Tourist visa is granted for all nationalities on arrival to the Maldives. As such, a foreigner travelling to Maldives as a tourist does not require pre-approval for the visa. However, the person must satisfy the basic entry requirements to get immigration clearance upon arrival.

The basic entry requirements are as follows;

1. A passport or a travel document with Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) with at least 1 month validity. (Passengers with an extended validity in their passports are not allowed to enter.)
2. A complete travel itinerary including return journey confirmed tickets, with a prepaid confirmed hotel booking at a registered hotel, or provide proof of financial means for sufficient funds to support the stay in Maldives, or hold a pre-approved visa sponsorship Maldives Immigration.
3. Entry requirements to their onward destinations; for example, the visa and passport validity.
4. Traveller Declaration must be filled in and submitted by all travelers travelling to and from Maldives, within 96 hours to the flight time. The form has to be submitted electronically via IMUGA. 
5. Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate, if applicable. Children under 1 year of age are exempt from Yellow Fever vaccination. Click here to check the Yellow Fever endemic countries.

Children / minors must have their own passport to enter the Maldives.

Transit travellers are defined as those travelling to another country via Maldives, without clearing Maldives arrival immigration.

A complete travel itinerary (return journey confirmed tickets, prepaid confirmed hotel booking at a registered hotel, if not provide proof of financial means for sufficient funds to support the stay in Maldives) does not guarantee entry to Maldives. Entry will be granted at the port of entry after the determination of admissibility by Immigration officers, as in accordance with Section 7 and 8 of The Maldives Immigration Act 2007.

Last update: December 21, 2022

Source: Maldives Immigration

Effective from 14^th May 2023, an on-arrival 14 (fourteen) days short-stay visa ‘Meeting Visa’ will be granted for any foreign national visiting the Maldives for the purpose of attending a meeting, conference or convention held in the Maldives provided that the individual satisfies the entry requirements to the Maldives.

The following are the prerequisites for entry;

1. The primary purpose of the visit is to attend or participate in a meeting, conference or convention held in the Maldives for permissible businesses accepted by the Registrar of Businesses, or to participate in a meeting held in the Maldives for government and state use, or to participate in a meeting or a conference or a convention arranged by other entities with approval from the concerned government authority;
2. A complete travel itinerary including return journey confirmed tickets, with a prepaid confirmed hotel booking at a registered hotel and provide proof of financial means for sufficient funds to support the stay in Maldives;
3. Traveller Declaration  filled in and submitted electronically via IMUGA within 96 hours to the flight time to Maldives;
4. A passport or a travel document with Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) with at least 1 month validity. (Passengers with an extended validity in their passports are not allowed to enter.);
5. Entry requirements to their onward destinations; for example, the visa and passport validity;

Important Note:

Entry to the Maldives is not guaranteed even with a comprehensive travel plan (confirmed tickets for the return trip, prepaid confirmed accommodation reservations at registered hotels, or proof of sufficient financial resources). According to Sections 7 and 8 of The Maldives Immigration Act 2007, entrance will be permitted at the port of entry following an immigration officer’s determination of eligibility.

Source: Maldives Immigration

Work Visa is the permit issued for a foreigner to stay in Maldives for the purpose of employment.

A person traveling to the Maldives for the purpose of employment will be granted 15 days from the date of arrival. In order to acquire this pre period, the foreign national should possess a valid Work Permit issued by the Ministry of Economic Development, which does not exceed 90 days from date of issue. Moreover, the foreign national should provide the same passport on arrival for which the Work Permit was issued. Re-entry on Work Permit without obtaining a visa is possible unless the Work Permit remains valid (within 90 days from date of issue).

Work Visa process include a medical check-up which needs to be completed from a permitted hospital/clinic, and health insurance should cover within this period to apply for work visa.

The consequences for not obtaining visa within the mentioned period results in penalization under the Immigration Act 1/2007, which include deportation from Maldives for overstaying.

The issuance of Work Visa service is decentralized and is provided from Male’ (Visa Division, Star Cloud, 8th Floor, Majeedhee Magu), Hithadhoo Immigration Office (Addu City), Fuvahmulah Immigration Office (Fuvahmulah City) and Kulhudhuffushi Immigration Office (H. Dh. Kulhudhuffushi).

Entry Requirements for Work Visa

1. A machine readable (MRZ) Passport Bio-data page copy of the applicant (At least 1 Year validity).
2. A valid Work Permit not exceeding 90 days from date of arrival.
3. Traveler should provide the same passport mention in the Work Permit.
4. Traveler Health Declaration, submitted within 48 hours prior to departure from the first port of embarkation. You may submit the form electronically via IMUGA.
5. Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate, if applicable.

Applying for Work Visa

The following documents are required to apply for Work Visa and the employer or a representative of the employer shall submit the application for visa.

1. Passport of the employee
2. Copy of the Work Permit
3. Passport size photo (Photo shall comply with Maldives Immigration passport photo standard and must be a recent photo)
4. Medical health screening report of the employee issued from a Hospital/Clinic authorized by the relevant government authority
5. Work Visa Application Submission Receipt (IM29)

Maldives Immigration introduced online Work Visa service on 17^th November 2019. Hence, the employers and recruitment agencies shall apply for the service through Xpat Online System.

With this enhancement, visa will be processed within 48 hours of submission. When the application is processed, applicants can request for an online appointment to submit the passport(s) for visa. Visa process will take 3 working days and the applicant will be notified when the passport is ready for collection. An online appointment shall be fixed once again for passport(s) collection.

Instructional video: https://bit.ly/3gNrLah

Note:

• Expatriate should be registered under the “Expatriate Medical Insurance” issued from Allied Insurance Company, before applying for visa.
• Work Visa fee should be paid for a minimum of 3 months from the date of submission of the application.
• The existing Employees while returning to Maldives after been abroad must make sure their visa is valid or at least the Work Permit should remain valid.

Marriage Visa is the permit to remain in the Maldives granted to a foreign national who is married to a Maldivian national.

A foreigner travelling to Maldives to marry with a Maldivian, or a foreigner who is married to a Maldivian and travels to Maldives to register their marriage in Maldives, shall be sponsored prior to the arrival. Sponsorship Declaration has to submitted online via IMUGA, the digital platform for immigration services.

After the arrival, the foreigner must complete the legal marriage process, and apply for Marriage Visa within the given period of 30 days. If the foreigner is already residing in the Maldives, visa transfer has to be made to Marriage Visa once the legal procedure of the marriage is completed.

Applying for Marriage Visa

The following documents are required to apply for Marriage Visa.

1. Application for Permit Extension Form (IM23)
2. Passport of the applicant
3. Signature and seal from the Family Court in the application form
4. Original and copy of Marriage Certificate
5. Identity Card copy of the Maldivian national
6. Passport size photo (Photo shall comply with Maldives Immigration passport photo standard and must be a recent photo)
7. Visa card fee, MVR50
8. Medical health screening report from a Hospital/Clinic authorized by the relevant government authority
9. Health insurance, when applying for a new visa

Marriage Visa applications shall be submitted online via IMUGA. When the application is processed, submitter will be notified via the Portal, and will be given an appointment to submit the passport for visa.

Note:

Marriage Visa is issued for 1 year, if it is a new application. However, Marriage Visa extensions are issued to 5 years.

Last update: February 21, 2023

Source: Maldives Immigration

The following documents are required to apply for Dependent Visa.

1. Application for Permit Extension From (IM23)
2. A passport or Travel Document with Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) with at least 6 months validity
3. Passport size photo (Photo shall comply with Maldives Immigration passport photo standard and must be a recent photo)
4. Dependent Visa card fee, MVR50
5. Dependent Visa fee, MVR750 for each 3 months
6. Employment Approval copy or Visa Card copy of the foreigner holding the Work Visa
7. Proof of the dependent status (marriage certificate or birth certificate)
8. Letter from the respective embassy explaining the living situation, if it is the mother or the father of the employment visa holder
9. Medical health screening report of the employee issued from a Hospital/Clinic authorized by the relevant government authority
10. Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate, if applicable

Dependent Visa applications shall be submitted via IMUGA.

Source: Maldives Immigration

Business Visa is a temporary multiple-entry visa issued to a foreign national intending to stay in the Maldives for business purposes.

In accordance with the new Business Visa Regulation published on 25th August 2021, applications for the Business Visa has to be submitted to the Ministry of Economic Development via Ministry’s Business Portal.

Source: Maldives Immigration