The Maldives is a popular tourist destination for anyone looking for a luxurious vacation, surrounded by crystal clear water and white sandy beaches. Because of how popular (and expensive) a destination it is, the Maldives visa policy is very lenient.
Do I Need a Visa for Maldives?
No, you do not need a visa for the Maldives if you are travelling for tourism. Nationals of all countries can get a Maldives visa on arrival, free of charge, for stays of up to 30 days.
Additionally, Russian and Indian citizens can stay in the Maldives for up to 90 days without a visa.
How to Get a Maldives Visa on Arrival?
Everyone can get a Maldives visa on arrival as long as they have the following documents to present to the Immigration officers:
- A machine-readable passport (MRP)/passport with Machine Readable Zone (MRZ), which is valid for at least another 6 months
- Pre-paid accommodation in the Maldives (e.g. a hotel reservation)
- Proof of sufficient financial means to cover the entire stay in the Maldives
- A return-flight ticket to your home country or an onward-flight ticket
- A visa for your next destination (if required)
Note:
- You will not necessarily get a Maldives visa on arrival for 30 days, as it is up to the Immigration officers at the airport to decide for how long to allow you to enter.
- The Maldives visa on arrival is only a tourist visa – you are not allowed to work in the Maldives with this visa under any circumstances
- For any reasons other than tourism, you must have a sponsor in the Maldives to help with the visa application.
Can You Extend a Maldives Visa on Arrival?
Yes, you can extend your Maldives visa on arrival by applying to the Maldives Immigration in Male before your current visa expires. To apply, you have to submit a Visa Extension Application Form at the Immigration Head Office during official working hours. The Immigration will check whether you have the necessary financial means to cover the extended period of stay.
The maximum amount of time you are allowed to stay in the Maldives is 90 days. So, if your current visa is 30 days, you can receive a max 60-day extension.
The fee for extension is Rufiyaa 750 if the total amount of days you are spending (including those on the original tourist visa) is more than 30. If even with the extension, you will be in the Maldives for less than 30 days, then you do not need to pay a fee.
Maldives Business Visa
A Maldives business visa is issued online to foreign nationals travelling to the Maldives for their work but without intention of becoming employed in a Maldivian company. For the application, your sponsor (the company you are visiting or a representative in the Maldives) has to submit these documents via email to the Maldives Immigration:
- Business Visa application form (form IM24)
- A scanned color copy of your passport’s bio page. The passport must be machine-readable and valid for at least another six months.
- Your registration copy
- A recent passport size photograph of you
- Visa Applicant Information Form (IM30), if applicable
- A copy of your medical insurance policy
- A letter from your sponsor, which mentions the date you intend to stay in the Maldives
- Any other supporting documents, such as your qualification certificates or a letter of experience
All the documents have to be in PDF format. The picture must be in JPEG format. You can find the required forms on the website of the Maldives Immigration.
Once you receive online approval, you can travel to the Maldives and receive your visa at the airport, by showing the original application documents listed above. You can get a business visa at the Immigration Office at Velana International Airport or Gan International Airport.
How About Moving to the Maldives?
If you want to actually move to the Maldives, then you will need a sponsor. Your sponsor has to apply for your visa or residence permit from the Maldives Immigration in Male before you travel.
Supposing that you want to move to the Maldives for work, then you will need to find a job beforehand so that your employer can apply for your work permit. The sponsor has to be a local company in the Maldives or a locally-registered company.
Maldives Work Visa
For a Maldives work visa, your employer or representative in the Maldives has to get your work permit (Employment Authorization) from the Maldives Immigration.
Your and your sponsor have to submit the following documents:
- Your passport
- Copy of the Employment Approval
- Work Visa card fee, MVR50
- A recent passport size picture of you
- Medical health screening report issued from a medical institution authorized by the relevant government authority
- Work Visa submission receipt (IM29)
You can find the aforementioned documents and forms on the website of the Maldives Immigration.
Working in the Maldives without employment authorization is not allowed.
Maldives Marriage Visa
You need a Maldives marriage visa if you will marry a Maldivian national. Your sponsor (fiance) has to sponsor your visa before you travel by applying at the Maldives Immigration. You cannot get married or register your marriage in the Maldives if you have a regular tourist visa. Once you enter the country with your sponsored visa, then you can start the Marriage Visa procedure within 30 days.
The documents you need for a Maldives Marriage Visa are:
- Application for Permit Extension Form (IM23). The application form must have a signature and seal from the Family Court.
- Your passport. It must be a machine-readable passport.
- Original and copy of Marriage Certificate
- Copy of the Identity Card of the Maldivian national
- Passport-size picture of yourself
- Visa card fee, MVR50
- Copy of an expatriate health insurance policy
- Medical health screening report issued from a medical institution authorized by the relevant government authority
You can find all the required application forms on the website of the Maldives Immigration.
Maldives Dependent Visa
If you are the dependent family member of a person already living in the Maldives (such as a work visa holder), then your family member has to sponsor your visa by submitting the following documents to the Immigration:
- Application for Permit Extension From (IM23)
- Your passport. It must be a machine-readable passport.
- Passport size picture of yourself
- Dependent Visa card fee, MVR50
- Dependent Visa fee, MVR750 for every 3 months
- A copy of the employment approval or visa card of the person who has a Maldives work visa
- Proof of family status (e.g. a marriage or birth certificate)
- If you are the mother or father of the main visa holder, you also need a letter from the respective embassy which explains your living situation
- Copy of an expatriate health insurance policy
- Medical health screening report issued from a medical institution authorized by the relevant government authority
You can find all the required forms for the application on the website of the Maldives Immigration.