Rules for overlanding in Oman

An Italian licence is enough for a stay of up to three months on a tourist or business visa, and beyond that you need an international permit — check what applies to the licence you hold. Both the 1949 Geneva and the 1968 Vienna models are recognised.

Insurance is compulsory and foreign policies are not accepted: a temporary policy can be taken out on arrival with an Omani insurer. If you drive in with a car hired in the United Arab Emirates, ask the rental company three or four days in advance for supplementary cover for the time you will spend in Oman.

A vehicle can be imported for up to six months with a carnet de passages en douane, and for up to three months without one; extending by three months means depositing a sum covering the customs duties. The vehicle must carry a valid registration certificate, as export plates are not accepted, and the certificate has to come with a residence permit if the holder is not a traveller from the country of origin. Anyone driving a vehicle that is not theirs needs a letter of authority from the owner with the signature authenticated.

Tolerance for drinking and driving is extremely low. If a driver involved in a crash tests positive, the insurance covers neither the damage to property nor the injuries.

Running a red light, overtaking on the right, drink-driving, driving without a valid licence or exceeding the limit by more than 70 km/h all bring immediate detention of the driver for 48 hours, seizure of the vehicle for a week and a fine of 75 rials, around 159 euro. Repeat offences, or an offence that causes deaths, mean heavier penalties and a fast-track trial.

Traffic drives on the right and overtakes on the left, and vehicles joining a roundabout must give way to those already on it. On a mountain road the descending vehicle gives way to the one climbing, unless the climbing vehicle has somewhere to pull in.

Limits are 60-80 km/h on local roads in urban areas, 100 km/h on motorways and 120 km/h outside built-up areas, enforced with cameras. There are no tolls; the newer motorways are good quality, but signposting can be patchy away from the big cities. Crash numbers have risen considerably in recent years.

Filling stations are rare outside towns and on long-distance roads, so make sure you have enough fuel, water and food before a long stretch. Some sections are not fully surfaced and need a 4x4. Do not drive at night on unlit roads: hitting an animal is a real risk.

Seatbelts are compulsory in the front seats, and strongly recommended in the rear along with restraints sized for children, though not compulsory there. Helmets are compulsory for motorcyclists and their passengers, and dipped headlights must be used by day whenever visibility drops in a sandstorm, dust, fog or a thunderstorm.

Italians entering by land, sea or air get a 14-day tourist visa stamped on arrival with no application needed, and it cannot be renewed: overstaying costs 10 OMR for every extra day. For a longer stay, buy an e-visa in advance on the Royal Oman Police site, either 30 days renewable once or a one-year multi-entry, and use no other website.

Any outstanding administrative fines are collected from you at the border as you leave the country, and police hold passports even over minor traffic offences. Local law on unpaid bills is severe, so keep everything, car hire included, paid up.

Drones are prohibited, as are weapons including spearguns, ammunition, replica and toy guns, knives and swords, flammable goods, material offensive to local morality or religion, drugs, and anything intended for trade, with only one or two units of things like e-cigarettes or medicines allowed for personal use. Non-Muslim travellers may bring in two litres of wine and the equivalent of 48 cans of beer; other alcohol is banned, and meat requires an import permit plus a Halal certificate. Cash has to be declared to customs on entry, exit and in transit, and a false or incomplete declaration can mean a fine of up to 10,000 OMR, up to three years in prison and seizure of the money.

Photographing any oil or military installation is forbidden anywhere in the country. Do not photograph people either without asking first, and keep to local custom in the inland villages and during religious festivals, including not eating, drinking or smoking in public during the daytime in Ramadan.

Every drone must be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority before its first flight in Oman, except a micro drone under 250 grams. Standard operation stays by day, within visual line of sight, at or below 400 feet (122 metres) above the ground, at least 30 metres from anyone not involved in the flight, and clear of a 5.5-kilometre radius around a controlled aerodrome. (Civil Aviation Authority of Oman — CAR-102, Remote Piloted Aircraft (Drones))

Oman's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), in its type-approval FAQ, lists satellite phones and terminal devices (for example Thuraya and Inmarsat) among the device categories with type-approval requirements. The application documents include a letter of undertaking not to use non-local SIM cards, and a listed condition is that use of these devices is limited to SIM cards issued by local telecom service providers only. (Oman Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) — Type approval FAQ: requirements by classification)