Get your Maldives Traveler Declaration & visas

Most travelers can enter the Maldives without applying for a visa in advance. Instead, you’ll get a free 30-day tourist visa when you arrive. To qualify, you’ll need a passport valid for at least one month, a confirmed hotel booking or host information, proof of enough funds for your stay, and a return or onward ticket.

You can also extend your visa once while in the Maldives for up to 60 days total, by visiting the immigration office in Malé.

Unfortunately, we don’t currently offer this visa*

If you're visiting for work-related purposes, like attending a training, managing a short-term project, or holding business meetings, you’ll need a Maldives Business Visa.

It’s typically valid for up to 90 days and allows multiple entries. Your local business contact or sponsor in the Maldives must apply for the visa on your behalf before you travel. Once approved, you’ll receive the visa on arrival.

Unfortunately, we don’t currently offer this visa*

Planning to live and work in the Maldives? You’ll need a Work Visa, which is issued after you receive an Employment Approval (EA) from Maldives Immigration.

Your employer will take care of this process and must apply for the EA before you arrive. Once approved, you’ll be granted a visa that usually matches the length of your work contract, up to one year, and it can be renewed if you keep working under valid sponsorship.

Unfortunately, we don’t currently offer this visa*

If you're legally married to a Maldivian citizen, you may be eligible for a Marriage Visa. This visa is initially issued for one year and can be extended for up to five years as long as the marriage remains legally valid.

You’ll need to submit a copy of your marriage certificate and be sponsored by your Maldivian spouse. This visa gives you permission to stay long-term but doesn’t automatically grant work rights.

If you’re both foreign citizens, and you’d like to get married in the Maldives, it’s important to know you can’t legally get married there. However, you are allowed to do a symbolic wedding or vow renewal on a tourist visa (visa on arrival).

Unfortunately, we don’t currently offer this visa*

This long-term visa is aimed at foreign investors or high-net-worth individuals who want to live in the Maldives.

You can qualify by meeting one of several investment conditions, such as investing $1 million or more in approved real estate, maintaining $1 million in a local bank for two years, or investing $50 million+ in major projects.

If approved, you and your family members (spouse and minor children) can stay in the Maldives for up to five years, with the option to renew.

Unfortunately, we don’t currently offer this visa*

Attending a conference, seminar, or official event? You might need a Meeting Visa, especially if your activities go beyond regular tourism. This visa is valid for up to 14 days and can’t be extended.

The host or organizing institution in the Maldives must apply for this visa in advance and provide a letter of invitation. It’s great for short, formal stays related to professional or government events.

Unfortunately, we don’t currently offer this visa*

The H-1B visa is designed for skilled professionals who have a job offer from a Maldives employer in a specialized field, like tech, engineering, science, or finance. To qualify, you typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in the relevant field.

It's one of the most popular work visas, but it’s also competitive due to an annual cap. If approved, the visa allows you to live and work in the Maldives for up to three years, with the possibility of an extension.

Unfortunately, we don’t currently offer this visa*