. Residency permits granted to foreign property owners will automatically terminate if ownership of the real estate unit is transferred through any legal transaction. The residency permits of accompanying spouses and eligible relatives are also cancelled as a consequence. Additional conditions that trigger cancellation or rejection:
- Failure to enter Oman within three months of visa issuance
- Documentation mismatch during authority verification
- Property transfer to another party including inheritance transactions in some cases
- Non-compliance with ITC governance rules (Airbnb-style short-term letting without approval, for example)
The Investment Case Behind This Reform
Oman’s move is calculated, not accidental. The Sultanate is directly targeting the same pool of international investors currently flowing into Dubai and Abu Dhabi. According to official data, foreign purchases in ITCs accounted for approximately 22% of total real estate activity in 2023, and over 1,200 investors obtained residency through property ownership in the same year.
Property value growth is projected at 4 to 7 percent in 2026, with rental yields ranging from 6 to 9 percent in central Muscat areas. Removing the sponsor barrier adds a non-financial stability incentive on top of those returns making the long-term case for Oman significantly stronger than it was twelve months ago.
Key Limitations Every Investor Must Accept
- Not permanent residency. This is a renewable permit. It does not lead to citizenship Oman does not offer a citizenship-by-investment pathway, and applying for Omani nationality requires formally renouncing your current passport.
- ITC dependency. Residency eligibility is almost entirely confined to ITC-zone properties. General free-market purchases outside these zones do not qualify.
- Ownership = residency. The moment you sell, residency ends for you and your entire family automatically and immediately.
- Policy risk. This is a regulatory benefit published in the Official Gazette, not a constitutional right. Future amendments remain possible.
- Construction obligation. Where undeveloped land is purchased, construction must commence within four years of title registration, or the land may revert to the State.
Conclusion:
Oman’s 2026 reform under Decision No. 87/2026 is structurally significant. The sponsor requirement is gone. Families are included. Pre-registration properties are covered. The Owner Visa route is now direct and authority-certified rather than sponsor-dependent.
What Oman is offering is not general residency. It is ownership-linked residency access clean, conditional, and directly tied to one variable: whether you own qualifying property and keep owning it.
MFN Auditing’s position is clear. Investors evaluating Gulf real estate for combined yield and residency benefits must now include Oman in every serious comparison analysis. The legal barrier that held the market back is removed. The fundamentals stable economy, zero income tax, 6 to 9 percent rental yields, and now sponsor-free residency make the case stronger than it has ever been.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can foreigners get residency by buying any property in Oman
No not any property. Only purchases within ITC-approved zones and designated foreign-ownership areas qualify. The property must be legally registered and verified by the competent authority before a residency permit is issued.
Is Oman property residency permanent
No. It is a renewable, ownership-linked permit. Standard ITC ownership grants a 2-year renewable visa. The Golden Residency tiers extend to 5 or 10 years based on investment value. None of these pathways lead to permanent residency or citizenship.
Which properties qualify for Oman residency under the 2026 update
Registered residential units and designated construction land within ITC zones qualify as the primary route. Properties still undergoing registration are also covered under Decision No. 87/2026, subject to competent authority certification.
What happens to residency the moment a property is sold
Residency cancels automatically and immediately for the owner and all accompanying family members. There is no grace period, no transition window, and no appeal mechanism built into the current law.
Does Oman still require a local sponsor for property-based residency
No. Decision No. 87/2026 explicitly removed the local sponsor requirement for eligible property owners. A competent authority certificate now serves as the legal basis for both the Owner Visa and the residency permit.