Maldives Visas & Immigration

To enter Maldives no pre-arrival visa is required.

A thirty day free visa is issued on arrival for all Nationalities, provided the following conditions are met:

  • Should posses a valid passport and
  • Have a valid ticket to continue the journey out of Maldives and
  • Have enough funds to cover the expenses for duration of the stay in Maldives. (US$100 + $50 dollars per day) or a confirmation of reservation in a Tourist Resort or a Hotel

Caution: Full thirty day visa is not a right of the passenger to claim, but lies at the discretion of the Immigration to issue not more than thirty days and any period less than thirty days.

EMPLOYMENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED UNDER THIS CATEGORY.

 

Sponsorship

A foreigner maybe allowed to enter Maldives through the sponsorship program. The sponsor should fill and submit the related application form available at the Immigration.

The foreigner should not travel to Maldives under this program, until the sponsorship is approved. It is the responsibilty of the foreigner to ensure that the sponsorship has been approved. Failing upon which the foreigner maybe refused entry.

A sponsor could be a local or a locally registered company.

 

Renewal of Tourist Visa

A Tourist visa maybe be renewed if the person concerned, applies to the Immigration before the expiration of the visa already granted. Before the extension, Immigration will re-asses the incumbents financial position for the stay period of the extension. An extension can only be applied through the Visa Extension Application Form, at the Head Office during official working hours. Extension if considered, would be granted to a duration not exceeding a total of 90 days. (including the days granted on arrival) A visa fee of Rufiyaa 750 will be charged, for the full extension or part thereof (30 days free + 60 days chargeable) No visa fee will be charged if the extension does not exceed 30 days, that is including the days granted on arrival. FOREIGNERS WHO STAY BEYOND THE APPROVED STAY, MAYBE DEPORTED.

 

Refusal of Entry

Any person arriving in Maldives maybe refused entry, if the Immigration officer during questioning or interviewing the passenger

Have reasonable grounds (not necessarily solid proof) that the person is carrying fraudulent travel documents.
Suspects the apparent intention to the possible disruption of harmony and unlawful activities.
Has strong anti-semantic religious or political views.

Caution:The right to refuse an entry lies at the discretion of the Immigration and not as a right to claim entry.

 

Removal from Maldives

Any person staying in Maldives could be removed from Maldives immediately if the person concerned is :

  • Found working on a Tourist Visa
  • Found participating in any unlawful activity or even the intention to participate or initiate an unlawful activity
  • Suspected of disrupting the religious or political harmony
  • Reported to have become a public nuisance
  • Found with expired stay permit
  • Found with expired Work Permit

The removal could be translated as deportation from Maldives until such time, the Immigration seems fit.

Crews coming to join a vessel

Crews coming to join a vessel should inform, in writing, to the Immigration prior to the arrival through the local agent of the vessel. The letter should specify the name of the vessel and the intention to sign-on to this vessel. Crews arriving without prior knowledge of arrival would be refused to sign-on to the vessel and would have to re-enter Maldives. On arrival seven days tourist visa would be granted, during which the crew should apply to the Harbor Immigration to get signed-on to the vessel, through the local agent of the vessel. Due to any reason, if the crew fails to sign-on before the expiration of the given duration, the agent should apply for an extension, failing upon which the crew might be refused to join the vessel and ask to leave and re-enter.