Oman: Oman seeks Schengen visa waiver to visit EU countries – Gulf Digital News

Oman: Oman seeks Schengen visa waiver to visit EU countries – Gulf Digital News

Oman is discussing visa waivers for its citizens who intend to visit European countries.

Oman’s Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, Shaikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, on Tuesday received Dimitri Giotakos, Head of the Visa Policy Unit in the Directorate General of Migration and Home Affairs at the European Commission and his accompanying delegation.

Both sides reviewed relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the European Union (EU) and explored ways of strengthening them.

During the meeting, the delegation underscored the importance the European Commission attaches to the issue of waiving Omani citizens from the Schengen visa.

A Schengen visa is a travel document that allows its holder to visit 26 countries in Europe, together called the Schengen area, without the need to undergo border controls while moving among them. Schengen visas allow visitors to spend up to 90 days in these countries during a 180-day period.

The Schengen zone includes 23 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. It also includes three non-EU countries: Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.