Oman has deployed border management systems from air transport and government IT specialist, SITA, to facilitate visitor movement and streamline the Sultanate’s visa and residence permit processes.

The agreement establishes a layered approach to border control, providing the Royal Oman Police with an effective, efficient and flexible visa processing and security clearance process, covering eVisas, Advanced Passenger Processing and Entry Exit Visitor Information systems, said a statement.

Hani El-Assaad, SITA president, Middle East, India and Africa, said: “SITA is providing Oman with a fully integrated border management solution, as well as the tools to manage, monitor and operate its borders effectively. This will enable them to provide the highest quality experience at the first point of contact for its visitors, and will be flexible to facilitate future growth.”

The number of visitors to Oman is growing, and the country is anticipating significant future growth with the Sultanate’s investment programme to attract 12 million visitors by 2020.

The passenger traffic at Muscat International Airport has grown 329 per cent since 2007, reaching nine million passengers in 2014. In addition, nearly half the country’s population is expatriates who require visas.

Under the deal, SITA is deploying an extensive iBorders solution that will encompass risk assessment of traveller data from air and cruise lines, a comprehensive border control system used at immigration checkpoints across Oman, a complete e-Visa solution and a centralised Visitor Information System.  

The entire solution, which will be fully integrated into the Sultanate’s existing border management systems, provides officers with complete information about each individual, such as biometrics and historical information, so they can focus on high-risk travellers and make timely and fully-informed decisions.

iBorders will be deployed at 28 airports, seaports and land border crossings across Oman, as well as more than 15 regional offices and more than 50 Omani embassies and consulates located across the world.

All this is supported by four data centres, providing scalable capacity and redundancy. In addition, SITA will deliver a comprehensive training programme to ensure all government users and technical staff have the capability to operate the system.

Dan Ebbinghaus, vice president, Government and Security, SITA, said: “SITA has extensive expertise in delivering complex border management solutions to cater for different countries’ needs. In addition, we have particular expertise in this region because we already provide border management solutions for many of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.” - TradeArabia News Service