Oman Residency by Investment or Abu Dhabi Visa: Which to Choose
OMAN RESIDENCY BY INVESTMENT: A LADDER OF THREE STEPS
The main thing to understand about Oman: depending on the amount of investment, the term for which the residence visa is issued may differ.
The entry level has no threshold. The purchase of real estate in an ITC zone approved for foreign investors for any amount gives a residence visa for two years with the right of renewal, as long as the property remains in your ownership. When purchasing real estate from OMR 50,000, family members are also included in the residency. This is the most affordable entry into the Persian Gulf today.
The middle level is a five-year visa, which the market calls Silver: OMR 250,000, about $650,000. The top level is the ten-year Golden visa: OMR 500,000, around $1.3 million. The programme was relaunched on 31 August 2025 and is administered through Invest Oman. Funds can be invested in real estate, in a commercial deposit, or in the share capital of an Omani company.
The conditions for family are soft at all levels: the number of relatives in the application is unlimited, including first-degree relatives and adult children living in the country. There is no requirement for a minimum period of stay — the visa holder may spend the entire year outside Oman.
Application processing takes from 2 to 3 months, after which you receive your residence card.
WHERE OMAN WINS, WHERE ABU DHABI WINS
Residency status through investment in real estate. The advantages are distributed between the two jurisdictions.
Minimum entry: in Oman there is no lower threshold, in Abu Dhabi — from $204,000.
10-year status: in Oman — $1,300,000, in Abu Dhabi — $545,000.
Family in the application: in Oman — first-degree relatives without limitation on number, in Abu Dhabi — spouse, children, parents.
Presence in the country: in both Oman and Abu Dhabi there is no minimum period.
Liquidity: in Oman the market is younger, sales take longer; in Abu Dhabi the market is deeper, sales are faster.
Cost of living: in Oman it is 25–30% lower than in the Emirates, in Abu Dhabi it is the baseline level for the region.
WHERE A FOREIGN INVESTOR CAN BUY REAL ESTATE IN OMAN: THE GEOGRAPHY OF ITC ZONES EXPANDS EVERY YEAR
Ownership rights for a non-resident work within permitted zones, and this list is noticeably longer than commonly thought.
The classic integrated tourism complexes — ITCs: Al Mouj Muscat, Muscat Hills, Muscat Bay, Jebel Sifah, AIDA in Yiti. New formats have been added to them: the city of Sultan Haitham City — Oman’s first smart city project, the Knowledge Oasis Muscat technopark, two large projects in the south of the country in Salalah. In total, there are now around 15 large-scale projects on the market available to a foreign buyer, and the geography of permitted zones expands every year.
Separately, it is worth highlighting the change of June 2026. In a number of districts, including Sultan Haitham City, the investor has gained the right to apply for residency after paying 30% of the property value — regardless of the construction stage. There is no longer any need to wait for commissioning and handover of keys. For a buyer at the launch stage, this fundamentally changes the calculation: status comes together with the first major payment, and not two or three years later.
ABU DHABI GOLDEN VISA FOR REAL ESTATE: WHAT CHANGED IN FEBRUARY 2026
The UAE threshold remains at the level of AED 2,000,000 of the value of a property or several properties in total. The visa is issued for 10 years with renewal.
Until 2026, an additional condition applied: the investor had to pay a minimum of AED 1,000,000, or half the value, with their own money. In February 2026 this requirement was removed. Now the right to the visa is determined by the total value recorded in the certificate of ownership. A mortgage is permitted through accredited banks.
The practical effect is serious. A buyer with a budget of AED 800,000 of their own funds is now able to assemble a package of AED 2 million through a mortgage and qualify for ten-year status. Previously the same scheme did not work.
Below the threshold there is a two-year investor visa — AED 750,000. For Abu Dhabi there is its own list of investment zones where foreigners buy freehold property: Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Al Reem Island, Al Raha Beach, Masdar City. The tax framework is standard — zero on personal income, zero on capital gains, 5% VAT. Processing usually takes several weeks after submitting a complete package.
THRESHOLDS SIDE BY SIDE: WHERE OMAN IS CHEAPER, WHERE THE UAE IS
Comparing OMR and AED directly is pointless, so let us bring everything to a single currency. Rates are rounded as of August 2026.
Term 2 years, renewal: threshold — no lower threshold; family — from OMR 50,000, approximately from ~$130,000.
Term 5 years: threshold — OMR 250,000, approximately $650,000.
Term 10 years: threshold — OMR 500,000, approximately $1,300,000.
Term 2 years: threshold — AED 750,000, approximately $204,000.
Term 10 years: threshold — AED 2,000,000, approximately $545,000.
The main point is visible from the table. Over the short distance, Oman is cheaper: a two-year status for the investor is available there with no minimum amount at all, and with family — from about $130,000 versus $204,000 in the UAE. Over the long distance, the UAE is cheaper: ten-year status costs $545,000 versus $1.3 million.
That is, the countries are selling different things. Oman opens entry into the Gulf for minimal money and gradually raises status together with the growth of the portfolio. The UAE sells a long horizon immediately, in a single transaction.
At the same time, Oman is purposefully attracting foreign capital: there are no barriers to entry, the zones for purchase are expanding, and the conditions for family and presence are among the softest in the region.
WHAT IS BOUGHT WITH THIS MONEY: AL MOUJ VERSUS SAADIYAT AND YAS
In Al Mouj Muscat — the country’s flagship ITC — apartments start at approximately OMR 110,000. Two-bedroom units hold in the range of OMR 170,000–260,000.
The yield here is higher than is usually expected of Oman: Al Mouj gives 7–9% gross yield with capital growth of around 10% per year. By this indicator the complex is on par with strong Emirati locations.
In Abu Dhabi the entry logic is different. A one-bedroom apartment on Saadiyat Island starts at approximately AED 2 million — exactly the Golden Visa threshold, with one property, one transaction. Two-bedroom units on the island average AED 3.8 million. On Yas Island studios start at around AED 700,000, one-bedroom units hold in the corridor of AED 900,000 — 1.2 million: two such apartments close the threshold and give diversification across tenants. Saadiyat gives 6–7.5% net on long-term rental, Yas — 6–8% on long-term and 7–12% on short-term.
Market dynamics are also comparable. Abu Dhabi in the first half of 2026 showed a transaction volume of around AED 84.5 billion — growth of approximately 174% year on year, with the forecast for apartments in 2026 holding in the range of 17–20%.
FAMILY, PRESENCE, AND EXIT FROM THE ASSET
On the inclusion of family members in the application, Oman offers more flexible conditions: the number of relatives in the application is unlimited, first-degree relatives and adult children are permitted. The UAE gives sponsorship to a spouse, children, and parents; domestic staff are processed separately.
On presence, both programmes are soft: there is no minimum period of stay in either, and status does not lapse from a long absence.
On liquidity, Abu Dhabi is ahead. The secondary market is deep, there are many buyers, and the exposure period is short. The Omani market is younger and thinner, therefore exiting the asset requires more time — while the shortage of supply in strong projects supports the price.
On cost of living, Oman is ahead. Day-to-day expenses there are 25–30% lower than in the Emirates: rent, schools, groceries, car maintenance. For a family that relocates, over ten years this difference amounts to serious sums.
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE THE DEAL
- Define your horizon. If you need entry into the region for two to three years with a minimal cheque — look at Oman. If you need ten-year status immediately in a single transaction — look at Abu Dhabi.
- Check whether the specific project is included in the list of zones permitted for foreigners in Oman, or in the list of investment zones of Abu Dhabi.
- Clarify the threshold for including family. For the two-year Omani visa this is a benchmark of around OMR 50,000 in property value.
- Assemble a package of several properties if a single lot falls short. Both jurisdictions allow the value to be summed up.
- Assess the exit in advance: exposure periods, agent commission, transfer tax.
And also remember the following. Residency by investment remains a residence status. Neither the Omani nor the Emirati visa leads to citizenship, and neither of them cancels tax obligations in the country where you actually spend more than 183 days a year.
Salalah deserves special attention — the main tourist destination of Oman with a year-round flow of guests. The pricing there is at the level of average values for ITCs: the projects are located on the first coastline. We covered the destination in a video — climate and seasonality, rental yield, taxes, residency for purchase, and the Havana Salalah project with apartments and villas by the sea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UxcFCbQTaw
If you want to calculate the threshold for your budget and look at a selection of properties in both countries, write to us on Telegram: @Nevestate_admin. We will review your case and send you a calculation for Oman and for Abu Dhabi.
