Living in Oman as a French National: Settling In, Daily Life, Health and Practical Advice

Oman appeals to French nationals for concrete reasons: an established international community (43.2% of the registered population at the end of June 2026 is foreign, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information), a rial pegged to the dollar, a working framework governed by a recent Labour Law, Royal Decree No. 53/2023 (International Labour Organization), and a business climate in which English is common in Muscat.

Several points call for anticipation: residence depends in practice on a sponsor (the employer for an employee), health cover is organised without a Carte Vitale (the French health insurance card), because there is no social security agreement between France and Oman (the country does not appear in the list published by CLEISS, the French liaison centre for international social security), and the summer heat imposes its own rhythm. France Diplomatie also calls on French nationals to show the greatest vigilance given the regional situation; its advice pages are updated regularly and should be consulted before each trip.

Muscat, the capital, brings together the administrations and the most developed hospital offering in the country (France Diplomatie). The National Centre for Statistics and Information counts 1,542,619 registered inhabitants there at the end of June 2026, including 940,881 foreigners: it is the governorate where you meet the most international residents, with the residential districts, schools and shops that go with them.

Sohar and the Al Batinah coast, north-west of the capital, Nizwa and the interior of the country, or Salalah, in Dhofar, are other places to put down roots. France Diplomatie nevertheless advises against travel to Salalah, Duqm, Musandam and the border with Yemen, except for compelling reasons: this advice is read on the country sheet before any decision to settle in these areas.

The choice of where to live most often follows that of the employer, the children’s school and proximity to a hospital; the page on the healthcare system in Oman details this organisation.

French nationals must obtain a visa. It is issued free of charge on arrival for a stay of up to 14 days; beyond that, the eVisa is requested on the Royal Oman Police portal (20 OMR for up to 30 days, 50 OMR for multiple entries over one year) or at Muscat airport (21 OMR for up to 30 days). The passport must be valid for more than six months after the date of departure, and overstaying is subject to a fine of 10 OMR per day, to be paid before leaving the country (France Diplomatie, update of 15/09/2026).

Several routes exist for residence. The work visa, issued to a candidate aged 21 or over, is valid for two years and requires an employer sponsor and a work permit matching the stated occupation (Royal Oman Police). The family joining visa concerns the spouse and the children under 21 of a foreign employee: the Royal Oman Police page states, at the date of consultation, a minimum monthly salary of 600 OMR, a validity of two years and a cost of 30 OMR. The long-term residence programmes are aimed at investors and, for one of them, at retirees; they are presented on the page on retiring in Oman.

Residence requires a medical examination: the Ministry of Health sets its cost at 30 OMR (40 OMR for jobs involving contact with food), the form remains valid for 30 days and children under 16 do not need it for a visit or residence visa. On the French side, registration on the register of French nationals living abroad is done with the embassy in Muscat, which also provides sheets on civil status, family matters and school grants. The checklist for the first 90 days helps you put these formalities in order.

The currency is the Omani rial (OMR). The Central Bank of Oman states that its peg is fixed at 2.6008 US dollars per 1 OMR since 1986, which gives a stable rate for budgeting a stay; current inflation and the exchange rate appear in the “Economic benchmarks” block of this page, which is updated continuously.

For housing, locally recruited employees often obtain an allowance or accommodation provided by the employer: the contract specifies these items, and rents vary with the district of Muscat or the distance from the coast. The official sources consulted do not publish a rent grid; the budget is built from local listings and from the allowance provided in the contract. The guide to budgeting for health abroad is a useful complement to the housing and daily-living budget.

The French embassy in Muscat cites the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) and the Mission laïque française as the French-language education networks present in Oman, and points to the school grants awarded to French children enrolled in accredited establishments. The up-to-date list of establishments and their accreditation levels is on the AEFE website; enrolments are prepared several months before the start of the school year, especially for a mid-year departure.

Families who choose an international or Omani school check the language of instruction and the equivalence of qualifications. For children’s health, the guide to children’s health cover abroad and the page on expat family insurance recall the points to check: paediatrics, vaccines, maternity and waiting periods.

France Diplomatie places the whole country under heightened vigilance, except for the areas of Salalah, Duqm, Musandam and the border with Yemen, where travel is advised against except for compelling reasons (update of 15/09/2026). The sheet recommends informing the consular services of your presence, respecting local customs, travelling in several vehicles in isolated areas and avoiding camping alone. It also points to growing exposure to severe weather, including tropical storms, with flash floods in the wadis.

• Alcohol: it is not freely on sale and consumption on the public road is prohibited.
• Ramadan: eating, drinking or smoking in public is prohibited from sunrise to sunset.
• E-cigarettes and narcotics: an order bans the trade in the former; possession, use and trafficking of the latter are prohibited.
• Drones: use without authorisation is punishable by one year in prison and a fine of 10,000 OMR.
• Driving: a valid French driving licence is recognised; driving without a valid licence leads to 48 hours in police custody.

The emergency number of the Royal Oman Police is 9999.

The summer heat leads to adapted working rules: work in direct sunlight is prohibited from 12:30 to 15:30 from 1 June to 31 August (International Labour Organization, December 2023).

Arabic is the administrative language: an employment contract is drawn up in Arabic, with a translation attached if it is written in another language, and France Diplomatie advises attaching an Arabic or English translation to the driving licence. English is common in the business and service world in Muscat. On health, the France Diplomatie sheet recommends checking your vaccinations before departure and holding an assistance contract or insurance that covers all medical costs, since the embassy cannot pay them; the options are compared on the expat health insurance page and in the Oman country sheet.