How to send money to Oman in 2026: for living costs, a flat and a residence permit
Money reaches Oman by bank transfer in rials or dollars in 1-3 business days, and the rial is pegged to the dollar at 0.3845. A flat in a complex for foreigners is paid for by transfer from abroad, and since 22 June 2026 its owner gets a residence permit without a sponsor. There is no income tax until 2028.
In short
- The rial is pegged to the dollar: 0.3845 per dollar.
- A flat owner gets a residence permit without a sponsor since 22 June 2026.
- A 5-year investor residence permit starts at $660,000 (250,000 rials).
- A 5% tax on income above 42,000 rials applies only from 2028.
In detail
Sending money to Oman on 8 October 2026: routes, currency and timing
Routes checked on 8 October 2026. The Omani rial is pegged to the dollar at 0.3845, so 1 rial is worth $2.60, and dollar sums on this page are rounded up. The recipient's bank credits the money in rials, or in dollars if the recipient has a dollar account there.
| Route | Now | Credited in | Time | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer to a rial account | works | rials at 0.3845 | 1-3 business days | account number, the bank's international code, the recipient's name |
| Transfer to a dollar account | works | US dollars | 1-3 business days | a dollar account at an Omani bank |
| Paying a developer for a flat | works | rials or US dollars | on the contract schedule | the contract and the developer's account |
| Money transfer service | works | rials | from a few minutes | the recipient's ID |
Is the sending bank asking you to explain a payment to Muscat? There are usually more options than it seems: a manager will look at your situation and suggest a route for your sum.
Can a foreigner buy a flat in Oman and get a residence permit
On 22 June 2026 Royal Oman Police decision No. 87/2026 came into force: a home owner gets a residence permit without a sponsor for 6 months to a year, with renewal. You can apply even before a flat in a building under construction is registered, with a certificate from the relevant authority. The residence permit of the owner and their family remains valid as long as they own the home.
Foreigners buy flats in tourist complexes, in new cities such as Sultan Haitham City and in residential districts on the housing ministry's list. Since 18 May 2026 a new real estate registry law has been in force: deals are registered in an electronic registry, and property is recorded in a foreigner's name in the same way as a citizen's.
For a longer term there is the investor residence permit, updated on 31 August 2025: 5 years when buying a home or investing in a company from $660,000 (250,000 rials), and 10 years from $1,400,000 (500,000 rials). It covers a spouse, children and parents. Registering a deal costs 3% of the price: on a $270,000 (100,000-rial) flat that is $7,900 (3,000 rials).
The price of a flat is transferred to the developer on the contract schedule. So that each payment matches a construction stage and is useful for the residence permit application, we will suggest the best way to send the money. Choosing a home is covered on the property in Oman page, and the capital on the Muscat page.
We will help you send money to Oman
Mistakes cost more than fees: a flat outside a complex on the list for foreigners, which cannot be registered as your property, a payment to the developer ahead of the stage in the contract, an investment below 250,000 rials when the goal was an investor residence permit. We will help you avoid them: we will choose the route and timing, prepare the source-of-funds documents for the bank and the developer and carry out the transfer through to crediting.
Details and terms are with a manager in the chat: the cost depends on the sum and the purpose of the transfer.
Income tax in Oman from 2028: who the 5% will affect
5% on income above $110,000 (42,000 rials) a year is the tax that Sultani Decree No. 56/2025 introduces from 1 January 2028. According to the tax authority, it will not affect 99% of residents, and until 2028 Oman has no personal income tax.
A resident is someone who spent more than 183 days in the country in a tax year, and their worldwide income is taxed. The sale of a main home is exempt, income from abroad is exempted once for 2 years, and spending on education, medical care and charity is deducted from the base.
Money that arrives in an account before 2028 is not subject to income tax. If you plan to live in Oman for more than 183 days a year, a manager will suggest how to arrange your transfers with the new law in mind.
Documents for a transfer to Oman: from rent to an investor residence permit
- Up to $10,000. The bank checks the recipient's name, the account number and the purpose: rent, a holiday, family costs.
- $10,000-100,000. You need the sender's account statement and a contract: a villa lease, an employment contract, a first payment on a flat.
- From $100,000. The bank examines the source of the capital and the developer contract, and for an investor residence permit the investment amount shows in the transfers. For such a sum a manager will help you spread the payments on a schedule.
What to show the bank about the source of the money is described in proof of source of funds, and moving all your capital on the capital relocation page.
Sending money to neighbouring countries
- How to send money to the UAE: a shared border and the road to Dubai
- How to send money to Saudi Arabia: the largest neighbour on the peninsula
- How to send money to Qatar: work and residence in the Gulf
- How to send money to Bahrain: a golden residence permit for a home
- How to send money to Kuwait: transfers by phone number
- How to send money to India: an old trade route across the Arabian Sea
Capital that moves with you is easier to plan with the capital relocation page.
FAQ
Does a flat owner in Oman need a sponsor for a residence permit?
How much do you need to invest in Oman for a 10-year investor residence permit?
From what income will the 5% tax be paid in Oman?
Can you apply for an owner's residence permit before the flat is registered in Oman?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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