Maldives Work Visa for Indians

Any Indian seeking to stay and work in Maldives for professional growth must possess a valid Maldives work visa for Indian citizens. Here are the general eligibility requirements to apply via the Maldives work visa process.

• The applicant must have a valid passport with at least 1-year validity.

• The applicant’s passport must also be in a machine-readable zone (MRZ).

• The applicant must be at least 18 years old.

• The applicant must have a valid Employment Approval and work permit issued by the Permits and Foreign Employment Department (PFED), Maldives, valid for 90 days from the date of arrival.

• The applicant must present the same passport on arrival that was provided at the time of the Employment Approval application.

• The applicant must have the necessary Embarkation/Disembarkation card approved by the Maldives Immigration Department.

• These are the few general Maldives work visa requirements for Indian citizens. However, specific additional requirements apply based on the type of work visa you apply for from India.

To apply for a Maldives work visa for Indian citizens, you require an Employment Approval (EA). The Maldives employer who wishes to invite you to work in the island country is thus responsible for applying for an EA on your behalf.

Here are the key requirements the employer must fulfil.

Apply for EA - The first requirement is to apply for an EA on the applicant's behalf.

• For this, the employer needs to apply for an EA (Employment Approval) by submitting an application to the Permits and Foreign Employment Division (PFED) of Maldives Immigration. The EA is an on-paper permission letter to appoint foreigners.

• The processes involved for an EA include an Online Preliminary Check, Thorough Verification, and Final Approval.

• Once the EA is approved, the employer must apply for a work permit via the Xpat Online System, introduced in November 2019. The Ministry of Economic Development, Maldives and Maldives Immigration evaluate and approve/reject the application.

Outline Job Details - The employer must submit detailed information regarding the job profile, roles and responsibilities, company details, duration of employment, and other necessary details for the work permit application.

Submit Correct Documentation - The employer is also responsible for submitting the correct documents on behalf of the applicant (employee) to the Ministry of Economic Development, Maldives. The list includes -

• Employee passport

• Work permit copy

• Passport-size photograph

IM29 - Submission receipt of the work visa application

Health screening report from an entity authorised by the Maldives Government.

For Indians, only 1 type of work visa is available for the Maldives. However, other visa categories are available for short-term unpaid employment-oriented business trips and meetings or conferences.

Let us look at each of them below.

Work Visa

Any Indian wanting to work in Maldives must get the necessary work permit from the Ministry of Economic Development, Maldives. Upon the approval of a work permit, the employee can apply for a work visa at the Maldives Immigration Department.

However, to get a work permit, the employer must first apply for Employment Approval on the employee’s behalf. The EA application can be submitted for one of the three categories mentioned below.

After receiving the work permit approval, the employer must pay the applicable work permit fee. Then, the applicant can submit an online application form for a work visa and, upon approval, travel to Maldives for employment.

Business and Meeting Visas

Business and meeting visas are short-term visit visas for Indian nationals wanting to visit Maldives for a particular purpose. The list can include attending a conference, chairing a meeting, participating in a work-related seminar, on-the-job training, etc.

The applicant can choose between these two visa categories based on the duration of the trip and its purpose and fulfil the necessary visa documentation requirements.

An important point to remember when applying for either of these visa categories is that none of these visas allow Indian nationals to indulge in paid employment opportunities. For paid work, applicants must submit a work visa application after receiving the work permit from the Ministry of Economic Development and Maldives Immigration Department.

• Copy of the work permit.

• Copy of the Employment Approval.

• Letter of employment from the Maldives employer.

• Applicant’s machine readable passport with a validity of at least 1 year from the date of arrival.

• A clear scanned copy of each of the old passports, if any.

• A recent clear passport-size photograph as per the photo standards of the Maldives Immigration Department.

• Traveler Health Declaration online submission via IMUGA. This form must be submitted within 96 hours of the flight arrival time.

• Submission receipt of the IM29 Form from the Online Xpat System application.

• Submission of IM30 Form - Maldives Immigration Visa Applicant Information (responsibility of the employer).

• A medical health screening report from a government-authorised clinic or hospital.

• Embarkation/ Disembarkation Card.

Additional Maldives Work Visa Requirements for Indian Citizens

• If the applicant falls under the domestic EA category -

• Police report to attest no previous criminal activity in India

• Copy of the applicant’s driving licence

• Other medical reports and certificates

• Duly signed letter from the homeowner hiring the foreign national.

• For the commercial EA category for managerial or professional roles -

• MQA Level 5 Certificate, along with

• Proof of a minimum of 5 years of experience in the relevant job field

• Experience letters from previous employers

• MQA Level 7 Certificate in the applicable employment field

Step 1- The employer needs to apply for Employment Approval and a work permit on behalf of the Indian employee (applicant).

Step 2- After approval of the work permit application, the employer needs to make the necessary work permit application fee using the Online Xpat System.

Step 3- The applicant can apply for a work visa using the online visa application form on the IMUGA portal.

To apply, you must first register with your email address and other information.

Once done, you will be redirected to the homepage.

Here, you must select “Visa Services”, fill up the necessary application form and make the application payment to proceed.

Step 4- Next, you need to book an appointment for passport submission for visa stamping at the High Commission of Maldives in New Delhi.

Step 5- Once your passport is stamped, collect your passport.

Step 6- Submit the Traveler Health Declaration form online using the IMUGA portal within 96 hours of the flight's arrival time.

Step 7- You are all set to go to Maldives for employment.

Note: The information for visa fees is taken at 7:58 pm on 11 April 2024. This is subject to change, so always check the official website for updated fees.

The processing time for work permit applications after submission is approximately 48 hours since the availability of the Online Xpat System. After the application is processed within 48 hours, the applicant books an online appointment.

Then, the processing time for a work visa for the applicant is approximately 3 days (excluding public holidays and weekends).

Once you land in the Maldives, go straight to the Immigration Department and submit all the necessary documents for your Maldives work visa. The documents are a copy of the work permit and employment approval, the original passport, and the work visa application form. .

• After getting through the Immigration Department, you need to submit the Traveler Health Declaration on priority. You must do so using the IMUGA portal.

• When you reach the Maldives, the next thing to check off your to-do list is to submit the work permit medical report from any of the authorised clinics/ hospitals. All Indians entering the country on a work permit must complete this procedure within 15 days of arrival.

• Buy a local SIM to update your contact details for the employer and the locals of Maldives.

• You must also open a bank account using your new Maldives mobile number at one of the local banks in the Maldives for day-to-day expenses and salary payments. You will be required to submit or provide other documents as proof to open the bank account.

• Your employer might also have specific employment regulations, such as employee registration with the Maldives Government. Thus, check with your employer and fulfil these requirements to avoid any gaps or issues during your employment tenure.

• Even though the English language is common in the Maldives, you might need to learn some basic Dhivehi while you are there to communicate with the locals and team members easily.

Insufficient or Incomplete Documents - One of the primary reasons for a work visa application rejection is the submission of incomplete or incorrect documents with either the work visa or work permit application.

Potential issues under this category can include incorrect language on the submitted documents, information gaps in application forms and documents, applicant’s photograph not meeting the standard requirements, etc.

Employer Gaps- The Ministry of Economic Development, Maldives, prioritises Maldivian citizens for employment opportunities before foreign nationals. Thus, it can reject certain Employment Approval applications or work permits based on the job roles and qualifications mentioned by the employer.

This commonly happens when the Ministry of Economic Development, Maldives, believes Maldivian citizens can efficiently fulfil the required job or position.

Medical Issues - One of the key requirements for any Indian entering the Maldives with a work permit is submitting a medical report from a government-authorised hospital or clinic. If the medical report indicates any adverse health issue, the Maldives Immigration Department can reject the visa application, even after the initial approval.

Incomplete Payment- The employer is required to pay the work permit fee on behalf of the employee (applicant). This can be done within 90 days after the approval from the Ministry of Economic Development, Maldives.

However, in case the employer fails to meet this deadline, the work permit application can be rejected, resulting in immediate visa application rejection.

Criminal History- It is the applicant's job to provide correct documents with complete transparency. However, if the applicant has a criminal record, especially related to the work permit or EA category applied for, the application can be rejected instantly.

• In addition to securing your work permit and submitting the work visa application to obtain a Maldives work visa for Indian citizens, you must also be well-prepared for emergencies and unforeseen circumstances that can arise during your trip to this island country.

• A valid overseas travel insurance policy is not mandatory for any type of Maldives visa for Indians. However, given the unpredictability of incidents that can occur before or during your trip to Maldives, investing in a travel insurance policy is highly recommended.

• Choosing Tata AIG travel insurance for your trip to Maldives will provide you with extensive coverage for a wide range of situations. The list includes financial assistance for flight delays and cancellations, loss or damage of baggage and personal belongings, medical emergencies, personal and third-party liabilities, and much more.

• Moreover, for added convenience, our travel insurance policy comes with an automatic 7-day extension in situations where your trip is delayed, or your stay has to be extended due to unforeseen circumstances. Thus, choose from a wide range of travel insurance plans and secure your Maldives trip with Tata AIG.