UAE blocks tourists from visiting Oman; Reliance gives up on their first Omani offshore exploration oil well

The UAE have helpfully pointed out that tourists and visitors to the Emirates on a pre-apply-required visit or tourist visacannot go on a short trip to Oman and expect to be able to come back.

This might actually boost Omani tourism, as people could choose to come here as a base instead and take the smaller side trip to Dubai. But it will hurt the little day trips to Khasab or overnighters to Muscat. Oman should try to stop this clear anti-Oman decision from the UAE.

(UAE) Visit visas: New entry permits only a month after exit
A visitor needs to get a new entry permit to re-enter the country once he or she leaves the country for any destination. The new entry permit will be issued only after one month from the date the visitor leaves the UAE

A new visa will be issued only after a gap of at least one month. Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director-General of the Dubai General Department for Residency and Foreigners Affairs, told Gulf News: "A visitor needs to get a new entry permit to re-enter the country once he or she leaves the country for any destination. The new entry permit will be issued only after one month from the date the visitor leaves the UAE."

Major General Al Merri was responding to a question about visitors who face difficulties in returning to the UAE after a short sightseeing trip to Oman or after leaving in a hurry for a meeting in Bahrain.

They cannot re-enter the UAE immediately since a new visa will be issued only after a gap of at least one month.

Application

The rule applies even if the visitors leave the country before the expiry of their entry permits, he said. "They have to wait for one month before applying for another entry permit."

Major General Al Merri said this happens to some people who arrive on tourist or visit visas to see family or friends or visit the country as tourists.

"They stay here for few days and then decide to go to Oman, Bahrain or any nearby country. These people believe they can return to the UAE using the same entry permit as they stayed here only for a few days.

"They think the entry permit is still valid since they did not use it till the expiry date," he said.
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Meanwhile, Oman is getting an event on the Tour De France world circuit next month.

Oman to launch version of Tour de France
Oman has revealed it is to join the ranks of France, Italy, India and Japan with the launch of its first national cycling tour next month.

The race, the Arab sultanate’s answer to the Tour de France, will see 128 riders on 16 teams cover 687km over a period of six days.

The race will take in Oman’s famed mountain ranges, potentially including the country’s highest peak, Jebel Akhdar, which stands nearly 3,000m high.

A new event has been introduced especially for Oman, a nation with a long and proud bicyclistic tradition: the bausher sand dune crossing stage! Plus in an added twist, the organising committee announced the mountain climb stage up Jebal Akhdar will be against oncoming traffic.

"When on the open road stages, citizens are encouraged to take part in the fun, and entrants will be scored on how closely they can cut past a tour de france cyclist whenever the relative speed between the bike and car is over 100kmh. Style points will be awarded for creative use of the car's horn, or leaning out of the window yelling something vaguely obscene and non-sequitous. The committee warned entrants that the traditional Omani technique of simply running bicyclists off the road did not meet the latest international biking rules, however."

Photo: Those Frenchies might struggle with how we handle bikes in Oman!

Oh, and Indian Oil and Gas company Reliance have pulled the plug the the first offshore oil exploration well drilled for a long time in Oman due to technical difficulties, unfortunately.