Maldives Visa for Indians

Maldives is a south-east Asian country located in the Indian Ocean. It is the smallest country in Asia in terms of size and population. Maldives is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and thousands of Indians travel to the island country for tourism as well as other purposes. The Maldives government issues three different types of visas for foreign nationals visiting the country. These are the tourist visa, business visa and family/friend visit visa.

 

The basic entry requirements are as follows:

1. A passport or a travel document with Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) with at least 1 months validity.
2. A pre-paid hotel booking/accommodation.
3. Sufficient funds to last for the intended period of stay in the Maldives.
4. Confirmed onward/return tickets to the home country or to the country of residence (not applicable for valid resident permit holders).
5. Entry facilities to their onward destinations; for example, the visa.
6. Traveler Health Declaration (THD) must be filled in and submitted by all travellers travelling to and from the Maldives, within 48 hours prior to their travel. The form has to be submitted electronically via IMUGA. 
7. Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate, if applicable. 
8. COVID-19 negative PCR test result, attached while completing Traveler Health Declaration form. The sample for the PCR test has to be taken 96 hours prior to departure to the Maldives, counting from the first port of embarkation en-route to the Maldives.

 

Types Of Visa

• Tourist visa: If a person is travelling to the Maldives for the purpose of tourism then he or she needs to apply for a tourist visa. The Maldives government issues a visa on arrival to nationals of all countries which is valid for a period of 30 days. Foreign tourists can get an extension of another 60 days on request on the tourist visa but the application for the same needs to be submitted at least 2 days before the tourist visa expires.

The pre-requisites for getting a visa on arrival are:

• • The passport should not expire for at least 6 months from the date of the travel.
  • The visitor should have an air ticket to fly out of Maldives.
  • The visitor should have enough money for the duration of his or her stay in the country.
  • The visitor should have proof of his or her stay in the country.

The documents required for getting approval for a tourist visa on arrival to the Maldives Are:

• • A passport that does not expire for at least 6 months from the date of travel.
  • Two photographs of the applicant may be required.
  • Proof of accommodation in the country.
  • Air tickets to fly out of Maldives.

 

• Business visa: If a person is travelling to the Maldives for the purpose of conducting business then he or she needs to apply for a business visa. The business should have been approved prior by the Maldives government authority.

The documents required to get approval for a business visa to the Maldives are:

• • The business visa application form is filled completely with all the details of the applicant.
  • A document that states the registration of the concerned company or organization.
  • A copy of the biodata page of the passport.
  • A certificate of qualification from the concerned organization mentions the purpose of the applicant’s visit, his or her experience in the field of work and duration and the place of stay in the country.
  • A document that acts as proof of the health insurance of the applicant.

 

• Family/friend visit visa: If a person is travelling to the Maldives to visit a family or a friend then he or she can apply for a family/friend visit visa. The documents required for getting approval for a family/friend visit visa are:
  • • • A passport that does not expire for at least 6 months from the date of travel.
      • Two photographs of the applicant may be required.
      • Proof of accommodation in the country.
      • Air tickets to fly out of Maldives.
      • A letter of invitation from the concerned family member or friend in the Maldives.
      • The visitor should have enough foreign exchange for the duration of his or her stay.

 

How long is the Maldives Visa valid for?

• A Tourist Visa allows you to stay in the Maldives for 30 days but may be extended for another 60-day period.
• Full 30 – 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.

 

How to apply for a Maldivian Visa?

If an Indian national is travelling to the Maldives, he or she does not require a visa prior to arriving at the country and can obtain a visa on arrival at the airport itself. The visa on arrival is valid for a maximum of 90 days. To receive a work permit, an Indian national needs to fill out the work permit form at his or her arrival in the country.

 

Maldives visa application centres in India

1. The Embassy of the Republic of the Maldives in India: The Embassy of the Republic of the Maldives in India is located in New Delhi. The address of the embassy is C-31, ANAND NIKETAN, New Delhi, Delhi 110021. The contact number is 011 4143 5701.

The Consulate of Maldives, Trivandrum: The Consulate of Maldives is located in Trivandrum. The address of the consulate is LAVANYA, TC no:16/3176, Kumarapuram Pattom Road, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695011.