Maldives visa & passport guide
Everything Indian passport holders need to visit Maldives — visa type, fees, processing time, documents, and the step-by-step application process.
Maldives Visa for Indian Passport Holders
Indian passport holders do not need a visa in advance for the Maldives. A free 30-day tourist visa is stamped on arrival at Velana International Airport (Male) for all nationalities, including Indians, provided you have a confirmed hotel or guesthouse booking, a return ticket and sufficient funds. You must also complete the online Traveller Declaration (IMUGA) within 96 hours before departure.
Visa Type
Visa on arrival (free, 30 days) - no prior application needed
Visa Fee
Free. There is no visa fee for the 30-day tourist stamp. Extensions beyond 30 days cost around MVR 750 (roughly Rs 4,000) paid to Maldives Immigration.
Processing Time
On arrival, usually a few minutes at the immigration counter
Stay Duration
30 days per visit, extendable up to 90 days in total by applying to Maldives Immigration before the initial 30 days expire
Passport Validity
At least 1 month validity beyond arrival date as per Maldives rules, but most Indian airlines and agents insist on 6 months validity plus 2 blank pages. Keep 6 months to be safe.
Documents Required
- Original Indian passport with adequate validity
- Confirmed return or onward air ticket
- Confirmed hotel, resort, guesthouse or liveaboard booking for the full stay (must be a registered property)
- Traveller Declaration (IMUGA) form submitted online within 96 hours before arrival, QR code saved on phone
- Proof of sufficient funds: roughly USD 100 plus USD 50 per day if you have no prepaid hotel booking, shown as cash or an international credit card
- Contact number and address in Maldives
How to Apply
- 1Book flights (direct services run from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to Male) and confirm your resort or guesthouse booking.
- 2Within 96 hours before departure, fill the Traveller Declaration on the IMUGA portal (imuga.immigration.gov.mv) and save the QR code.
- 3Carry printed copies of your hotel voucher, return ticket and an international debit or credit card for funds proof.
- 4On landing at Velana International Airport, show your passport, QR code and hotel voucher at the immigration counter and receive the free 30-day stamp.
- 5If your resort is on another island, proceed to the seaplane or speedboat counter arranged by your hotel. Domestic transfers are usually pre-booked by the resort.
- 6To extend your stay, apply through Maldives Immigration with your hotel's support at least 3 days before the 30-day period ends.
Good to Know
- The Maldives has no e-visa system. Ignore websites charging a 'Maldives visa fee' in advance, there is nothing to pay before travel.
- Immigration can ask to see the actual hotel booking. Backpacking without a confirmed registered accommodation is the most common reason Indians get questioned or denied entry.
- Alcohol, pork products, religious idols for public display, and e-cigarettes/vapes are restricted. Vaping devices are banned and get confiscated at the airport. Alcohol bought at Indian duty free will be seized on arrival and returned when you depart.
- If you are staying at a local island guesthouse (Maafushi, Thulusdhoo, Dhigurah, Fulidhoo), respect local rules: bikinis only on designated 'bikini beaches', modest clothing elsewhere. Resort islands have no such restriction.
- There is a departure fee already built into your air ticket, plus a Green Tax charged by hotels (about USD 6 per person per night at guesthouses and USD 12 at resorts), so budget for it separately from the room rate.
- Carry USD cash for tips and small purchases. Indian rupees are not widely accepted, though most resorts take Indian credit and debit cards.
- Best weather is December to April (dry season, 28-31 C). May to November is the wet season with lower package prices, useful if you want a cheaper trip.
- Take travel insurance covering seaplane transfers and water sports. Medical evacuation from a remote atoll is expensive.
Visa rules and fees change — verify with the official embassy or immigration website before booking travel.
