In this guide6 sections
Indians do not need a visa for the Maldives. You get 30 days free on arrival at Velana International Airport, with no application, no fee and no embassy appointment. It is the simplest entry rule of any destination Indians fly to.
Simple is not the same as automatic. There is one mandatory online form, and there are documents immigration genuinely checks. People are turned around at Velana, and it is almost never the visa that causes it.
The one thing you must do before flying#
The Traveller Declaration, filed on the Maldives Immigration IMUGA portal, is mandatory for everyone entering or leaving the country. Two facts that matter:
- Window: within 96 hours of your flight time. Not earlier. File it three or four days out, not three weeks.
- It is free. Maldives Immigration has publicly warned about sites charging for it. If you are being asked to pay, you are on the wrong page.
You file it once for arrival and again for departure. Do the departure one from your resort — the wifi is better than the airport queue.
The official portal is imuga.immigration.gov.mv. Anything else is a reseller.
What immigration checks on arrival#
The visa is free, so the scrutiny lands on whether you are a genuine visitor:
- Passport valid at least one month beyond your intended stay
- Confirmed accommodation — a resort, hotel or registered guesthouse booking. This is the one that trips people up: the Maldives requires a confirmed booking, and a screenshot of a cancellable reservation is thin cover.
- Return or onward ticket
- Proof of funds, either a card or enough cash for the stay. USD 100 per day plus the ticket is the figure commonly quoted, though there is no published statutory minimum.
Groups are checked individually. Every adult carries their own set.
Resort island or local island#
This decision changes the trip more than the visa does.
Resort islands are one-island-one-resort: private, alcohol served, no local rules to observe, and everything priced in dollars. Transfer is by speedboat or seaplane from Malé and is booked through the resort — seaplanes run in daylight only, so an evening arrival from India can mean an overnight in Malé.
Local islands — Maafushi, Thulusdhoo, Dhigurah and others — are inhabited Maldivian communities. They are a fraction of the cost, reachable by public ferry, and they come with local rules: modest dress away from designated bikini beaches, and no alcohol on the island.
Both are open to Indian tourists on the same free visa.
Extending past 30 days#
The on-arrival visa can be extended up to 90 days through Maldives Immigration, applied for from inside the country before the 30 days lapse. You need continuing accommodation proof and funds. Start it a week early.
What this is not#
The Maldives free visa on arrival covers tourism. It is not a work permit, and it does not cover freelancing for a Maldivian client. Remote work for an employer back home sits in the same grey area it does everywhere; the visa does not address it.
Practical costs#
Item | Cost |
|---|---|
Visa | Free |
Traveller Declaration | Free |
Green tax (levied by accommodation) | Charged in your bill |
Airport transfer, speedboat | From ~USD 25 each way |
Airport transfer, seaplane | From ~USD 250 return |
The visa costs nothing; the transfer is what surprises people. Ask the resort for the transfer price before you book the room, not after.
If you are comparing island destinations, the Maldives sits alongside a handful of genuinely visa-free options in our dated list of visa-free countries for Indians.
Rules verified on 25 July 2026 against Maldives Immigration. The Traveller Declaration requirement and its 96-hour window are set by Immigration and have been in force since 2023.
Frequently asked questions
- Do Indians need a visa for the Maldives?
- No. Indian passport holders get a free 30-day visa on arrival at Velana International Airport, with no application, no fee and no embassy appointment.
- What is IMUGA and when do I file it?
- The Traveller Declaration on the Maldives Immigration IMUGA portal, mandatory for everyone entering and leaving. File it within 96 hours of your flight time — not earlier — and file it again for departure. It is free.
- What does Maldives immigration check on arrival?
- A passport valid at least a month beyond your stay, a confirmed booking at a resort, hotel or registered guesthouse, a return or onward ticket, and proof of funds. The booking is what most refusals turn on.
- Can I extend the 30-day Maldives visa?
- Yes, up to 90 days, applied for from inside the country through Maldives Immigration before the initial 30 days lapse. You need continuing accommodation proof and funds.
- Is a resort island or a local island better?
- Resort islands are private, serve alcohol and price everything in dollars, with speedboat or daylight-only seaplane transfers. Local islands like Maafushi cost a fraction, run on public ferries, and observe local rules on dress and alcohol. Both take the same free visa.