Maldives Visa On Arrival.

How To Apply for Maldives Visa

As mentioned above, you do not need a pre-arrival visa, but you have to meet certain pre-defines Maldive visa requirements.

As an applicant, you should have a passport with validity for up to six months, and that should be Machine Readable Zone (MRZ). Also, you will obtain a thirty-days visa at the entry port only if you have a return ticket and proof that shows you can cover up your expenses during your stay in the Maldives. Moreover, you can extend your visa for up to six more days.

However, if you are eager to receive a permit to work, you must fill out a Maldives work permit form before your trip.

Usually, the wait takes up to thirty to forty minutes, depending upon how long the queue is. Additionally, you can easily complete the process if you have all the necessary documents.

 

Documents For Maldives Visa On Arrival

When you enter the Republic of Maldives, you must be able to meet the below-mentioned requirements in order to obtain a Maldives tourist visa or entry permit.

• You Minimum 6 month validity passport.
• A return ticket to any destination.
• Also, you must have the US $50.00 per person per day or valid accommodation details such as hotel bookings, etc. for your intended stay in the Republic of Maldives.

Some people, however, do not have to follow this set of requirement for obtaining a Maldivian visa, these are:

• Diplomats
• UN Personnel
• People with an approved permit to work.
• High profile personnel such as technical experts who are attached to the government.
• Visitors having confirmed bookings in tourist resorts/hotels that are registered.
• People sponsored by Maldivians.

 

Renewal of  the Maldives Tourist Visa

You can renew your tourist visa if you apply to the Immigration before the expiry of your visa. However, the Immigration will re-asses all your documents, financial position, and other necessary documents before providing your visa extension.

One can apply for a visa extension by filling in a Visa Extension Application Form, which you can find at the head office during the working hours. However, if you manage to obtain a visa extension, you will only get it for ninety days (it includes days that were granted on arrival).

You will have to pay a visa extension fee of Rufiyaa 750, but you will not bee charged if you do not ask for an extension. But if you stay longer than thirty days without getting an extension, you might get deported.

 

Who Cannot Enter the Maldives?

Any individual arriving in the Republic of Maldives will not be able to enter if the during the interviewing or questioning, the Immigration officer:

• Have proof that the person is holding fake travel documents.
• Suspects the visitor’s intentions to cause harm or disrupt the peace of the country by engaging in illegal activities.
• Finds out that the person has strong anti-semantic political or religious views.

 

Who Can Get Removal from the Maldives?

Any individual staying in the Republic of Maldives might be removed immediately if that person:

• Is caught working on a visa that does not support employment.
• Found engaging in illegal activities or doing something harmful that is disrupting the state’s peace in any way.
• Is suspected of causing political or religious disruptions.
• Caught staying in the Maldives with an expired stay permit.
• Found working on an expired work permit.

 

Sponsorship In the Maldives

Any person can easily enter the Republic of Maldives via a sponsorship program. However, the sponsor must submit the application form that can be obtained from the Immigration.

The person being sponsored must not enter the Maldives until the sponsorship gets approved. If they fail to do so, he/she will be refused to enter the country.

A sponsor can be any local or locally registered company.

 

Maldives Business Visa Requirements

When you reach the Velana International Airport, you will have to show up at the Immigration and state your visit’s purpose. You will have to show relevant valid documents.

If you want to obtain a business visa, you have to show your passport. They will ask you to prove your identity, and this is why all information on all your documents must be the same when compared to the information mentioned on documents provided by your sponsor.

For getting a business visa, the following things are required:

• A copy of your tertiary qualification or diploma.
• Local party or company who is doing business with you will have to sponsor your visa.
• Your business partners in the Maldives must get approval from the Maldivian government.
• Once you are approved, it is the job of your business partners to submit your business visa form at the Airport Immigration at least two hours before your arrival.
• When you arrive, you must state why you are here and show your passport so that they can assess and verify your information in order to provide you a business visa provided by your sponsor.

 

Maldives Visa for For Journalists

If you are a journalist visiting the Maldives in order to complete certain tasks relating to your job, you must submit these documents at the Maldives Immigration:

• IM32 Vetting form
• IM24 Application form
• Bio-data page copy of your passport.
• Expatriate Health Insurance
• Fee (Mrf 750.00 per three months or part of three months)

Videographers, photojournalists, and professionals who arrive with equipment will have to submit a request to the National Centre for Arts (NCA). They must obtain a permit to use their equipment under Maldivian territory. The request made must follow these conditions:

• It should be made via a local sponsor.
• Should submit the visit’s purpose summary
• Submit a detailed list of their equipment.
• Details of locations that they are interested in covering.

As the above-mentioned process requires the involvement of local sponsors, you must look for any local sponsor’s assistance to get this process done locally. You can ask your sponsor to be the contact/focal point with Immigration.

 

Things To Remember When Traveling To Maldives

Your passport must be valid for six months before your trip to the Maldives.

Your passport must have at least two unused/blank pages allowing for any necessary stamps at the time of your arrival and departure.

Be sure to ask your airlines whether you have connecting flights as a part of your travel journey to the Maldives as some countries require a transit visa.

 

Travel restrictions Within Maldives – COVID-19 Update

The Republic of Maldives will be re-opening its borders from 15^th July 2020. There won’t be any more incoming travel restrictions.

• From March 12, 2020 – The state of Public Health Emergency declared and travel between safaris, resorts, and inhabited islands restricted.
• 13 March, 2020 – all excursion activities within the country’s borders banned.
• 14 March, 2020 – Tourists check in to city hotels and guest houses in Greater Male Region suspended.
• 17 March, 2020 – Tourists check in to city hotels and guest houses suspended nationwide.
• 17 April, 2020 – Restriction imposed on unnecessary travel between islands.

July 15, 2020 – Liveaboards, hotels, resorts to resume opertaions.

 

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