Maldives visa for UK citizens: 30-day visa on arrival and IMUGA form

No. The Maldives visa for British tourists is granted on arrival and lasts 30 days, with nothing to apply for beforehand. What you must do before flying is complete the free IMUGA traveller declaration, within 96 hours before your flight arrives.

This guide is for travellers leaving the UK on a full British citizen passport, the passport GOV.UK's Maldives advice is written for. It covers the visa on arrival and what immigration checks, the IMUGA declaration, passport and yellow fever rules, how to extend a stay, and the local laws that matter most to visitors.

Neither GOV.UK nor the Maldives Immigration tourist visa page lists a fee for the visa on arrival, and the declaration form is free of charge on the official portal. Holders of another type of British passport should ask the Maldivian High Commission in the UK, as GOV.UK advises, because the advice is not written for them.

A tourist needs no pre-approval, but Maldives Immigration says visitors must still meet the basic entry requirements to be cleared at the airport. Officers decide admissibility on the spot, so keep the documents below within reach rather than in your hold luggage.

Transit is treated differently: Maldives Immigration defines transit travellers as people going on to another country via the Maldives without immigration clearance. If you are staying, even for one night, the conditions above apply to you.

Complete it within 96 hours before your flight arrives in the Maldives. It is a self-declaration form and it is free: Maldives Immigration states that there are no fees for submitting it through the official IMUGA portal.

Every traveller needs their own declaration, children and minors included, and you present the completed form at immigration when you arrive. Start from the Maldives Immigration traveller declaration page, which links to the form.

1. Open the official IMUGA portal at imuga.immigration.gov.mv and start a new declaration.
2. Scan your passport data page, or skip the upload and type the details.
3. Choose the purpose of your visit, such as Holiday, and fill in the remaining steps.
4. Submit one form per traveller, then keep the completed declaration to show at immigration.

Your passport must expire at least one month after the day you arrive, and it must not be damaged. GOV.UK says you will be denied entry without a valid travel document or on a passport reported lost or stolen, and that damaged passports can be stopped by immigration.

Children need their own passport to enter the Maldives, according to Maldives Immigration. British dual nationals must carry a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement when they return to the UK.

For the vaccine recommendations on your route, GOV.UK points to the Maldives guide on TravelHealthPro.

An extension is possible, but only through the IMUGA portal. Maldives Immigration simplified the tourist extension process from 23 April 2026: the system fills in details it already holds, such as passport and accommodation records, and expects to finish applications within 48 hours.

You upload a passport-size photograph taken within the last 12 months, and you can update your hotel details inside the application if you have moved. The announcement gives no fee, so read the portal before you apply, and remember that visa holders must stay within the conditions of the visa granted.

The Maldives has strict rules on what you can bring in or take out, and you must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. GOV.UK also stresses that the Maldives is an Islamic country, where some everyday holiday habits are offences.

Driving is a separate question: GOV.UK says you need both the right international driving permit and your UK licence in the car, and an IDP cannot be bought outside the UK. Our guide to the international driving permit explains which one applies. For safety warnings in full, read the GOV.UK safety and security page for the Maldives.

Three practical points come from GOV.UK's Maldives advice, beyond the visa itself: how your connection could be affected, what medical facilities exist, and which number to call.

If the Maldives is one stop in a longer trip, our guides to the Sri Lanka visa for UK citizens and the Indonesia visa on arrival cover two other Indian Ocean and Asian routes, and the entry requirements hub lists every destination we have checked. More preparation points sit in our travel tips for UK travellers.

• Do I need a visa for the Maldives with a UK passport?

  No visa has to be arranged in advance. British citizens travelling as tourists get a 30-day visa on arrival, and you must complete the free IMUGA traveller declaration within 96 hours before your flight arrives.

• How long can a British citizen stay in the Maldives as a tourist?

  The visa on arrival lasts 30 days. To stay longer, apply for a tourist visa extension on the IMUGA portal, which Maldives Immigration expects to process within 48 hours.

• Is the IMUGA traveller declaration free?

  Yes. Maldives Immigration says it is a self-declaration form with no fee when you submit it on the official IMUGA portal, and it warns against other websites that may charge for it.

• When do I fill in the IMUGA declaration?

  Within 96 hours (4 days) before your flight arrives in the Maldives. Present the completed declaration at immigration when you land.

• Do children need their own declaration and passport?

  Yes to both. Each traveller, children and minors included, submits an individual declaration, and children must have their own passport to enter the Maldives.

• How long must my passport be valid for the Maldives?

  Its expiry date must be at least one month after the day you arrive. It must also be undamaged, with a machine-readable zone.

• Do I need a yellow fever certificate for the Maldives?

  Only if you arrive from, or have recently travelled through, a country listed as a yellow fever transmission risk. Children under one are exempt, according to Maldives Immigration.

• Do I need a hotel booking and a return ticket for the Maldives?

  Maldives Immigration lists a complete itinerary with confirmed return tickets, a prepaid confirmed booking at a registered facility (or an approved sponsorship) and sufficient funds. It adds that a complete itinerary does not guarantee entry.

• Can I work in the Maldives on the visa on arrival?

  No. The visa on arrival is a tourist visa. GOV.UK says that if you intend to work in the Maldives you must get a work visa before you travel.

• Can I bring alcohol into the Maldives?

  No. GOV.UK lists alcohol among the items it is illegal to bring in. Alcoholic drinks are only available on resort islands, and you should not take any out of your resort.