According to authorities, the e-visa will regularise the process and reduce the queues.

The UAE residents heading to Oman for weekend getaways will have to plan their trip in advance as visitors will need an e-visa to enter the country. The e-visas can be applied online and it could take up to four days to process it.

Oman is a favourite holiday spot for many UAE residents, and it is common to see long queues of vehicles at the UAE-Oman borders, especially during long weekends.

Previously, visitors could fill in the visa form at the immigration counters at the border and obtain visas on arrival. Now, "applicants must apply for a tourist visa via the visa website https://evisa.rop.gov.om/ then enter Oman by any legal borders", according to the frequently asked questions section on the Oman Police's website.

Residents on previous occasions had complained about long delays at the Oman border, particularly during long holidays like the upcoming UAE National Day break.

According to authorities, the e-visa will regularise the process and reduce the queues.

The e-visa system offers unsponsored and sponsored tourist visas; tourist visas for GCC residents; and express ones. "Once the application is submitted with the complete information, it will be processed within the shortest possible time. However, it is recommended to lodge your visa application at least four days in advance as processing times might vary based on each visa application," the police website said.

The visa is issued by all passageways and Oman's embassies in the GCC. The fees is OMR5 (Dh50) and valid for use for a period of four weeks extendable by one week. Families of the residents, their drivers, housemaids and companions can benefit from the system, provided they present their labour cards. Their passports must be valid for at least three months.

"If you are a GCC resident, you can travel using visa type 29A (GCC resident tourist visa) if you're the main traveller with an approved profession, or visa type 29B if you're the companion of the main traveller. If you don't have a residency in the GCC, then you'll have to apply for the Dubai/Oman joint visa through one of the Oman embassy offices or via travel agencies and can enter through the airport or through the Hatta border. The visa duration has to be valid for at least 21 days," it said. "The joint visa with Dubai is free, provided the traveller is coming to Oman directly from Dubai. Both of these visas are obtainable by paper application and not online."

The police also took to Twitter to remind residents about the visa requirements. "ROP (Royal Oman Police) kindly request all visitors requiring visas traveling to Oman to obtain their eVisas online before travel. This will facilitate easy and efficient processing at the border posts. Visa on arrival is now an exception to the rule and e-visas should be used wherever possible," the police tweeted.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com