smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
It's a must see destination.
It's a must see destination.
Oman
| Oman overall | This Advice is current for Sunday, 14 March 2010. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information in the Summary and under Safety and Security: Terrorism (exercise caution) and Local Laws (family law). The overall level of the advice has been lowered and we now advise Australians to exercise caution in Oman.
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Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.
We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in Oman because of the risk of terrorist attack.
Statements by international terrorist groups have called for attacks against Western interests in the Gulf region, including residential compounds, military, oil, transport and aviation interests. We continue to receive reports that terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets in the Gulf region.
The terrorist organisation al-Qa'ida continues to publicly threaten to attack Westerners in the Arabian Peninsula. Future attacks against targets in the Arabian Peninsula, including Oman, cannot be ruled out.
In planning your activities, consider the kind of places known to be terrorist targets and the level of security provided. Possible targets include commercial and public areas known to be frequented by foreigners such as clubs, hotels, restaurants, schools, embassies, markets and shopping areas, places of worship, outdoor recreation events and tourist areas.
The law and order situation within Oman is generally good and most tourists experience a trouble-free visit.
Oman does not have any recent history of violent gatherings or demonstrations, but political and military developments in the region may prompt protests. Tensions may be high at religious gatherings. You should avoid large gatherings and demonstrations in Oman in case they become violent.
Pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media and other local information sources for information about possible new safety or security risks.
Oman has a low incidence of serious crime. Tourists are occasionally the victims of petty crime, such as burglaries and theft.
Off-road driving is hazardous as is driving outside Muscat, particularly after dark. Road conditions in some parts of the country are poor and there is a risk of camels straying on to the roads. For further advice, see our bulletin on Overseas Road Safety. Authorisation from the Omani government is required for travel to some areas.
Travellers entering Oman or the Gulf area by sea should be aware that many areas are sensitive in relation to security and territory. In particular, maritime boundaries and the islands of Abu Musa and the Tunbs in the southern Gulf are the subject of jurisdictional disputes. There are reports of detentions and inspections of vessels and arrest.
Piracy occurs in the coastal areas of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. See our travel advice on travelling by sea for further information. The International Maritime Bureau issues weekly piracy reports on its website.
Women should take care when travelling alone, particularly at night.
The safety standards you might expect of transport and tour operators, including adventure activities, are not always met. Sufficient safety equipment may not be provided and recommended maintenance standards and safety precautions may not be observed.
Passengers on international flights to and from Australia are only allowed to carry a small amount of liquids (including aerosols and gels) in their carry-on baggage. You can find out more information at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government website. Similar restrictions apply to flights in an increasing number of countries. Passengers travelling through the International Airport in Oman may now also be asked to surrender duty-free alcohol, perfume and cosmetics and other items exceeding 100ml in their carry-on baggage. Contact your airline for further information.
If you have concerns about the safety standards of a particular airline or aircraft, we recommend you research the airline or aircraft through organisations such as Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has published fact sheets on security for air travellers. When staff at Australia's overseas missions are advised not to use particular airlines due to safety concerns, this will be included in the travel advisory.
The European Union (EU) has published a list of airlines that are subject to operating bans or restrictions within the EU. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its foreign assessment program focuses on a country's ability, not the individual airline, to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by ICAO.
All oceanic regions of the world can experience tsunamis, but in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, there is a more frequent occurrence of large, destructive tsunamis because of the many large earthquakes along major tectonic plate boundaries and ocean trenches. See the Tsunami Awareness brochure.
The monsoon season is from June to September, when flooding may occur.
Information on natural disasters can be obtained from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service. If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.
Sand and dust storms also occur.
Australians are advised to respect wildlife laws and to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Australian currency and travellers' cheques are not accepted in many countries. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work overseas.
Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
In Oman, visitors should carry their passport and residents should carry their Omani identification in a safe place at all times for identification purposes.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
For general information and tips on travelling with children see our Travelling Parents brochure.
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or childcare facilities in Australia.
Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.
When you are in Oman, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.
Penalties for drug offences are severe and include the death penalty. Possession of even small amounts of so-called 'soft drugs' is punishable by prison sentences of at least 12 months.
Serious offences, such as murder, may attract the death penalty.
Australians who might engage in activities that involve local legal matters, particularly with regard to family law (divorce, child custody and child support), are strongly advised to seek professional advice and ensure they are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
Homosexual acts are illegal and penalties include imprisonment.
It is illegal to use aggressive, obscene or abusive language or gestures in public and penalties include imprisonment and deportation.
Taking photographs of or near government buildings and other sensitive infrastructure, including oilfields, is illegal and can lead to detention.
Possession of pornography is illegal.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia.
There are strong Islamic codes of dress and behaviour in Oman and you should take care not to offend. If in doubt, seek local advice.
Any displays of disrespect for Islam will cause great offence.
During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking between sunrise and sunset is forbidden for Muslims. It is offensive to eat, drink or smoke in front of Muslims while they are fasting. You should also take particular care not to offend during Shia religious festivals. If in doubt, seek local advice.
Women, in particular, should be careful to dress modestly in public avoiding wearing tight clothes, shorts or low-cut tops. Loose fitting clothes that cover shoulders and legs will likely avoid unwarranted attention.
Hotels may refuse to provide accommodation to couples who are unable to provide proof of marriage.
Public displays of affection may cause offence.
As in most Muslim countries, there are restrictions on alcohol and pork products. However, there are some specially licensed food outlets and hotels that will stock these products for non-Muslims.
Oman does not recognise dual nationality. This may limit the ability of the Australian Government to provide consular assistance to Australian/Omani dual nationals who are arrested or detained.
Our Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals.
Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Oman for the most up-to-date information.
If you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is endemic, you will be required to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate to be allowed entry into Oman. The World Health Organization provides a list of countries endemic for yellow fever.
The importation of pornography is forbidden.
When in Oman, children born of an Omani father are considered to be Omani nationals and require their father's permission to depart the country.
If a traveller's passport contains evidence of entry to Israel, or another country's border crossing points with Israel, entry will be denied.
Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 has spread throughout the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides useful information for individuals and travellers on its website. For further information and advice to Australians, including on possible quarantine measures overseas, see our travel bulletin on Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for staying healthy while travelling overseas.
Health care in Oman is generally good, but can vary from region to region. Hospitals and clinics in the larger cities tend to be better equipped. Costs can be expensive, depending on the procedure. For serious illnesses or complex medical procedures, travellers may wish to be medically evacuated to a destination with appropriate facilities.
Malaria is generally considered to be under control in Oman. However, the risk remains due to environmental conditions such as high temperature and high humidity that allow mosquitoes to breed. Other insect-borne infections, including dengue fever and leishmaniasis also occur in Oman. Travellers should be particularly attentive to the risk of mosquito bites on the Musandam Peninsula.
The most common health hazard faced by travellers in Oman is dehydration and problems relating to the high temperatures in summer months. It is advisable for travellers to be aware of the dangers of the sun, and to remain well-hydrated. We advise you to boil all drinking water or to drink bottled water, and avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.
Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in Oman. You can obtain consular assistance from the nearest Australian Embassy which is in Saudi Arabia:
Australian Embassy
Abdullah Bin Hozafa Al-Shami Avenue
Diplomatic Quarter
Riyadh
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
Telephone: (966 1) 488 7788
Facsimile: (966 1) 488 7973
Website: www.saudiarabia.embassy.gov.au
The working week is Saturday to Wednesday in accordance with local practice.
If you are travelling to Oman, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
In a consular emergency if you are unable to contact the Embassy you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.
While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travellers, neither the Australian Government nor its agents or employees including any member of Australia's consular staff abroad, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.
