Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Oman for the most up-to-date information.

If you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is endemic, you will be required to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate to be allowed entry into Oman. The World Health Organization provides a list of countries endemic for yellow fever.

The importation of pornography is forbidden.

When in Oman, children born of an Omani father are considered to be Omani nationals and require their father's permission to depart the country.

If a traveller's passport contains evidence of entry to Israel, or another country's border crossing points with Israel, entry will be denied.

Make sure your passport has at least six months validity from your planned date of return to Australia. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.

Terrorism

Civil unrest/political tension

Crime

Money and valuables

Driving standards in Oman are lower than those in Australia. The annual death toll on Omani roads is extremely high. Many drivers do not adhere to road rules, and visibility on roads can be affected by poor weather. Off-road driving is hazardous as is driving outside Muscat, particularly after dark. Road conditions in some parts of the country are poor and there is a risk of camels straying on to the roads. Traffic accidents are regarded as one of the most significant risks to those visiting or living in Oman. For further advice, see our road travel page.

Authorisation from the Omani government is required for travel to some areas.

Travellers entering Oman or the Gulf area by sea should be aware that many areas are sensitive in relation to security and territory. In particular, maritime boundaries and the islands of Abu Musa and the Tunbs in the southern Gulf are the subject of jurisdictional disputes. There are reports of detentions and inspections of vessels and arrest.

Piracy occurs in the coastal areas of Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. See our piracy bulletin for further information. The International Maritime Bureau issues piracy reports on its website .

Women should take care when travelling alone, particularly at night.

The safety standards of transport and tour operators, including adventure activities, are not always of a high standard. Sufficient safety equipment may not be provided and recommended maintenance standards and safety precautions may not be observed.

Airline safety

When you are in Oman, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter .

Penalties for drug offences are severe and include the death penalty. Possession of even small amounts of so-called 'soft drugs' is punishable by prison sentences of at least 12 months.

Serious offences, such as murder, may attract the death penalty.

Australians who might engage in activities that involve local legal matters, particularly with regard to family law (divorce, child custody and child support), are strongly advised to seek professional advice and ensure they are aware of their rights and responsibilities.

Homosexual acts are illegal and penalties include imprisonment.

It is illegal to use aggressive, obscene or abusive language or gestures in public and penalties include imprisonment and deportation.

Taking photographs of or near government buildings and other sensitive infrastructure, including oilfields, is illegal and can lead to detention.

Possession of pornography is illegal.

Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism, child pornography, and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.

Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism and child pornography laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 25 years? imprisonment for Australians who engage in child sexual exploitation while outside of Australia.

Local customs

Information for dual nationals

We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.

Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our Travelling Well page also provides useful tips for staying healthy while travelling overseas.

Health care in Oman is generally good, but can vary from region to region. Hospitals and clinics in the larger cities tend to be better equipped. Costs can be expensive, depending on the procedure. For serious illnesses or complex medical procedures, travellers may wish to be medically evacuated to a destination with appropriate facilities.

Malaria is generally considered to be under control in Oman. However, the risk remains due to environmental conditions such as high temperature and high humidity that allow mosquitoes to breed. Other insect-borne infections, including dengue fever and leishmaniasis also occur in Oman. Travellers should be particularly attentive to the risk of mosquito bites on the Musandam Peninsula. You should take precautions against insect bites by using insect repellent, wearing long, loose-fitting, light coloured clothing and ensuring your accommodation is mosquito proof.

The most common health hazard faced by travellers in Oman is dehydration and problems relating to the high temperatures in summer months. It is advisable for travellers to be aware of the dangers of the sun, and to remain well-hydrated. We advise you to boil all drinking water or to drink bottled water, and avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website . For more information see our travel bulletin on avian influenza .

Australia has an Honorary Consul in Oman who can provide limited consular assistance. However, in the first instance, Australians should contact the Australian Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for consular, passport and notarial enquires.

Natural disasters, severe weather and climate

For parents