Maldives

MDV

The Maldives is a low-lying Indian Ocean archipelago of some 1,200 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls, with Malé as its capital. The economy is dominated by tourism and fishing; high-end resort islands account for the majority of GDP. The country levies no personal income tax, though a Goods and Services Tax applies to tourism and general commerce.

Naturalisation requires 12 years of lawful residence and conversion to Islam; dual citizenship is not recognised. Foreign freehold land ownership is prohibited, though 99-year leasehold arrangements exist in designated resort zones. Rising sea levels pose an existential long-term threat to the archipelago.

Naturalisation: 12 years
Tax system: No Income Tax
Currency: MVR
Dual citizenship: Not allowed
Capital: Malé
Region: asia
Population: 521,457
Cost-of-living: 55 /100

→ If you hold a Maldives passport, see the Maldives nationality guide

Passport Rank

#61

Visa-Free

destinations

Visa-free travel

A Maldives passport has visa-free access to 84 destinations. See the full Maldives passport breakdown →

Passports that enter Maldives without a prior visa (193)

Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.

Belize+175 more

Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.

2 approved English test centres in Maldives →

Immigrating to Canada from Maldives

Current IRCC processing times for Maldives nationals, by application type.

Visitor visa (outside Canada)	No processing time available
Super visa	No processing time available
Study permit	No processing time available
Work permit	No processing time available
Sponsor a dependent child	No processing time available
Adopted child (citizenship)	Not enough data
Government-assisted refugees	Not enough data
Privately sponsored refugees	sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data

Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.

As of 2026-09-22 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.

Sources & last verified

Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)

Official source

Country Details

Capital: Malé
Currency: MVR
Languages: Dhivehi
Population: 521,457
Tax System: No Income Tax
Dual Citizenship: Not allowed
Naturalisation: 12 years
Schengen / EU: No
Climate: Tropical monsoon; hot and humid year-round with a dry northeast monsoon (Nov–Apr) and a wet southwest monsoon (May–Oct)
English Proficiency Rank: #58
GDP per capita: $14,615
Life expectancy: 81.29 yrs
Population growth: 0.35%/yr

GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).

Indices

Cost of Living

Safety

Healthcare

Quality of Life

108

Tax Summary

Tax System: No Income Tax
Territorial Taxation: No — worldwide income taxed for residents
Naturalisation: 12 years of legal residency
Dual Citizenship: Not allowed

Cost of Living by City

← scroll the table →

Monthly cost of living per major city in USD: rent, groceries, utilities, transit pass
City	Rent 1BR centre	Rent outside	Groceries	Utilities	Transit pass
Malé	—	—	—	—	$30
Hulhumalé	—	—	—	—	$25
Addu City	—	—	—	—	$15

Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.

Climate

Malé

28°J

28°F

29°M

29°A

28°M

28°J

28°A

28°S

28°O

28°N

28°D

Rainfall range: 40–235 mm/month · Daylight 11.7h (winter) to 12.5h (summer)

Visa Categories & Immigration Authority

Major Visa Categories

Tourist Visa on Arrival (30 Days)
Work Visa
Dependent / Family Visa
Investor Visa
Student Visa
Special Visa
Diplomatic / Official Visa
Residence Visa (Long-Term)
Business Visa

Authority: Maldives Immigration
Official Portal: www.immigration.gov.mv
Phone: +960 301 1111
Email: info@immigration.gov.mv

Naturalisation Details

Residence Years
Language Test: Yes (level n/a)
Civic Test: Yes
Oath Required: No
Dual Allowed: No
Fee: $1,000
Processing: ~24 months

Safety

GPI Rank

#85

Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)

Common Risks

⚠Tourist overcharging on speedboat transfers between atolls
⚠Fake tour operators selling non-existent resort packages
⚠Taxi fare inflation in Malé for new arrivals

Regulators & official sources

Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Maldives, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.

Maldives Bar Council

MBC

Regulates legal practitioners in the Maldives. There is no separate immigration-adviser regulator; immigration status is administered by Maldives Immigration and related government portals.

Maldives Bar Council

Sources & last verified

Index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-20.

Official source

Related Guides

Zero and low-tax residencies: the real list

Countries with zero personal income tax, territorial-only taxation, or special expatriate regimes — and what each one actually requires from you to qualify as a resident.

Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave

Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.

Related on The Citizenship Desk

Life logistics

Reference tables

Visa routes

Official visa and residence routes for Maldives, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.

Residence

Resident Visa

Residence

Residence route for a foreign national married to a Maldivian citizen.

Sponsor requiredThe official page lists initial Marriage Visa validity of 1 year and renewals up to 5 years.

Maldives Immigration · reviewed 2026-07-13

Short-term / business

Business Visa

Short-term / business

Business route initiated through the Maldives Business Portal and verified by Maldives Immigration.

Granted for 30 to 90 days at a time, not exceeding 180 days total per calendar year.

Maldives Immigration · reviewed 2026-07-13

Meeting Visa

Short-term / business

Fourteen-day on-arrival visa for eligible meeting, conference or convention visitors.

14 days on arrival; non-extendable.

Maldives Immigration · reviewed 2026-07-13

Work (sponsored)

Work Visa

Work (sponsored)

Digital Maldives work e-Visa for expatriates authorised to reside and work in the Maldives.

Sponsor requiredThe Work e-Visa validity corresponds to the approved Work Permit; renewed Work Visas are issued with a maximum validity of 1 year.

Maldives Immigration · reviewed 2026-07-13

Family

Dependent Visa

Family

Visa for immediate family members of expatriates in professional categories working in the Maldives.

Sponsor requiredDuration depends on the approved dependent visa grant. Confirm the active period in IMUGA.

Maldives Immigration · reviewed 2026-07-13

Marriage Visa

Family

Visa for a foreign national married to a Maldivian to remain in the Maldives.

Sponsor requiredIssued for 1 year for new applications; extensions can be issued for up to 5 years.

Maldives Immigration · reviewed 2026-07-13

Sponsorship Declaration

Family

Pre-arrival sponsorship approval for bringing a foreign national to the Maldives for visiting, dependency or approved reasons.

Sponsor requiredThe sponsored person must arrive in the Maldives within 30 days of approval.

Maldives Immigration · reviewed 2026-07-13

Sources & last verified

Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-12. Each route links to its official government source.

Official source

Sources & last verified

Last verified 2026-06-15