**Viral News Snippet:**
**Headline:** "Oman’s ‘Golden Visa’ Goes Viral: Unemployed Expats Get 10-Year Residency?"
**The Claim:** Social media is buzzing with claims that Oman has quietly launched a new "Golden Visa" program that grants a 10-year residency permit to any foreigner who has been unemployed for more than six months, provided they "pledge to start a small business" within the first year. The posts, shared thousands of times on WhatsApp and TikTok, cite a "leaked government memo."
**The Reality:**
- **Fake.** The Omani Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP) has officially denied this claim.
- **Fact:** Oman does offer long-term residency (5 to 10 years) under its "Investor Residency Program," but it requires a minimum investment of OMR 250,000 (approx. $650,000 USD) in real estate or an approved business. There is no program tied to unemployment status.
- **Source Check:** The leaked memo circulating is a digitally altered copy of a 2021 policy update on SME funding, with the residency details fabricated.
- **Verdict:** Do not apply. Anyone submitting an application based on this rumor will be rejected and may face penalties for misuse of government portals.