Whether you’re booking a trip to the Maldives or anywhere else in the world, one of the first things you should look into when booking a trip is whether the country requires a tourist visa before you enter the country. With summer coming up, now is the perfect time to look into visa requirements and book your Maldives trip. So, here are the visa and other requirements when you’re booking a trip to the Maldives, and it’s easier than you can imagine!
Visa and Passport Information to Travel to Maldives
One of the best things about booking a trip to the Maldives is that you are not required to apply for a visa prior to your travel. No matter which part of the world you are from, Maldives offers a 30-day visa free of charge on arrival! Although there are a few things you need to receive the on-arrival visa, this makes your trip cheaper and more convenient. In order to ensure your on-arrival visa, travellers need to have:
-  A valid passport with Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) -(standard ICAO Annex 9, chapter 3.10.1)and should have at least 1 month validity
- A return flight ticket, or a flight ticket to another destination, for departure within 30 days of arrival
- Either confirmation of a hotel/resort booking or evidence of sufficient funds to cover your expenses in Maldives. (at least US$100 + US$50 per day demonstrated by cash or bank statement)
But what do you do if you fall in love with the country and want to extend your trip? Maldives is an extremely welcoming country. So, if you take a short trip and want to extend, the country allows for an additional 60 days. You can apply for this extension directly to the Department of Immigration and Emigration. This process, however, needs to be done before the expiration of your on-arrival visa.
Just like any other country, there are some rules for travellers in the Maldives on a tourist Visa. Maldives Immigrations advises travellers on a tourist visa not to undertake any paid or unpaid work or engage in any business activities while in the Maldives. Other than this, it’s really up to you how you want to enjoy your Maldives trip. Book a Maldives resort or explore the islands, it can all be done through your on-arrival visa.
