Maldives visa and entry requirements

Maldives Immigration says tourists are granted a visa on arrival without pre-approval, provided they meet the basic entry requirements, including confirmed return journey tickets, a prepaid confirmed booking and sufficient funds; since 15 April 2025 entry is not granted on Israeli passports. The Maldives' Permanent Mission to the UN says a free visa of up to thirty days is issued on arrival. Foreigners arriving must submit the Traveller Declaration within 96 hours before arrival, and tourists can apply for visa extensions through the IMUGA portal.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Sep 26, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

Tourist Visa on Arrival

Fee
Free
Processing
—
Stay per entry
30 days

The Maldives' Permanent Mission to the UN says a free visa of up to thirty days is issued on arrival for all nationalities. Maldives Immigration lists the entry requirements: a machine-readable passport or travel document with at least 1 month's validity, confirmed return journey tickets, a prepaid confirmed booking at a registered facility and sufficient funds for the stay, or a sponsorship it has approved. It says entry is not granted on Israeli passports.

Entry requirements

Passport validity

Maldives Immigration says you need a passport or travel document with a machine-readable zone and at least 1 month's validity; the UK Foreign Office says your passport must have an expiry date at least one month after the date you arrive. Canada's travel advice says a Canadian passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: immigration.gov.mv (opens in a new tab) · travel.gc.ca (opens in a new tab) says at least 6 months from your date of entry. We follow the source above: it ranks higher (law, then the authority running the procedure, then the destination's ministry, then international compilations, then other governments' advice). · archived copy Aug 20, 2026 (opens in a new tab)Compare every country: How long your passport must be valid, country by country

Vaccinations

Conditional
  • Yellow fever (ICVP) — Maldives Immigration says you must present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from, or having recently travelled through, a country with risk of yellow fever transmission; children under one year of age are exempt.

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for the Maldives; the basic entry requirements Maldives Immigration lists for tourists do not include insurance.

Onward or return ticket

Required

Maldives Immigration lists a complete travel itinerary including confirmed return journey tickets among the entry requirements for tourists.

Proof of funds

Required

Maldives Immigration lists sufficient funds to cover the stay among the entry requirements, together with confirmed return journey tickets and a prepaid confirmed booking at a registered facility, or a sponsorship it has approved; it states no amount. The Maldives' Permanent Mission to the UN gives the funds as US$100 plus US$50 per day, or a confirmation of reservation in a tourist resort or hotel.

Arrival cards & declarations

Required
  • Imuga Traveller Declaration — Maldives Immigration says all travellers must submit the Traveller Declaration within 96 hours before their flight time for arrival, free of charge; the IMUGA home page lists it as a mandatory declaration within 96 hours of arrival or departure. It strongly advises using the IMUGA portal (imuga.immigration.gov.mv) and avoiding other websites that may charge a fee. (within 96 hours before flight time for arrival (the imuga home page also lists departure)) imuga.immigration.gov.mv (opens in a new tab)

Staying past your permitted stay

Fine: 15,000 to 50,000 MVR

Under the Immigration Act, every foreign national must leave the Maldives when their permit expires or is revoked. A foreign national who contravenes the Act is fined between MVR 15,000 and MVR 50,000, and the Controller of Immigration may also deport them and bar them from entering for a specified period.

Other compulsory government charges

  • Green tax — USD 12 or USD 6 per day of stay, depending on the type and location of the establishment, from 1 January 2025. Paid at the accommodation.

    The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority says green tax is payable by tourists who stay in resorts, hotels, guesthouses, tourist vessels and similar establishments, at a rate per day of stay set by the type of establishment. Children under two are exempt from 1 January 2025.

    Exemptions: Children under two.

  • Departure tax — Foreign passengers, from 1 December 2024: USD 50 economy, USD 120 business, USD 240 first class, USD 480 private jet. Included in the air ticket.

    The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority says a departure tax based on the class of travel is levied on passengers departing from a Maldivian airport, and that airlines collect it from passengers on scheduled flights.

    Exemptions: Passengers with diplomatic immunity, transit passengers and children under two.

    Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: mira.gov.mv (opens in a new tab) · Airport Taxes and Fees Act (enacted 7 December 2016)
  • Airport development fee — Foreign passengers, from 1 December 2024: USD 50 economy, USD 120 business, USD 240 first class, USD 480 private jet. Included in the air ticket.

    The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority says an airport development fee is levied on each passenger, including transit passengers, departing via Velana International Airport, and that airlines collect it from passengers on scheduled flights.

    Exemptions: Passengers with diplomatic immunity and transit passengers on direct transit.

    Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: mira.gov.mv (opens in a new tab) · Airport Taxes and Fees Act (enacted 7 December 2016)

Customs & currency

  • The UK Foreign Office says it is illegal to bring in anything deemed contrary to Islam, including idols for worship, bibles, pork and pork products, and alcohol.
  • Canada's travel advice says it is illegal to export tortoise shell and coral.
  • Australia's Smartraveller says it is illegal to bring pornography, alcohol or pork products to the Maldives, but that alcohol and pork may be consumed on resort islands.

Yellow fever certificate

Maldives Immigration says you must present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from, or having recently travelled through, a country with risk of yellow fever transmission; children under one year of age are exempt.

The 42 countries WHO lists as a yellow fever risk

Requirements normally count any country you have been in shortly before arrival, not only where you boarded.

  • Angola
  • Argentina — Misiones and Corrientes Provinces
  • Benin
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Colombia
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Ecuador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Ethiopia
  • French Guiana
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Togo
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Uganda
  • Venezuela
Compiled Aug 26, 2026 · Source: cdn.who.int (opens in a new tab) · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36

International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR, Rf)
Safety — Exercise caution
The UK Foreign Office says crime levels are low in the exclusive resort islands but petty crime does happen, and advises not leaving items unattended on the beach or in unlocked hotel rooms. It says that outside the resorts there are incidents of gang-related violence including knife crime, mainly in Malé and Hulhumalé, and advises avoiding empty roads on foot, particularly after dark. It says the sea can have strong tidal currents that can drag you away from the shoreline, resulting in drownings, and to ask resort staff where it is safe to swim.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Emergency numbers
Police: 119 · Ambulance: 102 · Fire: 118
Languages
Dhivehi, English
Time zone
UTC+5
Driving side
left
International Driving Permit

The Maldives is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). A 2021 notice of the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation in the government gazette says the fourth amendment to Section 33(c) of the Land Transport Act gives the Ministry discretion to allow holders of valid driving licences issued by foreign countries it approves to use them without obtaining a new licence for a period of 90 days.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic · archived copy Aug 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab) Compare every country
Tap water
not for drinking. Use bottled

Best time to visit

No official source we could read gives a best time to visit the Maldives. Canada's travel advice says the rainy (monsoon) season extends from November to April in the northeast and from May to October in the southwest.

Tips & warnings

The UK Foreign Office says alcoholic drinks are only available on resort islands, that you should not take any alcohol out of your resort, and that you can be arrested and deported for possessing and drinking alcohol, or being intoxicated, outside resorts and on inhabited islands. Canada's travel advice says it is illegal to import alcohol.

Canada's travel advice says to dress conservatively, especially outside major cities and coastal resorts, and that it is illegal to publicly observe any religion other than Islam. The UK Foreign Office says that during Ramadan you should not eat, drink or smoke in public in the daytime, outside of holiday resorts.

Maldives Immigration says the Traveller Declaration must be submitted within 96 hours before your flight time for arrival and that there are no fees for submitting it; the IMUGA home page lists departure too. It strongly advises using the IMUGA portal and avoiding other websites that may charge a fee.

Visa requirements by nationality

Visa requirements by nationality. Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistanVisa on arrival30 days
AlbaniaVisa on arrival30 days
AlgeriaVisa on arrival30 days
AndorraVisa on arrival30 days
AngolaVisa on arrival30 days
Antigua and BarbudaVisa on arrival30 days
ArgentinaVisa on arrival30 days
ArmeniaVisa on arrival30 days
AustraliaVisa on arrival30 days
AustriaVisa on arrival30 days
AzerbaijanVisa on arrival30 days
BahamasVisa on arrival30 days
BahrainVisa on arrival30 days
BangladeshVisa on arrival30 days
BarbadosVisa on arrival30 days
BelarusVisa on arrival30 days
BelgiumVisa on arrival30 days
BelizeVisa on arrival30 days
BeninVisa on arrival30 days
BhutanVisa on arrival30 days
BoliviaVisa on arrival30 days
Bosnia and HerzegovinaVisa on arrival30 days
BotswanaVisa on arrival30 days
BrazilVisa on arrival30 days
BruneiVisa on arrival30 days
BulgariaVisa on arrival30 days
Burkina FasoVisa on arrival30 days
BurundiVisa on arrival30 days
Cabo VerdeVisa on arrival30 days
CambodiaVisa on arrival30 days
CameroonVisa on arrival30 days
CanadaVisa on arrival30 days
Central African RepublicVisa on arrival30 days
ChadVisa on arrival30 days
ChileVisa on arrival30 days
ChinaVisa on arrival30 days
ColombiaVisa on arrival30 days
ComorosVisa on arrival30 days
Costa RicaVisa on arrival30 days
Côte d'IvoireVisa on arrival30 days
CroatiaVisa on arrival30 days
CubaVisa on arrival30 days
CyprusVisa on arrival30 days
CzechiaVisa on arrival30 days
Democratic Republic of the CongoVisa on arrival30 days
DenmarkVisa on arrival30 days
DjiboutiVisa on arrival30 days
DominicaVisa on arrival30 days
Dominican RepublicVisa on arrival30 days
EcuadorVisa on arrival30 days
EgyptVisa on arrival30 days
El SalvadorVisa on arrival30 days
Equatorial GuineaVisa on arrival30 days
EritreaVisa on arrival30 days
EstoniaVisa on arrival30 days
EswatiniVisa on arrival30 days
EthiopiaVisa on arrival30 days
FijiVisa on arrival30 days
FinlandVisa on arrival30 days
FranceVisa on arrival30 days
GabonVisa on arrival30 days
GambiaVisa on arrival30 days
GeorgiaVisa on arrival30 days
GermanyVisa on arrival30 days
GhanaVisa on arrival30 days
GreeceVisa on arrival30 days
GrenadaVisa on arrival30 days
GuatemalaVisa on arrival30 days
GuineaVisa on arrival30 days
Guinea-BissauVisa on arrival30 days
GuyanaVisa on arrival30 days
HaitiVisa on arrival30 days
HondurasVisa on arrival30 days
Hong KongVisa on arrival30 days
HungaryVisa on arrival30 days
IcelandVisa on arrival30 days
IndiaVisa on arrival30 days
IndonesiaVisa on arrival30 days
IranVisa on arrival30 days
IraqVisa on arrival30 days
IrelandVisa on arrival30 days
IsraelEntry restricted—
ItalyVisa on arrival30 days
JamaicaVisa on arrival30 days
JapanVisa on arrival30 days
JordanVisa on arrival30 days
KazakhstanVisa on arrival30 days
KenyaVisa on arrival30 days
KiribatiVisa on arrival30 days
KosovoVisa on arrival30 days
KuwaitVisa on arrival30 days
KyrgyzstanVisa on arrival30 days
LaosVisa on arrival30 days
LatviaVisa on arrival30 days
LebanonVisa on arrival30 days
LesothoVisa on arrival30 days
LiberiaVisa on arrival30 days
LibyaVisa on arrival30 days
LiechtensteinVisa on arrival30 days
LithuaniaVisa on arrival30 days
LuxembourgVisa on arrival30 days
MacauVisa on arrival30 days
MadagascarVisa on arrival30 days
MalawiVisa on arrival30 days
MalaysiaVisa on arrival30 days
MaldivesFree movement—
MaliVisa on arrival30 days
MaltaVisa on arrival30 days
Marshall IslandsVisa on arrival30 days
MauritaniaVisa on arrival30 days
MauritiusVisa on arrival30 days
MexicoVisa on arrival30 days
MicronesiaVisa on arrival30 days
MoldovaVisa on arrival30 days
MonacoVisa on arrival30 days
MongoliaVisa on arrival30 days
MontenegroVisa on arrival30 days
MoroccoVisa on arrival30 days
MozambiqueVisa on arrival30 days
MyanmarVisa on arrival30 days
NamibiaVisa on arrival30 days
NauruVisa on arrival30 days
NepalVisa on arrival30 days
NetherlandsVisa on arrival30 days
New ZealandVisa on arrival30 days
NicaraguaVisa on arrival30 days
NigerVisa on arrival30 days
NigeriaVisa on arrival30 days
North KoreaVisa on arrival30 days
North MacedoniaVisa on arrival30 days
NorwayVisa on arrival30 days
OmanVisa on arrival30 days
PakistanVisa on arrival30 days
PalauVisa on arrival30 days
PalestineVisa on arrival30 days
PanamaVisa on arrival30 days
Papua New GuineaVisa on arrival30 days
ParaguayVisa on arrival30 days
PeruVisa on arrival30 days
PhilippinesVisa on arrival30 days
PolandVisa on arrival30 days
PortugalVisa on arrival30 days
QatarVisa on arrival30 days
Republic of the CongoVisa on arrival30 days
RomaniaVisa on arrival30 days
RussiaVisa on arrival30 days
RwandaVisa on arrival30 days
Saint Kitts and NevisVisa on arrival30 days
Saint LuciaVisa on arrival30 days
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVisa on arrival30 days
SamoaVisa on arrival30 days
San MarinoVisa on arrival30 days
São Tomé and PríncipeVisa on arrival30 days
Saudi ArabiaVisa on arrival30 days
SenegalVisa on arrival30 days
SerbiaVisa on arrival30 days
SeychellesVisa on arrival30 days
Sierra LeoneVisa on arrival30 days
SingaporeVisa on arrival30 days
SlovakiaVisa on arrival30 days
SloveniaVisa on arrival30 days
Solomon IslandsVisa on arrival30 days
SomaliaVisa on arrival30 days
South AfricaVisa on arrival30 days
South KoreaVisa on arrival30 days
South SudanVisa on arrival30 days
SpainVisa on arrival30 days
Sri LankaVisa on arrival30 days
SudanVisa on arrival30 days
SurinameVisa on arrival30 days
SwedenVisa on arrival30 days
SwitzerlandVisa on arrival30 days
SyriaVisa on arrival30 days
TaiwanVisa on arrival30 days
TajikistanVisa on arrival30 days
TanzaniaVisa on arrival30 days
ThailandVisa on arrival30 days
Timor-LesteVisa on arrival30 days
TogoVisa on arrival30 days
TongaVisa on arrival30 days
Trinidad and TobagoVisa on arrival30 days
TunisiaVisa on arrival30 days
TurkeyVisa on arrival30 days
TurkmenistanVisa on arrival30 days
TuvaluVisa on arrival30 days
UgandaVisa on arrival30 days
UkraineVisa on arrival30 days
United Arab EmiratesVisa on arrival30 days
United KingdomVisa on arrival30 days
United StatesVisa on arrival30 days
UruguayVisa on arrival30 days
UzbekistanVisa on arrival30 days
VanuatuVisa on arrival30 days
Vatican CityVisa on arrival30 days
VenezuelaVisa on arrival30 days
VietnamVisa on arrival30 days
YemenVisa on arrival30 days
ZambiaVisa on arrival30 days
ZimbabweVisa on arrival30 days

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

Thailand79 of 199 passports visa-free · 117 eVisa/ETAIndonesia20 of 199 passports visa-free · 94 eVisa/ETASingapore164 of 199 passports visa-free

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for the Maldives?

No advance visa: Maldives Immigration says tourists are granted a visa on arrival without pre-approval, provided they meet the basic entry requirements, including confirmed return journey tickets, a prepaid confirmed booking, sufficient funds and a submitted Traveller Declaration. It says entry is not granted on Israeli passports. The Maldives' Permanent Mission to the UN and the UK government say the visa is for up to 30 days; Australia's Smartraveller says it is free of cost.

What is the Imuga Traveller Declaration?

Maldives Immigration says all travellers must submit the Traveller Declaration within 96 hours before their flight time for arrival, and that there are no fees for submitting it; the IMUGA home page lists it as a mandatory declaration within 96 hours of arrival or departure.

Can I stay in the Maldives longer than 30 days?

Yes. Maldives Immigration says tourists can apply for visa extensions by logging into the IMUGA portal; passport and accommodation details are populated automatically, applicants who have changed accommodation can update their hotel details, and a passport-size photograph taken within the last 12 months must be uploaded. It says extension applications are now expected to be completed within 48 hours. No official source we could read states the maximum length of an extension or the fee.

Can I bring alcohol into the Maldives?

Canada's travel advice says it is illegal to import alcohol, and the UK Foreign Office says it is illegal to bring in alcohol. The UK says alcoholic drinks are only available on resort islands and that you can be arrested and deported for possessing and drinking alcohol, or being intoxicated, outside resorts and on inhabited islands.

Do I need to change money into rufiyaa?

Canada's travel advice says the currency is the rufiyaa (MVR), that major credit cards are accepted at resorts and hotels, that U.S. dollars can be exchanged at the airport, banks and hotels, and that ATMs are only available in Malé and the more populated non-resort islands.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source