Job Discussion Forums

[GabeKessel]

Hi, everyone,

I am in Salalah and I have recently noticed that I am running out of blank visa pages in my US passport- too much traveling. How does one get extra pages put in? Does one need to fly to Muscat for that? Can it be done from Salalah? How long does it take? Any suggestions?

Your comments will be most appreciated,

Gabe

[veiledsentiments]

I suggest that you just call the US Embassy in Muscat. As US Embassies go, the Oman one has always been pretty helpful. (many in the world treat us fellow citizens as intrusive bothers...)

Hopefully you can send it up by DHL or some such...

VS

[GabeKessel]

Oh, I am fully aware of the "call the embassy" option. I basically wanted to know if anyone had new pages put in while in Salalah and if the courier was OK and what forms were needed and how long it took, etc.

The embassy was in fact helpful but you know, one always wants to ask colleagues before taking the official steps.

I am still trying to call various couriers and FeDex was not very helpful. They still have not gotten back to me.

I guess I will be the Salalah pioneer/trailblazer in the page-refilling department and write you a full report when I have completed the procedure.

[veiledsentiments]

A report would be great. We just get so few posters on here who have experience of Salalah and probably few of them have had to get new pages in their passports.

VS

[grahamb]

Try DHL: 23290447.

[GabeKessel]

Thanks. I have already sent it by Aramex. We'll see how long it takes.

[GabeKessel]

OK, here is my report:

I downloaded the Blank Visa Pages form from:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds4085/ds4085_2662.html

You only need to print the third page of it.

I filled it out and I went to a forwarding company called "Aramex". They are similiar to DHL, only much cheaper- half the price or less. They are located on the 23d(?) of July Street, in a big building across the street from the Police Station. There are many exchange offices there and a big sign "Aramex". They are on the 3rd floor if my memory does not fail me.

Their website is

www.aramex.com

On the Oman listing, they do not have their Salalah number. Their Muscat address/number is:

ARAMEX INTERNATIONAL COURIER C/O AL TAIE TRAVEL & TOURISM Qurum, Next Muscut Private school. MUSCAT,SULTANATE OF OMAN, 114 Muttrah,
Phone: +968 (24) 563668
Fax: +968 (24) 563231
PO Box: 1642

You can call them to get their Salalah office number ( I think it is 23290930 but I am not sure).

I have their cellphone in Salalah which I got almost a year ago:

99423792

I paid OR 15 for return service and put the following address on the Airway bill:


Attn: Passport Officer
Consular Section
US Embassy
Muscat, Oman

Tel: 24698989 ext. 294

I also enclosed the Aramex Muscat number written on a note that went with the passport and the form. This was done in order for the passport officer to call Aramex to come and pick it up when the pages were inserted.

I asked the Aramex clerk for that number but I do not remember now whether it was the same as the one listed on their site. Anyway, you can ask him as well and enclose that number.

Aramex sent the package to Muscat, they left it at the Embassy and went to pick it up on the following day.

The whole procedure took less than one week.

It is a good idea to call both the Embassy and Aramex to tell them that you are going to mail the package.

I was happy to get a call from both the passport officer and the Aramex clerk to inform me that the pasport was ready.

That's all, folks.

[veiledsentiments]

Not the simplest procedure in the world, but good to know that it can be done that quickly. Of all the countries that I lived in, I found that the US Embassy in Oman was the easiest to deal with.

One of those things where size matters - and small is best!!

VS