Entry & Preparation
Maldives Entry Guide 2026: Tourist Visa and Free IMUGA Declaration
Check the official passport, booking and declaration requirements before flying to the Maldives, including rules for children and transit.
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Check eligibility and documents before the flight
The Maldives Immigration tourist visa page, last checked 2026-09-30 (the authority dates its page 2026-09-10), says tourist visas are granted on arrival without advance visa approval, subject to entry clearance. It also states an exception for Israeli passports effective 2025-04-15. A full itinerary does not guarantee entry; immigration officers decide admissibility on arrival.
The same official page lists a machine-readable passport or travel document valid for at least one month; passports with extended validity are not accepted. It also lists a confirmed return journey, a prepaid booking at a registered accommodation facility and sufficient funds, or an immigration-approved sponsorship. Check the next destination's entry rules if your route continues beyond Maldives.
For travellers arriving from or recently passing through a yellow-fever-risk country, the immigration page requires a valid vaccination certificate; children under one year are exempt. Confirm this against your actual route rather than assuming it applies to everyone.
Submit IMUGA on the official portal
The official IMUGA portal says the Traveller Declaration is free and can be filed within 96 hours before the arrival flight time. The immigration entry page describes the window as within 96 hours before arrival. These reference points are worded differently. To stay within both stated windows, submit after both 96-hour thresholds have passed and before departure, then follow any newer instruction shown by the portal or your airline. Do not pay a third-party site to submit the form.
File one declaration per traveller, including every child. Children need their own passports. Save the submission confirmation for check-in and arrival. The public pages reviewed do not establish that a departure declaration is required for this tourist itinerary; check the official portal if your circumstances differ.
Separate transit from entry and island transfers
The immigration page defines transit travellers as people passing through Maldives without immigration clearance. If you enter the country to stay overnight or transfer to a resort, check the applicable entry steps with your airline and Immigration. Confirm your resort's connection separately; a visa-on-arrival rule does not guarantee a same-day seaplane or boat connection. See the transfer guide for the questions to ask the hotel.
Before travel, recheck the Immigration page and IMUGA portal. Entry requirements and portal instructions may change after this 2026-09-30 review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do tourists need to apply for a Maldives visa in advance?
Maldives Immigration says tourists normally receive a visa on arrival without pre-approval, subject to entry requirements and an immigration decision at the port of entry. Check your passport's eligibility before travel.
When and where should I submit IMUGA?
Submit each traveller's declaration for free at the official IMUGA portal within its 96-hour window. The immigration page describes this as before arrival, while the portal says before the arrival flight time; use a time within both windows and verify the portal instructions.
Does a child need a separate declaration?
Yes. Maldives Immigration says each child needs an individual declaration and their own passport.