All The Different Types Of Maldives Visas For Indian Citizens

The Republic of Maldives is a gorgeous island country located in the Indian Ocean and is a flight away from India. The beautiful atolls comprise coral reefs and sand bars and are home to diverse marine life. This small country has vibrant and diverse Maldivian culture, and there are so many places to visit that you wouldn't want to leave at the end of the trip.

If you want to visit a place for summer, then the Maldives is the place to go. So let us get started with how you can see the islands of Maldives:

The Maldives Tourist Visa is super easy to get, and the process is very straightforward. This Maldives Visa is available to all foreign nationals who wish to travel to the Maldives.

Fortunately, the Indian Government and Maldives Government share excellent political relations because of their similar cultural, ethical, and religious links. This means that a Maldives Visa for Indians is not required before traveling to the Maldives. Indian citizens can get a Maldives visa on arrival, saving you the hassle of the lengthy visa application process. Alternatively, Indians can apply for their visas directly on Atlys hassle-free, to save waiting time at the airport and have their visas ready for arrival.

However, you are not allowed to work (paid or unpaid) or do any business while in the Maldives on a Tourist Visa; if you want to work in the Maldives, you need to get a Maldives Work Visa/Maldives Work Permit. Similarly, if you wish to stay in the country long term, you will have to get a visa that fits your purpose.

As mentioned above, a Maldives visa on arrival is one of the many Maldives visas for Indians. However, several other types of visas are available for your travel to Maldives best suit your needs. They are:

• Maldives Tourist Visa For Indians: This is the Maldives visa on arrival for Indian citizens, and they do not need to get any pre-arrival visa for the Maldives.

• Maldives Business Visa For Indians: This visa is issued online to Indians traveling to the Maldives for business without the intention of getting employed by a Maldivian company.

• Maldives Work Visa For Indians: For this visa, your employer, sponsor, or representative in the Maldives has to get your work permit (Employment Authorization) from the Maldives Immigration Office.

• Maldives Marriage Visa For Indians You need a Maldives marriage visa if you marry a Maldivian national. Your sponsor (fiance) has to sponsor your visa before you travel by applying at the Maldives Immigration Office. You cannot get married or register your marriage in the Maldives without a regular Maldives Tourist Visa.

• Maldives Dependent Visa For Indians: The wife, husband, children, or other dependents of a person already living in the Maldives on other visa types such as a Maldives work permit can apply for this visa from within the country.

For the blog's sake, we will mainly focus on how Indian citizens can get their Maldives Tourist Visa. However, I will briefly discuss other visa types as well.

For Indian nationals, all you need to do to get your own Tourist Visa is fly to the Maldives and get your Maldives Tourist Visa On arrival at the Male International Airport. However, you must satisfy the basic entry requirements and provide valid documents to get immigration clearance upon arrival.

You need to consider a few visa requirements for the Maldives visa on arrival. All Indian travelers can get a Maldives Tourist Visa On Arrival if they provide the necessary travel documents. To receive a Maldives Visa On Arrival for Indians:

• A valid passport
• Passport must have a Machine Readable Zone (MRZ)
• Passport must have at least 1 months of validity
• If you wish to stay longer or extend the visa, the passport must be valid for 6 months
• You must have 3 blank pages in the passport
• Two passport-size photographs
• Proof of hotel reservations.
• Sufficient funds to last for the intended period of stay in the Maldives.
• Confirmed onward/return tickets to your country of residence.
• Traveler Declaration Form which can be filled online
• Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate, if you travel from a Yellow Fever country.

Why Do I Need To Fill Out A Traveler Declaration?

The Maldives Immigration introduced the Traveler Health Declaration to expedite the process of pre-arrival and pre-departure health information under the health requirements of the Maldives. All travelers traveling to and from the Maldives must submit a self-declarative health declaration within 24 hours before traveling.

You must fill in and submit your Traveler Declaration within 72 hours of the flight time. You must submit the form electronically through IMUGA.

All travelers, including tourists, work visas, other visa holders, and Maldivians, must submit the Traveler Health Declaration. The main objective is to mitigate health risks and ease immigration procedures.

The best way to get a Maldives visa for Indians is through Atlys. Indian tourists can save themselves the hassle of waiting in long queues at the airport by using Atlys. However, the can also apply for a Maldives visa on arrival at Male airport.

Indians can get a Maldives visa on arrival at the airport from immigration officials. You will be given a Maldives Tourist Form to fill out with accurate information. The airlines usually have this form available, too, so you can fill it out before landing to save time.

Once the form is completed, you must submit a set of required documents as stipulated above. Then, upon arriving at the international airport in the Maldives, you must go to the immigration counter. Here you must submit your filled-out form and hand in the required documents to the immigration officer. This is followed by a brief interview with the Immigration officer, which involves asking a few basic questions about your travel to the Maldives.

Once the immigration officer is satisfied with the interview and documents you provided, they will stamp the visa on your passport with the arrival date into the Maldives.

A Maldives Tourist Visa On Arrival is free for all Indian tourists. However, there is a visa fee when you extend your Tourist Visa. The Maldives Tourist Visa extension fee is Rufiyaa 750 (approx. INR 3750), and you can stay up to 60 days extra in the Maldives.

Maldives visa for Indians is valid for 30 days for a single entry. However, you will not necessarily get a Maldives visa on arrival for 30 days, as it is up to the Immigration officers at the airport to decide how long you can stay.

In addition, the issuance of a Maldives Tourist Visa ultimately lies with the Immigration officer. As a tourist, you do not have a right to claim a 30-day visa, and the information above is only a guide to help you as much as possible.

The period of stay granted is shown on the endorsement given on the passport. Check your passport for the arrival endorsement and take note of the number of days stay given.

If you exceed your stay on a Maldives tourist visa, officials can give you a fine or even deport you.

Since the Maldives visa on arrival can be obtained at an international airport in the Maldives, there is no processing time involved. You can queue at the immigration counter, wait for your turn, and get the Maldives visa on arrival. The Maldives visa for Indians consists of the processing time of queuing, filling out the necessary paperwork, and getting the passport stamped at the airport.

Fortunately, the Maldives visa on arrival for Indians can be extended in the Maldives. You can extend your Maldives visa on arrival by applying to the Maldives Immigration in Male before your current Tourist Visa expires.

To apply for an extension, you must submit a Visa Extension Application Form at the Immigration Head Office during official working hours. The immigration officer will check whether you have the necessary financial means to cover the extended period of stay.

The maximum time you can stay in the Maldives is 90 days. So, if your current visa is 30 days, you can receive a maximum 60-day extension.

A pre-approved business visa can be renewed for 180 days within a year for Indian citizens.

A Maldives business visa is required by Indian citizens who wish to visit the country for business purposes such as meetings, conferences, seminars, etc. Though Indian citizens can get a visa on arrival for business purposes, they can also get a pre-approved visa.

Documents Required For Maldives Business Visa For Indians

There are several important documents that are required for the business visa. The documents required for a business visa are:

• A duly filled Business visa application form
• Company registration certificate in the Maldives
• Your passport copy
• Copy of the bio-data page of your passport
• Passport size photograph
• Traveler Health Declaration
• Letter of sponsorship from the company inviting you to the Maldives and mentioning the intent, duration of your stay, and your experience in your work field
• Proof of financial support
• A travel or health insurance

Suppose your friends and family will join you during your Maldives stay. In that case, they can get a visa on arrival for Indians with the documents mentioned under Visa on Arrival Required Documents.

How To Apply For Maldives Business Visa For Indians?

Once you have gathered the documents, you can send all the documents in PDF via email to the company in the Maldives. Then, the inviting company in the Maldives can apply for the pre-approval on your behalf with the documents mentioned above.

Once your visa is pre-approved, you can travel to Maldive with approval documents and get your visa at the international airport in the Maldives.

Alternatively, you can apply for the Maldives business visa on the online eFass portal by creating an online account. The processing time of the business visa is 5-10 days.

What Is The Maldives Business Visa Prices For Indians?

The Maldives Business Visa fee is MVR750 for every 3 months you stay in the Maldives and is non-refundable. Once the business visa is approved, the applicant will be asked to pay for it online.

How To Get Maldives Business Visa Extension For Indians?

Similar to the Maldives Visa On Arrival, you must submit a Visa Extension Application Form at the Immigration Head Office. Indians who are non-residents are eligible for a business visa for 90 days within six months. Furthermore, Indians with a valid pre-approved business visa can renew it for 180 days within a year.

On a business visa, you cannot take up any work.

This Maldives Work visa for Indians allows you to stay in the country and take up work or occupation. You can live and work and have your family join you while working in the Maldives.

Before applying for your Maldives work permit, you must apply for a work visa before your arrival in the Maldives. This work visa will be valid for 90 days and you need it to apply for a work permit in the Maldives. Indian citizens can apply for a work visa valid for 90 days on the Ministry of Economic Development's website.

Documents Required For Maldives Work Permit For Indians

After receiving your Maldives Work Visa, valid for 90 days, your employer or agency can apply for a work permit in the Maldives on your behalf. For the work permit application, the following documents:

• A duly filled Maldives work visa application form (IM29)
• A valid Maldives work visa with a validity of ninety (90) days
• A copy of your Maldives work visa
• A valid passport for at least 6 months with the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ)
• Traveler Health Declaration
• Copy of the bio-data page of your passport
• Passport-size photographs
• Letter of sponsorship from the company inviting you to the Maldives, mentioning the intent, duration of your stay, and your experience in your work field
• Proof of financial support
• A medical health report from a certified medical clinic or hospital
• A travel or health insurance
• Yellow fever vaccination certificate

How To Apply For The Maldives Work Permit For Indians

The employers or the agencies registered in the Maldives can apply for a Maldives work visa on your behalf. They can apply on the online system called the Xpat Online System. Your Maldives Work Visa will be processed within 2 to 3 days.

You cannot conduct any work in the Maldives without a valid work visa. Working without a work visa could result in deportation or even being banned from re-entering the country.

If you are married to a Maldivian citizen, you can apply for a Marriage visa in the Maldives. However, your foreign spouse will have to visit the Maldives to be able to register their marriage and apply for a Maldives Marriage Visa.

To travel to the Maldives, your foreign spouse will require the Sponsorship Declaration, which must be submitted via IMUGA, the digital platform for immigration, before traveling to the Maldives.

Documents Required For Maldives Marriage Visa For Indians

After submission of the Sponsorship Declaration, the spouse can travel to the Maldives and get a visa on arrival. They must register their marriage within 30 days of arrival. The spouse must have the following documents to apply for the Maldives marriage visa:

• A duly completed Permit Extension Form (IM23)
• A valid passport of the applicant
• The Marriage Visa application form must be signed and sealed by the Family Court
• Original and copy of Marriage Certificate
• The identity card copy of the Maldivian national
• Passport size photo
• A medical health report from a certified medical clinic or hospital
• A travel or health insurance
• Yellow fever vaccination certificate

How To Apply For Maldives Marriage Visa For Indians

After gathering the documents, the applicant can apply for the Maldive marriage visa online via IMUGA. Once the marriage visa application is processed, they will be notified to submit their passport in person for the visa. Once the visa is attached to the passport, you will have your Maldives Marriage Visa.

Maldives Marriage Visa Prices For Indians

You must pay for the Maldives visa card fee, which is MVR 50.

What Is The Validity Of The Maldives Marriage Visa For Indians?

In the case of a new application, marriage visas are issued for one year. After that, a Marriage Visa extension is granted until the passport's expiration date.

As mentioned earlier, a Maldives dependent visa is for the family members of a person staying in the Maldives on a long-term visa, such as the Maldives work visa. This visa allows that family member to stay in the Maldives during the validity period of the principal applicant's visa.

Documents Required For Maldives Dependent Visa For Indians

The Maldives dependent visa can be applied for within the Maldives since everyone can enter the Maldives on a visa on arrival. The following documents are required for the Maldives visa application:

• A duly completed Permit Extension From (IM23)
• A valid passport for at least 6 months with MRZ
• Passport size photograph
• Traveler health declaration
• Proof of relationship or dependent statuses such as marriage or birth certificate
• Proof of employment in the Maldives by providing a copy of the Maldives work visa, visa card, or employment approval copy
• If it is the mother or father of the Maldives work visa holder, a letter from the embassy explaining the living conditions of the parents is required
• A medical health report from a certified medical clinic or hospital
• Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate

How To Apply For Maldives Dependent Visa For Indians?

This visa can be applied online on the IMUGA portal under the visa section or at the Maldivian embassy in India.

Maldives Dependent Visa Prices For Indians

The Maldives Dependent Visa card fee is MVR50, and the Maldives Dependent Visa fee is MVR750 every 3 months.

You can apply for other Maldives visas for Indians at the embassy. Alternatively, most visas can be applied for online, and more information can be found on Maldives Immigration portal. In India, there are two places where you can apply for a Maldives visa:

The Embassy of the Republic of Maldives, C-31, Anand Niketan, New Delhi, Delhi 110021

Contact No. : 011 4145701

OR

The Consulate of Maldives, Lavanya, TC no. : 16/3176, Kumarapura Pattom Road, Thiruvanthapuram, Kerala 695011.

The chances of a Maldives Visa For Indians cancellation after you get it are slim. However, there is no guarantee that you will obtain your visa. Most importantly, if the immigration officer suspects you of the following activities, your visa can get canceled, or it may not be granted:

• If the immigration officer suspects that your documents are inauthentic or contain false information.
• If you are suspected of having violent or unlawful intentions while in the country.
• If upon an interview by an officer, it is discovered that you hold strong anti-semitic or political views, then you will not be eligible for a Maldives tourist permit.
• If a case of public nuisance or disruption of harmony is registered against you, you may be deported.
• If you overstay your visa without getting an extension

You should remember a few things to have an enjoyable experience in the Maldives. Especially if you are a first-time traveler to the Maldives, there are a few things that you should keep in mind, such as:

• To travel between the islands, you can use domestic flights or speedboats, available at international airports in Velana and Male. You can also use taxis, buses or shuttles to travel around.
• You can book a tour package to enjoy all the activities in the Maldives.
• The best time to visit the Maldives is between November and March.
• The airports in the Maldives are small since they are made on small islands.
• Maldives's currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa.
• Do not drink alcohol, dress, or misbehave outside the resort or the hotel.
• Do not bring anything prohibited or not allowed in the Maldives, such as alcohol, with you.
• Remember to carry your passport and the necessary documents for the trips all the time.
• It would be best if you kept the printouts of your travel itinerary with you.
• You can extend your visa within the Maldives.
• Do not overstay your visa.

Now that you know everything about the Maldives Tourist Visa (and a bit more), you can go live your paradise life! Enjoy the delicious food. Seriously I can't stress this enough; it's super yum.

Happy Traveling!