Maldives Visa For Indians | Visa On Arrival

Resting in the heart of the Arabian Sea, Maldives is decked with the panorama of the blue waters of the Indian Ocean. The number of tourists who visit Maldives has been increasing each year from 1.5 million since 2016. Housing some of the most luxurious retreats and the promise of a fantastic vacation, the archipelago beckons many Indians with its charm. Offering easy paperwork for Indians, Maldives is sure to give you the most comfortable travel experience. If you are wondering how the formalities to obtain a Maldives visa for Indians work, all you need to do is go through the guide we have made just for you.

Contrary to the usual laborious documentation processes involved in planning a trip, this land gives you the relief of having a visa on arrival for Indians. Maldives does not require a pre-arrival visa! The Maldives visa on arrival is given at the airport. However, there are a few important documents that need to be submitted.

Must Read: 10 Amazing Countries That Offer Visa On Arrival For Indians

Here is a guide to the details of the Maldives visa for Indians.

Maldives Visa on Arrival for Tourism
Procedure to apply for Maldives visa
Documents required for Maldives visa
How to extend Maldives Tourist Visa
Maldives visa fees for Indians
cancellation of Maldives visa
Other Visas (Work & Business Visa)

1. Maldives Visa on Arrival for Tourism

The government of Maldives provides six categories of visas to Indians –

Maldives tourist visa for Indians
Maldives work visa for Indians
Maldives business visa for Indians
Maldives dependent visa for Indians
Maldives marriage visa for Indians
Co-operate resident visa for Indians

Indians usually travel to Maldives for tourism purposes and have to apply for the Maldives tourist visa for Indians. This visa for Indians will be given at the airport by the immigration officials. This visa is valid for thirty days and is issued after following a specific procedure as prescribed by the government of Maldives.

There are certain Maldives visa requirements for Indians.

2. Procedure to apply for Maldives visa for Indians

A Maldives Tourist Form will be given to you on arrival at the airport
You will need to fill the Maldives Tourist Form with authentic details
Once you fill out the form, you will be required to submit a set of legal documents as demanded by the government procedure
Following the submission of your completed Maldives Tourist Form and the required documents, you will need to take a short interview
In the interview, some questions will be asked to you by the Immigration officer
When the Maldives Tourist Form and the submitted documents are verified, you will be granted the Maldives visa for Indians for 30 days which is exclusive for tourism purposes

Suggested read: Thailand Tourist Visa for Indians: Explained

3. What are the required documents for Maldives visa?

The documents as required by the government of Maldives need to be submitted on arrival at the airport. These are to be submitted along with the completed Maldives Tourist Form to the Immigration officials. Ensure that the details filled in the Maldives Tourist Form and the data in your documents match and are authentic.

These documents form an important criterion in the Maldives visa requirement for Indians. Here is a list of all the documents required to be given to the Immigration Officials –

An official Indian passport that has a validity of more than 6 months post the date of your travel
Application form (IM01)
Sponsorship declaration form – this is for those travellers who are sponsored by a company. The application form must be endorsed by the company. If your travel is being sponsored by an individual, you must have a photocopy of his / her identity card
A valid expatriate health insurance
2 passport size photographs – Colored, 35mm in width and 44mm in length, white background, clear visibility of your face
Photocopies of booking confirmations of hotels or any other chosen accommodation for the duration of your stay in Maldives
A confirmed return or onward ticket from Maldives
Completed Disembarkation / Embarkation Card that is approved by the Maldives Immigration

In addition to these legal documents, you will need to submit a proof of your financial budget. The concerned authority examines your available funds in order to ensure that you have an amount sufficient to sustain yourself well enough during your stay in Maldives. The approximate expenditure, in accordance with the government’s computation, is around MVR 770 (INR 3555) per day.

Must Read: Guide To Visa Photo Size Requirements

4. How can you extend your tourist visa?

The archipelago of Maldives is absolutely alluring. You are sure to find yourself wanting to extend your stay duration so that you can soak in the bliss of this land and its waters for a little while longer. If you wish to extend your trip, the government of Maldives offers Indians the provision to extend your tourist visa for longer than 30 days.

The government of Maldives can grant you a tourist visa extension for a maximum duration of 60 days more.

In order to extend your tourist visa, you need to follow a simple procedure –

First, you need to visit the Head Office in Maldives
In the Head Office, fill out the Visa Extension Application Form with the required details correctly
Once the Visa Extension Application Form has been filled, make the payment of the applicable fee
The concerned authority will again examine if you have the available funds to sustain yourself well enough for the extended stay duration
Once the details given by you are verified by the officials, you will be granted an extension of the Maldives visa for Indians for tourism purposes

Note: You need to make sure that you complete the procedure of tourist visa extension, including the filling out of the Visa Extension Application Form at least 2 days prior to the initial visa expiry date.

Read: Proof of Accommodation for Visa: Explained

5. What is the Maldives on arrival cost for Indians?

The Maldives visa for Indians for tourism purposes is issued for a period of 30 days. This initial Maldives visa on arrival cost for Indians is null – it is absolutely free of cost! However, a chargeable Maldives visa fee for Indians exists if you wish to extend your tourist visa. An extended tourist visa can grant you a stay in Maldives for a duration of 90 days in total. The Maldives visa fee for Indians who apply for an extension is MVR 750 (INR 3463).

6. Cancellation of Maldives visa for Indians

The government of Maldives offers an easy paperwork process for you to obtain your visa. In return for the comfort given to you, you are expected to only respect the set rules and regulations pertaining to the visa process. You will need to cooperate with the officials in-charge in order to ensure that you obtain your visa easily, without any hassles. Ensure that even after you obtain your visa, you comply with all the conditions of the visa given to you. It is important to keep in mind the actions that can lead to the immediate termination of your visa

Also Read: What is a Sponsorship Letter for Visa?

The actions that can lead to the cancellation of your visa are as follows –

The documents submitted by you to the Immigration officials are not authentic or portray false information
If there are any suspicions regarding your possible indulgence in any violent or unlawful activity
If you are found to hold very strong anti-semitic religious or political views when you present yourself in an interview with the official
If you are found to have engaged in any form of employment while on a tourist permit
If you are a part or cause of public nuisance or disruption of harmony
If you are found to have been staying in Maldives longer than your permitted duration of stay

Note: Make sure that you carry your passport and visa with you at all times. You can be checked at any time for the same.

7. Other Visas

Among the Maldives visas for Indians, the tourist visa is the most commonly used one. Though the other visas are not frequently used, the number of applications for work visas and business visas to Maldives follow after the tourist visa. Employment can be found mostly in the tourism sector. It is important to know the requirements of work and business visas as well.

Work Visa for Maldives

A work visa is a permit that is used by Indians who travel to Maldives for work purposes. This visa will be given to Indians for a duration of 15 days from the date of arrival.

Entry requirements for work visa –

A photocopy of your machine-readable (MRZ) passport bio-data page with at least 1 year validity
A valid employment approval that does not exceed 90 days from the date of arrival
Completed Disembarkation / Embarkation Card that is approved by the Maldives Immigration

Documents required for work visa –

Valid passport
Photocopy of the employment approval
Work visa card fee, MVR50
2 Passport-size photographs
Medical health report from a hospital or a clinic that is authorized by the relevant government authority
Work visa submission receipt (IM29)

Business visa

This is the permit to stay in Maldives for a specific duration for business purposes. This visa is different from the work visa because it is granted to Indians who are not employed in Maldives itself, permitted and approved by the concerned Maldivian Government authority, but are only traveling for a period on business. Earlier, this was a manual process. However, in the year 2018, it became an easier, online process. When the business visa gets approved and informed through email, the original of the application and necessary documents must be sent to the Immigration Office at Velana International Airport with the payment of a fee of MVR 750 (INR 3463), at least an hour prior to your arrival. If you are arriving in Maldives from the Gan International Airport, the visa fee can be paid to the Immigration Office there as well.

If you plan on emailing your business visa application, ensure that it is named along with your Indian passport number. Also, recheck all the documents to be attached to the email.

Note: You cannot board a flight to Maldives without the approval of your business visa.

Entry requirements for business visa –

Business visa application form (IM24) – PDF format
A photocopy of your machine-readable (MRZ) passport bio-data page – PDF format
Registration copy – PDF format
2 Passport-size photographs – JPEG format
Supporting documents that include qualification certificates or a letter of experience – PDF format
A photocopy of a valid expatriate medical insurance policy schedule – PDF format
A letter from your sponsor stating your duration of stay in Maldives – PDF format
Visa Application Information Form (IM30), if applicable – PDF format

You are now equipped with all the necessary details on the Maldives visa for Indians. You can now joyously head to the marvel of Maldives, explore its waters, bask on the shores, surf the tides, work, and enjoy the exuberant nightlife of this land.

Go ahead and create memories that you will cherish forever!