Oman has quietly reshaped the legal foundation for foreign real-estate investment. Between 18 May and 22 June 2026, two reforms — a new Real Estate Registry Law and a sponsor-free residency permit for property owners — have made the Sultanate materially more accessible to international investors, without touching the headline Golden Residency thresholds. This briefing from Mirabello Consultancy sets out exactly what changed, what did not, and why the distinction matters for your strategy.
- Royal Decree 56/2026 (effective 18 May 2026) created a unified digital property registry and expressly allows registration of property in the names of non-Omanis, companies and legal entities.
- ROP Decision 87/2026 (effective 22 June 2026) introduced a sponsor-free "Owner Visa" for foreign property owners and their first-degree family — including corporate legal representatives.
- The Golden (OMR 500K / 10-year) and Silver (OMR 250K / 5-year) thresholds and the seven investment routes are unchanged.
- These reforms de-risk the property route — but they do not let foreigners buy anywhere; geographic and governorate restrictions still apply pending executive regulations.
- The Owner Visa is a lighter 6-month–1-year permit that ends if the property is sold — not a substitute for long-term Golden Residency.
Mirabello Consultancy has been tracking a significant pair of legal reforms in the Sultanate of Oman. In the space of five weeks, Oman has modernised the legal foundation for foreign real-estate ownership and made residency materially easier for property owners. For high-net-worth investors weighing a Gulf base, these changes meaningfully de-risk the property route into Oman's Golden Residency — without altering the headline investment thresholds. Here is precisely what changed, what did not, and what it means for your strategy.
What is Oman's Golden Residency Programme?
Oman's Golden Residency Programme is a residency-by-investment scheme, relaunched on 31 August 2025, that grants foreign investors long-term, sponsor-free residency in the Sultanate. It operates on two tiers: a Golden tier (10-year residency, from OMR 500,000 / ~USD 1.3M) and a Silver tier (5-year residency, from OMR 250,000 / ~USD 650,000), with seven qualifying investment routes including real estate, company investment, government development bonds, listed equities and fixed bank deposits. Residency extends to the spouse, children and dependent parents, and Oman levies zero personal income tax.
Real estate has always been one of the most popular routes — but historically the framework around who could be a registered owner, and how that ownership translated into residency paperwork, created friction. The June 2026 reforms address exactly that friction.
The two June 2026 changes, explained
1. A new Real Estate Registry Law (Royal Decree 56/2026)
On 18 May 2026, Oman's new Real Estate Registry Law — promulgated by Royal Decree No. 56/2026 — came into effect. The 40-article law establishes a unified, fully digital national property registry and grants electronic title deeds the same legal validity as paper documents.
The provision that matters most to international investors: the law expressly allows the registration of property in the names of non-Omanis, companies and legal entities, subject to regulations. In practical terms, foreign individuals and the corporate structures they own can now hold registered title under a transparent, electronic system — a clear signal of intent to attract foreign capital and a tangible reduction in transactional risk.
2. Sponsor-free residency for property owners (ROP Decision 87/2026)
On 22 June 2026, an amendment to the Executive Regulations of the Foreigners' Residence Law took effect, issued by the Royal Oman Police as Decision No. 87/2026 and published in Official Gazette No. 1653. It introduces a dedicated, sponsor-free "Owner Visa" for foreign property owners.
Under the amendment, a foreign national who owns land designated for construction, or a residential unit — including units not yet through full registration — may obtain a residency visa without a local Omani sponsor, on the basis of a certificate from the competent authority. The benefit extends to first-degree family members and, notably, to the legal representatives of corporate entities that own Omani property. You can read the official reporting via Times of Oman.
What changed vs. what did not — a clear table
| Element | Before (early 2026) | After June 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Registered ownership by non-Omanis / companies | Permitted within designated areas; paper-based, less transparent | Expressly provided for under a unified, fully digital registry (RD 56/2026) |
| Residency for property owners | Generally required a sponsor or the Golden/Silver route | New sponsor-free "Owner Visa" (6 months–1 year, renewable) — ROP Decision 87/2026 |
| Corporate property owners | Limited residency pathway for company representatives | Legal representatives of property-owning entities now eligible |
| Golden tier (10-year) | From OMR 500,000 | From OMR 500,000 — unchanged |
| Silver tier (5-year) | From OMR 250,000 | From OMR 250,000 — unchanged |
| Foreign property registration fee | 3% of value | 3% of value — unchanged |
The headline, then, is nuance — and nuance is where good advice earns its keep. The thresholds and routes of the Golden Residency Programme are not changed by these reforms. What has changed is the legal plumbing beneath the property route: who may hold registered title, how cleanly that title is recorded, and how readily ownership converts into a residency permit.
An important caution: this is not "foreigners can now buy anywhere"
Several commentators have over-read these reforms. To be precise: the Real Estate Registry Law operates "subject to existing laws and regulations," and its executive regulations are still pending. The long-standing geographic framework — under which foreign freehold purchase is concentrated in Integrated Tourism Complexes (ITCs) and designated freehold zones, and certain governorates (including Musandam, Buraimi and most of Dhofar) remain restricted — continues to apply. That framework derives from a March 2022 ministerial decision, not from these 2026 changes. [VERIFY: final scope once RD 56/2026 executive regulations are published.]
In short: the system for foreign ownership has been modernised and de-risked; the map of where foreigners may buy has not been redrawn. Anyone telling you otherwise is ahead of the law.
Why this matters for HNW investors
For an investor comparing Gulf residencies, Oman's appeal has always been its combination of speed (processing in roughly 3–6 weeks), no family-size limits on first-degree relatives, a retirement route, and zero personal income tax. The June 2026 reforms strengthen the real-estate proposition specifically:
- Lower transactional risk: a transparent, electronic title registry reduces the documentary uncertainty that has historically deterred cautious capital.
- Corporate-friendly: the ability to register title in a company's name — and to extend residency to its legal representatives — suits investors who hold property through a structure for estate-planning or tax reasons.
- A lighter on-ramp: the sponsor-free Owner Visa offers a flexible foothold for owners who are not (yet) pursuing the full 10-year Golden tier.
It is worth being clear-eyed about the Owner Visa's limits, however: it is valid for six months to one year (renewable) and terminates if the property is sold. It is a property-owner facilitation — not a substitute for the 5- or 10-year Golden Residency, which remains the right vehicle for investors seeking durable, long-term status.
Considering Oman against the wider Gulf? Our specialists routinely model Oman alongside the UAE Golden Visa and Saudi Premium Residency — and against European options such as the Greece Golden Visa — to find the right fit for your goals. Speak to a Mirabello adviser.
How Oman compares within the Gulf
Oman's relaunched programme sits competitively against its neighbours. The UAE Golden Visa offers a more liquid property market and stronger international recognition; Saudi Arabia's Premium Residency offers a permanent-residency option and Vision 2030 scale. Oman counters with faster processing, no family-size cap, a unique retirement route and a lower cost of living. For investors who also want a European footprint, the Greece Golden Visa and Cyprus Permanent Residency remain the leading Schengen-linked routes. A full side-by-side of every option sits on our golden visa programmes hub.
What you should do now
If Oman is on your shortlist, the practical sequence is: (1) confirm which governorate and development your target property sits in, against the still-applicable area rules; (2) decide whether to hold title personally or through a structure, in light of the new corporate-registration provision; and (3) choose between the lighter Owner Visa and the 5- or 10-year Golden Residency based on how long you intend to stay invested. Each of these decisions has tax, succession and mobility consequences that reward proper advice.
For the official programme details, the Sultanate's Golden Residency portal is the authoritative source; our team verifies every figure against it before advising.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners now buy property anywhere in Oman?
No. The June 2026 reforms modernise how and by whom property may be registered, but they do not remove Oman's geographic restrictions. Foreign freehold purchase remains concentrated in Integrated Tourism Complexes and designated freehold zones, and several governorates stay restricted. The final scope will be clearer once the Real Estate Registry Law's executive regulations are published.
Did the Oman Golden Visa investment amounts change in 2026?
No. The Golden tier (10-year) remains from OMR 500,000 and the Silver tier (5-year) from OMR 250,000, across seven investment routes. The 2026 reforms are structural — they affect property registration and residency administration, not the qualifying thresholds.
What is the new "Owner Visa"?
It is a sponsor-free residency permit for foreign property owners introduced by ROP Decision 87/2026, effective 22 June 2026. It is valid for six months to one year and is renewable, extends to first-degree family and corporate legal representatives, and terminates if the property is sold. It is distinct from — and lighter than — the 5- and 10-year Golden Residency.
Can I hold Omani property through a company?
Yes. The new Real Estate Registry Law expressly provides for registration of property in the names of companies and legal entities, subject to regulations — and the residency amendment extends an Owner Visa to such an entity's legal representative. The optimal structure depends on your tax and succession planning, which we assess case by case.
How long does Oman Golden Residency take to process?
Oman is among the faster Gulf programmes, with typical processing of roughly three to six weeks once the qualifying investment is in place and documentation is complete.
Does Oman offer a path to citizenship?
No. Oman does not offer citizenship by investment. Naturalisation is possible only after very long continuous residency and is, in practice, extremely rare. Investors seeking a second passport should consider Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programmes instead — our advisers can compare both routes for you.
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Book your free consultation with Mirabello Consultancy and let our experts find the perfect programme for you and your family.
Oman's June 2026 reforms are a clear signal of intent: a more transparent, corporate-friendly and lower-friction route into Gulf residency through real estate. The opportunity is real, but the detail — which governorate, which structure, which visa — is where value is won or lost, and the final scope awaits the registry law's executive regulations. Mirabello Consultancy verifies every figure against Oman's official Golden Residency portal and can model Oman against the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Europe's leading golden visas for your specific goals. Book a free, confidential consultation to map your route.
