Residents » Overview » When You Arrive

The list of things you’ll have to deal with in the first few weeks can be a little daunting, and you may well be in for a lot of form filling, queuing, and coming and going. Try not to let it spoil your first impressions of the country though, because hopefully you’ll soon be a fully fledged resident enjoying your new life, and all that boring bureaucracy will be a distant memory. Here’s some of the key issues you should be covering:

• Residency visas – your sponsor should arrange everything for you, but you will need to get a health certificate from your home country, stating that you are free from illness and not carrying any communicable diseases. For more information on residency permits and what you can do to make the process smoother, see p.XXX.

• Furnish your new home and get connected – for advice on home furnishings and how to get your water, electricity, satellite TV and phone connected, see p.XXX and p.XXX.

• Buy a car – for advice on what’s available, and how to complete the purchase and registration process, see p.XXX.

• Licences – you’ll need to transfer your local driving licence into an Oman one, and if you want to buy alcohol you’ll need a liquor licence. Find out how on p.XXX to XXX.

• Register with your embassy – it’s always worthwhile to let your embassy know that you are living in Oman. You’ll find a list of embassies on p.XXX.

• Get Acquainted – meet like-minded people by taking up a hobby, joining a sports team, or finding a support group. The Activities chapter (p.XXX) will point you in the right direction, and support groups are listed on p.XXX.



GCC easy as ABC

While Oman is beautiful, the other GCC countries are worth visiting while you live in the region. Whether you want to catch the Asian Games in Qatar, check out the colourful heritage of Kuwait, shop up a storm in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, or join in the excitement of the Grand Prix in Bahrain there is a whole host of exploring to be done just a very short haul away. Pick up a copy of the respective Explorer guide and make the most of your trip or trips!

This excerpt was taken from