On 21 April 2025, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Sultan of Oman, visited the Russian Federation on a state visit to improve Oman-Russia bilateral relations and to mark 40 years of cooperation between the countries. Amongst a range of diplomatic topics and agreements on the agenda was a visa exemption agreement for citizens traveling between the two countries.
The proposed mutual visa exemption agreement will allow eligible citizens (ordinary passport holders) of both countries to travel visa-free for up to 30 days in either country, with a limit of 90 days visa-free travel per year.
Hamoud bin Salim al Tuwaih, Oman’s Ambassador to Russia has stated that the new visa exemption agreement will boost “trade, energy, education and tourism.” He has also highlighted how the strengthened relations will benefit “student exchanges and institutional collaborations, as well as long-standing museum partnerships.”
Meanwhile, Oleg Vladimirovich Levin, Russia’s Ambassador to Oman, noted that the strengthened bilateral relations would “open new paths for cooperation in various sectors.”
Though talks between the two countries were ultimately a positive endeavor, the finer details of the visa exemption agreement are yet to be released. Until the program is in place, citizens of Russia and Oman should continue to apply for the relevant visa for their travels between the countries.
