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Oman to give visa on arrival to Indians >From Indo-Asian News Service Dubai, Jan 7 (IANS) Indian tourists will receive a three-week visa on arrival in Oman as part of a move to attract visitors to the Muscat Festival 2003. The Gulf News daily quoted a Muscat Municipality official as saying that citizens of 65 countries will be given visas on arrival and India is included in the list. The festival will feature Indian entertainers like Shah Rukh Khan. Khalil bin Abdullah Al Balushi, deputy director of information at Muscat Municipality, said the move coincides with the festival, which opens Wednesday. The report said that no formal announcement has been made, but the Tourism Department has already issued a circular to leading travel agencies in Oman. The fee for a two-week visit visa is seven Omani riyals and it can be extended for another week. This visa will be given at Oman's international airports and the country's land border with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the report said. According to the Times of Oman newspaper, depending on the success of the issuance of visa on arrival to Indian passport-holders during the Muscat Festival, the system may become a regular feature. The report said the Omani government's latest initiative would attract more affluent Indians towards Oman, which would be beneficial to both countries. "We have alerted our partners in India about this matter," the official said. Meanwhile, Muscat is readying for the 35-day festival, which was first held in 1998. It was called off last year to show solidarity with the Palestinians. --Indo-Asian News Service
