Maldives visa on arrival for citizens of the United Arab Emirates: conditions and fees 2026
A visa is required for the Maldives, and citizens of the United Arab Emirates can obtain it on arrival.
Data updated on
Mandatory arrival form: Traveller Declaration (IMUGA). Within 96 hours before arrival. Free: beware of websites that charge for it.
Fill it in on the official website (imuga.immigration.gov.mv)
Indicative information: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before booking. Our methodology · Official portal
Processing time
On arrival
Our guide to the Maldives visa from the United Arab Emirates
Travellers departing from the United Arab Emirates do not need to arrange a visa in advance for the Maldives: a tourist visa is issued on arrival. However, the IMUGA online declaration must be completed before travel.
The Maldives grants a tourist visa on arrival to visitors, including those departing from the United Arab Emirates. The key formality is done beforehand: the IMUGA Traveller Declaration, completed online on the official immigration portal shortly before departure. The passport must remain valid for at least six months.
Do you need a visa?
No visa to obtain in advance in the classic sense: travellers departing from the United Arab Emirates receive a tourist visa on arrival in the Maldives. However, you must have completed the IMUGA online declaration before travelling. An e-Visa/e-VOA filled in online in advance is recommended to smooth your passage through Malé airport.
How much does a visa for the Maldives cost from the United Arab Emirates?
The official fee for a visa for the Maldives is not published in a source we can verify. Check the amount on the official portal before paying anything, third-party sites often add service fees on top.
What does a visa for the Maldives really cost?
- Government feeNot published in a source we can verify
- Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top
What documents are required for a visa for the Maldives?
The exact list for the Maldives is not published in a source we can verify. Every short-stay tourist application is nonetheless built on the same core:
- Valid passport
- Completed application form
- Compliant passport photo
- Proof of accommodation
- Return or onward ticket
- Proof of sufficient funds
Treat this as the common core, not the official list, confirm it with the consular authorities of the Maldives before you apply.
Documents and fees
Prepare a passport valid for at least six months, an onward or return ticket, a confirmed hotel booking and sufficient means of support. Any fee for the process is shown on the official portal: check it there, as conditions may change. Also verify any health requirements based on your route.
How to apply for a visa for the Maldives from the United Arab Emirates
- 1Check before departure that your entry point actually issues the visa on arrival.
- 2Prepare the supporting documents and the fee, often required in cash.
- 3Complete the form at the dedicated counter after landing.
- 4Pay the fee and collect the sticker before immigration control.
How and where to apply
From the UAE, the process is online on the official portal imuga.immigration.gov.mv: you complete the Traveller Declaration within the permitted window before arrival. You receive a confirmation to present at immigration. The visa itself is then granted on arrival; no consular appointment is required.
Where do you apply for a visa for the Maldives from the United Arab Emirates?
A visa on arrival for the Maldives is issued at the border post itself, at a counter placed before immigration control.
- Not every crossing issues it. Confirm that your specific airport or land border does before you book.
- The counter is reached after landing and before immigration. Follow the visa signs rather than the exit.
- The fee is usually paid on the spot, sometimes in cash and in a specific currency. Card is not guaranteed.
You live in the United Arab Emirates on another passport?
The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in the United Arab Emirates but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.
Pick your nationality to see the rule
How long does a visa for the Maldives take?
A visa on arrival is issued at the counter of the entry point when you cross the border: there is no processing time to plan for before departure.
Processing and tips
The IMUGA declaration must be submitted within the set window before arrival (usually only a few days beforehand). Complete it without leaving it to the last minute and keep the confirmation, both printed and digital. Make sure your accommodation booking is confirmed, as it may be checked on entry.
Before you fly, and at the border
Passport validity, border checks, minors, overstays: the rules common to every trip are gathered on our travel tips page. Formalities before you leave
Common mistakes
The most common pitfalls: forgetting the IMUGA declaration or completing it outside the permitted window, going through an unofficial intermediary site, or arriving without proof of accommodation or a return ticket. Make sure the name entered matches the passport exactly and check the conditions on the official source.
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Other visa types for Maldives
A tourist stay is not the only purpose. These are the other permits the destination issues and that your nationality is eligible for, each with its own fee and processing time.
Official sources
Other references
Guide generated automatically on July 26, 2026, from the verified catalogue.
Short-stay (tourism)
Visa on arrival
Entry regime
Visa on arrival
Price
Free
Official websiteVerified
Business visa
Consular visa
Duration
90 days
Price
750 MVR
Processing time
15 business days
Official websiteVerified
Work visa
Work visa
Duration
1 year (renewable)
Price
750 MVR
Processing time
30 business days
Official websiteVerified
Family Reunification
Family reunification
Duration
1 year
Price
800 MVR
Processing time
30 business days
Official websiteVerified
Student visa
Student visa
Duration
Duration of programme
Processing time
20 business days
Official websiteVerified
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Indicative information, drawn from official sources and Wikipedia, and updated automatically. Rules change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before booking. Our methodology · Official portal
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