Quick answer
Indians do not need to apply for a visa before going to the Maldives: Maldives Immigration grants the tourist visa on arrival, with no pre-approval. You need a machine-readable passport valid for at least one month, a confirmed return ticket, a prepaid booking at a registered hotel or resort, and enough funds for your stay. Every traveller, including children, must submit the free IMUGA Traveller Declaration online within 96 hours before arrival.
Maldives visa for Indians at a glance
| Visa needed before travel? | No. The tourist visa is granted on arrival, with no pre-approval.1 |
|---|---|
| Stay and fee | Up to 30 days, free of charge2 |
| Passport | Machine-readable passport with at least 1 month validity1 |
| Must show on arrival | Confirmed return ticket, prepaid confirmed booking at a registered facility, and enough funds for the stay1 |
| Online form | IMUGA Traveller Declaration, free, within 96 hours before arrival3 |
Visa options for Indian passport holders
Tourist visa on arrival12
- Who can use it
- All foreigners travelling as tourists, including Indian passport holders
- Stay
- Up to 30 days
- Fee
- Free
- Processing time
- Decided at the port of entry by immigration officers
- Where to apply
- On arrival in the Maldives. No advance application.
- Good to know
- Each traveller must first submit the free IMUGA Traveller Declaration at imuga.immigration.gov.mv.
Documents to prepare
- Passport with a machine-readable zone (MRZ) and at least 1 month validity. Passports with an extended validity are not accepted.1
- Confirmed return (or onward) ticket.1
- Prepaid confirmed booking at a registered hotel, resort or guest house.1
- Enough money to cover your stay.1
- You must meet the entry rules of your next destination, including any visa you need there.1
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from, or recently travelled through, a country with yellow fever risk. Children under 1 year are exempt.1
- Children must have their own passport.1
Before you fly and on arrival
- Fill in the IMUGA Traveller Declaration online at imuga.immigration.gov.mv up to 96 hours (4 days) before arrival. It is free.13
- Every traveller, including children, needs their own declaration.1
- Use only the official IMUGA portal. Websites or agents charging a fee for the declaration are not official.43
- Having all documents does not guarantee entry. Immigration officers decide at the port of entry.1
Applying from Kerala
- Nothing to apply for in advance from Kerala. Book a return ticket and a prepaid stay, fill in the free IMUGA declaration within 96 hours before your flight, and get the visa on arrival.13
How Albah Holidays can help
- The tourist visa is given on arrival — we book the prepaid resort or guesthouse stay you must show, and help you file the free IMUGA declaration.
- Our Maldives package covers the resort, transfers and flights on request.
- Flights from Calicut, Kannur or Kochi, hotels and travel insurance — booked together with us.
- Send your passport copy and travel dates on WhatsApp, or visit our office in Eranhipalam, Kozhikode.
- Flights to Maldives from Calicut, Kannur or Kochi, booked with your visa so the dates line up and the name on the ticket matches the passport.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for the Maldives?
Not in advance. Tourists get a free visa on arrival for up to 30 days, if they meet the entry requirements.12
What is IMUGA and is it compulsory?
It is the Maldives Immigration online Traveller Declaration. Every traveller, including children, must submit it within 96 hours before arrival. It is free.13
How long must my passport be valid?
At least 1 month, and it must be machine-readable.1
Do I need a hotel booking?
Yes. You need a prepaid confirmed booking at a registered facility, a return ticket and enough funds.1
Can my child travel on my passport?
No. Children must have their own passport and their own IMUGA declaration.1
Official sources
- Tourist Visa - On Arrival — Maldives Immigration. Page updated 2026-09-10; checked 24 September 2026.
- Maldives Visa — Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives. checked 24 September 2026.
- Traveller Declaration (IMUGA portal) — Maldives Immigration. checked 24 September 2026.
- Traveller Declaration — Maldives Immigration. Page updated 2026-08-17; checked 24 September 2026.
Rules, fees and processing times can change without notice. Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources above on 24 September 2026. Confirm before you travel — we recheck the current rules for every application we handle.