MUSCAT: After nearly four months, the Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that the travel ban on fully vaccinated passengers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other 18 countries that were red-listed has been lifted, the Civil Aviation Authority has announced on Monday.

The decision comes into force from 12 pm on September 1.

The decision to lift the ban is a huge relief for hundreds of expats who are stranded in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. However, they have to receive both the doses of coronavirus vaccine approved by the Sultanate and must carry the vaccine certificate with a QR code.

Passengers will have to do a PCR test 72-hours before travel and carry a negative COVID-19 certificate or they can do a PCR test upon arriving in Oman but must go into quarantine until they get the negative result certificate.

Following are the decision issued from CAA:

• The list of countries from which arrivals are prohibited from entering the territory of the Sultanate has been terminated.
  
• All Omani citizens, resident visa holders of Oman, those who do not require a visa to travel to Oman, and those who can obtain a visa upon arrival are allowed to enter the Sultanate in accordance with the pre-Covid system.
  
• All passengers arriving to the Sultanate are required to present a COVID-19 vaccine certificate containing a QR code stating that they have received two doses of a vaccine approved in Oman, or in cases where a single dose is approved by the health authorities of the Sultanate, have received one dose of such vaccine. The last dose is required to have been received not less than 14 days ahead of estimated arrival time. The Ministry of Health publishers and updates the list of actions approved in Oman.
  
• All passengers arriving to the Sultanate that present a free travel negative result COVID-19 PCR test are exempted. The COVID-19 PCR test shall indicate the medical test result which can be validated and certified with a QR code and the test shall be conducted within 96 hours prior to the schedule time of arrival in the Sultanate for the international flights of more than eight hours duration including transit, 72 hours for shorter flights.
  
• All passengers arriving to the Sultanate without holding a negative Covid 19 PCR test (in accordance with paragraph number four of the circular) or subject to a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival where after the traveller shall be required to enter mandatory quarantine with electronic tracking bracelet until a negative PCR test results is received. However, in case of a positive PCR test result, the passengers shall be required to undergo mandatory health isolation for 10 days starting from the test date. Except that passengers who have recovered from COVID-19 but tested positive on arrival are exempted from health isolation providing they are able to submit proof that they have completed the prescribed isolation period in the country where they were infected before travelling to the Sultanate.
  
• Before boarding the aircraft, all passengers arriving to the Sultanate, including diplomats, are required to complete pre-registration via Tarassud + platform and to upload the vaccine certificate as well as a COVID-19 PCR certificate, both containing QR codes. If the passenger prefers to conduct the COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival, the passengers shall pay the prescribed fees where registering via Tarassud + platform before boarding the aircraft.
  
• Arriving passengers aged 18 and below are exempted from the requirements of the vaccine and COVID-19 PCR test. Patients with diseases that prevent them from receiving the vaccine according to an approved medical certificate are also exempted from presenting vaccine certificates
  
• The decision is effective starting at 12.00 pm (oman local time) on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, except that Omani citizens and their families who departed the Sultanate before the issuance of this Circular are exempted from vaccine requirement for a maximum of two months from the issuance of this Circular