Petra, Dead Sea & Middle East's Safest Destination
Yes. Tourist visa extensions are handled at the Public Security Directorate in Amman or nearest police station. You can typically extend once for an additional month. For longer stays, you must transition to a residency permit or exit and re-enter.
Yes — but you must purchase it before arriving in Jordan AND stay at least 2 consecutive nights (3+ days). If you meet these conditions, the standard 40 JOD ($56) visa-on-arrival fee is waived. The pass also includes free entry to Petra and 40+ sites.
There is no official digital nomad visa in Jordan. Remote work for a non-Jordanian employer in your home country is a legal grey area, but many expats do it short-term. For long-term stays, investment or property residency is the most practical route without a local employer.
Yes. Dependants can be added to a residency permit once the primary holder has a valid residency. Spouses and children under 18 are typically covered. They must also register with the Public Security Directorate.
Generally no. Jordan operates a source-based (territorial) system: its core rule taxes income 'incurred in or from Jordan.' Even if you become a tax resident by spending 183+ days in the calendar year, that alone does not make your genuine foreign-source income (such as foreign salary or foreign investment income) taxable in Jordan. A non-resident (under 183 days) is likewise taxed only on Jordan-source income. If you are resident, still check the treaty between Jordan and your home country: Jordan has 30+ double-tax treaties that provide credits or exemptions to prevent being taxed twice.
Each taxpayer gets a JOD 9,000 personal exemption, plus JOD 9,000 for dependents (spouse and children combined), plus up to JOD 1,000 each for the taxpayer and spouse and JOD 1,000 per child (max 3 children) for documented medical, education, rent or loan-interest costs — subject to an overall household ceiling of JOD 23,000. A single person earning under about JOD 9,000–10,000 typically owes no income tax.
Yes. Most employees in Jordan, including foreign workers, must enrol with the Social Security Corporation. The employee pays 7.5% and the employer 14.25% of gross salary, up to an annually revised ceiling (around JOD 3,668/month in 2025). This is separate from income tax.
The tax year is the calendar year, and you must file AND pay by the end of the fourth month after year-end — 30 April for calendar-year filers. Returns are filed electronically through the ISTD portal (istd.gov.jo / jordantax.com) on a self-assessment basis, crediting any tax already withheld by your employer. Late filing draws fines (roughly JOD 100–500) and late payment adds about 0.4% of the tax due per week of delay.
No. Jordan has no lump-sum or reduced-rate personal regime for foreigners — you pay the same 5%–30% brackets and receive the same allowances as Jordanian nationals. Tax incentives in Jordan (free zones such as the Aqaba Special Economic Zone, development areas, and sector reliefs) target businesses and investors, not personal salary or pension income.
Yes, with conditions. Most nationalities can purchase property in Jordan, but some areas near borders or military zones are restricted. Property purchases of 200,000+ JOD ($282,000+) qualify for an investment residency permit. Purchases must be registered with the Department of Land and Survey.
Abdoun and Sweifieh (West Amman) are the most popular expat areas — upscale, restaurant-heavy, walkable, close to international schools and embassies. Jabal Amman (Rainbow Street area) is popular with young professionals. Dabouq offers large villas. Shmeisani is a business district popular with professionals.
Most leases are annual and written in Arabic. Common to pay 3-6 months upfront as a security deposit plus 1-3 months advance rent. Utilities (water, electricity, gas, internet) are almost always separate from rent. Negotiate — landlords in Amman are often flexible, especially for long-term tenants.
Amman has 50+ international and private schools. Notable ones include International Community School (ICS — American/IB), Islamic Educational College (Arabic-English), Amman Academy, and Jordan Academy for Excellence. Most teach in English and follow IB, American, or British curricula. Annual fees typically range from $5,000-$15,000.
Yes, but instruction is in Arabic. Jordanian public education is free for all residents. For most expat families, private or international schools are more practical due to the language of instruction.
Yes. The University of Jordan, Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), and the American University of Madaba all offer English-taught programmes. Jordan has become a regional hub for medical and engineering education, attracting students from across the Arab world, Africa, and Asia.
It is risky. You can enter on a visit and network in person (a real advantage), but you cannot legally work until an employer sponsors a work permit, and many professions are closed to foreigners entirely. Most successful moves secure the offer and sponsorship first, then relocate. Never start working on a tourist entry.
For international NGOs, IT, teaching and MNC back-office roles, English is often enough and is the working language. But Arabic is a major asset and is effectively required for public-facing, sales, legal and government-adjacent roles. Even basic Arabic strengthens every application and daily life.
There is no dedicated freelance or digital-nomad visa. To be self-employed you generally register a company (with a ~JOD 50,000 minimum capital for a non-resident LLC) and sponsor your own permit, or work remotely for foreign clients while holding lawful residency and registering for tax. Clear the tax and residency angle with a local accountant.
Jordan's income tax is progressive (5% up to JOD 5,000, rising to 25% above JOD 20,000/yr) with a generous JOD 9,000 personal exemption plus a JOD 9,000 family allowance, so effective rates are moderate for typical salaries. Add a 7.5% employee social-security deduction. Many mid-level professionals pay little income tax after exemptions.
By law and convention the employer files and funds the work permit, as they are the sponsor. Confirm this in your contract. Fees range from ~JOD 180 (Arab nationals) to JOD 300–425 (non-Arab) and up to ~JOD 2,500 for the Specialised Skills category.
You can legally drive on a valid foreign licence that uses the Latin alphabet (carry an International Driving Permit if yours is in another script). However, once you hold Jordanian residency you're expected to convert to a local licence — and you need one to register a car or arrange financing. US and most European licences are exchanged at the Marka DVLD without a driving test, usually within a single 2–3 hour visit, for roughly 250–300 JOD.
No. Amman has no metro or tram, and Jordan has no passenger rail network (existing lines are freight/heritage only). Urban transit runs on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Amman Bus networks — cashless, smart-card based, at about 0.50 JOD per journey (the smart card itself costs ~1 JOD to buy) — supplemented by taxis and ride-hailing. Between cities, you rely on JETT coaches, servees minibuses, private car, or the Amman–Aqaba domestic flight.
Both work. Uber and Careem (plus Jeeny) give upfront, cashless pricing and remove any fare haggling — ideal if you don't yet read Arabic street names. Yellow taxis are metered and cheap; just insist the driver runs the meter (عداد) and note that fares rise about 20% after 21:00. White 'servees' shared taxis run fixed routes for a fixed per-seat fare and are the most local, budget option.
The Sariyah Airport Express bus at a flat 3.30 JOD, running roughly every 30 minutes and stopping at the North Bus Station, 7th Circle and the Housing Bank Complex. It takes about 45–60 minutes. A taxi or Uber/Careem into West Amman is far quicker door-to-door but typically costs 20–30 JOD.
Usually not, unless you have a specific vehicle in mind. Jordan permits left-hand-drive imports only, generally bars vehicles over 5 years old, routes used imports through the Zarqa Free Zone for testing and Interpol clearance, and applies weight-based fees often in the 500–1,500 JOD range plus customs. EVs now face a 27% special tax and a 3-year age cap. Most residents buy locally via OpenSooq or Hatla2ee, or an Amman dealership, instead.
No. Non-Muslim women are not required to wear a headscarf in public, and even many Jordanian women do not. You should, however, cover your head and shoulders and dress fully covered to enter a mosque, so carry a light scarf. General modesty — covered shoulders, chest, and knees — is expected in public, especially outside western Amman.
Yes. Alcohol is legal and sold in licensed hotels, bars, restaurants, liquor shops, and larger supermarkets, and widely served in Amman, Aqaba, and the Dead Sea and Petra resorts. But drinking on the street and public drunkenness are illegal, and sales are heavily restricted during Ramadan. Drink in licensed venues or private homes.
Yes — Jordan is one of the safest, most stable countries in the region and Amman one of its safest capitals, with low violent crime and strong public order. The main day-to-day risk is aggressive driving and traffic accidents. Avoid the immediate Syrian and Iraqi border areas and check your government's travel advisory for current guidance.
Dial 911 — it is Jordan's unified emergency line for police, ambulance, and fire/civil defence, and operators respond in both Arabic and English. The older codes (191 police, 193 ambulance, 199 civil defence) may still be published and connect too. For tourist-specific help, the Tourist Police hotline is +962 7 9550 5755.
You are not expected to fast, but do not eat, drink, or smoke in public during daylight hours — it is both a serious social offence and legally prohibited. Eat discreetly at home or in restaurant areas that stay open for non-fasters. Expect shorter public-sector hours and a vibrant evening social life after iftar; accepting an iftar invitation is a wonderful way to build friendships.
Yes. As a visitor or new arrival you can register a prepaid SIM using your passport at the airport or any carrier store — real-name registration is mandatory but a passport is sufficient. Once you have residency, you can add or switch to postpaid contracts and use your residency card. Make sure your phone is carrier-unlocked.
Not strictly. You can pay utilities and 200+ billers through eFAWATEERcom via a mobile wallet (UWallet, Zain Cash, Orange Money, Dinarak and others) using just your phone and ID. A local bank account, though, unlocks CliQ instant transfers and is the smoothest long-term setup for rent, salary and everyday payments.
By landmark and phone. Give your district plus a well-known nearby landmark (a mosque, circle/duwar, school or shop) and always share your mobile number — the driver will call when close. This is the normal, expected way addresses work in Jordan, so don't rely on a street number alone.
No — treat cash as your baseline. Cards and contactless work well in Amman supermarkets, malls and chain restaurants, but taxis, small shops, markets, tips and most places outside major cities are cash-first. Always carry small dinar notes and coins.
CliQ. Once you have a local bank account, register a CliQ alias (your name, mobile number or email) in your bank's app; anyone can then send you dinars instantly to that alias or your IBAN, with no cash exchanged. It works only for JOD transfers between accounts inside Jordan.
A well-paced first trip runs 6–8 days: 1–2 in Amman/Jerash, a full day at Petra, an overnight in Wadi Rum, and a day at the Dead Sea, with optional add-ons for Madaba, Mount Nebo, or Aqaba's Red Sea diving. Because the country is compact, this covers all the headline sights without rushing.
Yes for the standard tourist circuit. Jordan is one of the region's safest destinations, with Tourist Police at major sites and the emergency line 911. Government advisories flag only the immediate Syria and Iraq border zones and the far northeast — areas away from Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, Amman, and Aqaba. Check your government's current advisory before you go.
The Jordanian Dinar (JOD), pegged near 1 JOD ≈ 1.41 USD. Cards are accepted in hotels, larger restaurants, and many shops, but carry cash for Bedouin camps, small vendors, tips, and rural areas. ATMs are widely available in cities.
For almost everyone visiting Petra, yes. It waives the 40 JOD tourist visa (with a 3+ night stay) and covers Petra plus 40+ sites including Jerash and Wadi Rum. From 70 JOD, it typically costs less than buying the visa and Petra entry separately — before you've seen anything else.
Winter (December–February) is the low season, with lower prices and thinner crowds. Days are cool and desert nights cold, but the Dead Sea and Aqaba stay warm — making winter a good-value time for a sun-and-spa focus, if less ideal for long days of sightseeing.