Oman rewrote its nationality law in 2025, and it is the only Gulf state that spells out what “knowing Arabic” means: fluent in reading and writing, not just getting by in conversation.
Relaunched on 31 August 2025 under Invest Oman. Oman’s foreign ministry is explicit that holding it gives no entitlement to citizenship.
| 10 years | Investment or property of at least OMR 500,000, or a company employing 50 Omanis. |
|---|---|
| 5 years | Investment of at least OMR 250,000. The detailed 5-year criteria differ between advisers’ summaries. check with Invest Oman |
| Language requirement | None found. |
The new law came into force on 2 February 2025. Article 17 sets the conditions for a foreigner:
| Residence | 15 years of continuous residence, with absences of up to 90 days a year allowed. |
|---|---|
| Arabic | “Fluent in reading and writing Arabic”. Foreign wives and widows of Omanis need spoken fluency only. |
| Other conditions | Good health, sufficient income, and a written declaration that you will give up your current nationality. |
| Fee | OMR 600, from 4 January 2026. |
| Dual nationality | Banned unless permitted by Royal Decree (Article 5). |
How Arabic is tested under the 2025 law isn’t published. Under the old law, applicants sat a written exam or an Arabic interview at the Ministry of Interior, could retake it after six months, and had four attempts in total. may have changed in 2025
Grants remain small: Oman announced citizenship for 45 people in November 2025 under the new law.
Checked against the sources below in October 2026. Gulf rules change often — confirm the current figure with the official body before you act on it.
Indian citizens: taking any Gulf nationality ends your Indian citizenship automatically (Citizenship Act, Section 9). What that means, and what OCI does and doesn’t give you →