Immigration law in Maldives

Maldives Immigration and the Controller General handle entry decisions, visas and enforcement under the Maldives Immigration Act 1/2007, its amendments and implementing regulations. The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology handles Entry Passes and Work Permits, while the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade handles the Business Portal and Employment Approval. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs receives citizenship applications, but the President decides whether citizenship is granted. The Family Court confirms marriages used for certain residence applications. Tourist Visa on Arrival is generally available. The passport should have at least one month of remaining validity and a machine-readable zone (MRZ). The traveler also needs a return or onward ticket, a registered accommodation booking or sufficient funds, and a Traveller Declaration submitted for each traveler at least 96 hours before arrival. A yellow-fever certificate may be required in relevant cases. Since 15 April 2025, Israeli passport holders are excluded from the tourist visa on arrival. Meeting Visa is available on arrival for conferences and conventions for 14 days and cannot be extended or changed into a Business Visa. Business Visa allows multiple entries for approved business activities, normally based on a local invitation, with a maximum total stay of 90 days within 12 months. Admission remains subject to the Immigration Officer's decision under Sections 7 and 8, even when the listed documents are present. Sponsorship supports visitor, dependent and marriage applications. A Sponsorship Declaration normally takes at least five working days to process, and the approved traveler must enter within 30 days. A Dependent Visa covers a spouse, a child under 18 or a parent of a professional-category Work Visa holder. The sponsor applies before entry, normally at least seven working days before travel. Typical documents include IM20, passport and Work Permit or Work Visa details, an English marriage or birth certificate, a medical report and expatriate health insurance. The listed Dependent Visa fee is MVR 750. A Marriage Visa is a Resident Visa for a foreign national legally married to a Maldivian citizen. It requires a Family Court-endorsed IM20, marriage certificate, the Maldivian spouse's identification, a medical report and insurance. The initial permission normally lasts one year, and renewals may last up to five years. A change from another valid visa may be possible after marriage. Eligibility may continue after divorce when the couple has a Maldivian child, or after the spouse's death, subject to the applicable rules. Work requires an Entry Pass and Work Permit before arrival. The employer or an authorised representative submits the Work eVisa within 15 days after the worker enters with the Entry Pass. Since 23 November 2025, a passport sticker is not valid proof of a Work Visa; the approved eVisa is required. The Work Visa follows the duration of the Work Permit, and renewal can be granted for no more than one year at a time. A foreign national may work only within the approved employment, employer relationship and permit conditions. Employment Approval and the appointment letter form part of the employment evidence. A Work Visa is not generally transferable to another employer. Student entry normally follows university admission, an IMUGA Sponsorship Declaration, approval before travel, arrival and a Student Visa application within 30 days. IMUGA is the Maldives Immigration online portal used for Traveller Declarations, sponsorship, dependent, marriage, student and eVisa services. Maldives National University commonly requests a passport, offer letter, photograph, medical report and insurance covering the full visa period. A Student Visa generally lasts one year and may be extended until the course ends under the applicable procedure. Work is generally not permitted on a Student Visa, although an approved internship may be possible. The university's published context refers to approximately MVR 800 for insurance or application-related costs, while the current amount should be checked with the institution. A Corporate Resident Visa is a residence option connected to qualifying investment rather than a general permanent residence status. The published investment criteria include at least USD 1,000,000 invested during the preceding three financial years, a fixed deposit of USD 250,000 for five years, or a government-approved project of at least USD 250,000. Applications use ONEGov, the government portal. Family residence depends on the applicable regulation and does not create a general family settlement right. The Maldives has no evidenced general indefinite permanent residence status; Marriage Visa and Corporate Resident Visa provide functional residence options in their specific categories. Citizenship is separate from a visa or residence permission. The Constitution provides for children of Maldivian citizens and foreigners naturalised under law. A naturalisation applicant must be Muslim, at least 21 years old, of sound mind, have lived continuously in the Maldives for 12 years or for more than 10 years in total with absences of no more than six months, understand the Constitution, speak Dhivehi orally, have adequate education, have no specified political, Hudud or illegal-drug offences, have rendered distinguished service and give up existing citizenship. A non-Muslim cannot become a Maldivian citizen, and a child of two foreign parents does not acquire citizenship merely by being born in the Maldives. The application goes through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the President makes the decision. The available official information lists no application fee, but surrendering existing citizenship can create a risk of statelessness. The Maldives has no general language or integration requirement for ordinary visas or residence permissions supported by the available research. It is also not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol and has no national asylum adjudication or formal refugee-status system. A Special Visa may be granted at discretion for humanitarian work, continuing medical treatment, imperative legal proceedings or a government purpose. Individual cases may involve coordination with UNHCR or IOM and possible resettlement to a third country. Protection against return in cases involving torture, the death penalty or political persecution is limited and does not create a general asylum status. A foreign national must remain within the conditions of the relevant permission, renew before expiry and leave when the permission expires or is revoked. A Maldivian or accommodation provider may not house someone without an Entry Permit, and an employer may not employ someone without the required Entry Permit and Work Visa. Passport, visa, eVisa and application records should match and remain current. IMUGA can be used to check visa status, and eVisas can be verified online with their QR details. Visas do not by themselves establish a general entitlement to social benefits or permanent settlement. Immigration authorities may refuse entry, return or remove a person because of insufficient funds, accommodation or employment evidence, a dangerous contagious disease, fugitive status, a risk to social or religious harmony, national security or safety, terrorism concerns, overstay or another permit breach. Detention and deportation are possible. For vessel arrivals, return and detention costs may be charged to the vessel owner. In Operation Kurangi on 9 May 2026, authorities checked 1,344 expatriates and placed 254 in Immigration custody for visa violations, illustrating the practical enforcement risk. A person in detention may request legal representation. Judicial review of expulsion or return is documented, and Article 65 of the Constitution provides a court remedy for constitutional-rights violations. The reviewed official sources do not establish a general administrative visa appeal. Fees and processing times vary by category and may change. The Traveller Declaration is free. Sponsorship normally takes at least five working days, entry must follow within 30 days of approval, and a Dependent Visa is listed at MVR 750. A Meeting Visa lasts 14 days, a Business Visa allows no more than 90 days in a 12-month period, an initial Marriage Visa normally lasts one year, Work Visa renewals may last no more than one year, and a Corporate Resident Visa can involve a five-year fixed-deposit commitment. Current fees, document-verification costs and portal requirements should be checked in the relevant official system before travel or filing.