Maldives visa on arrival for citizens of Japan: conditions and fees 2026
A visa is required for the Maldives, and citizens of Japan 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 Japan
Japanese nationals do not need a visa in advance: a tourist visa is issued free on arrival in the Maldives. You must, however, complete the IMUGA traveller declaration online before travel.
For a stay in the atolls and resorts of the Maldives, Japanese travellers benefit from a visa on arrival granted to all nationalities. No embassy visit is required. The only prior formality is the electronic IMUGA traveller declaration, completed in the days before arrival and before departure.
Do you need a visa?
No visa to obtain in advance: Japanese passport holders receive a tourist visa on arrival in the Maldives, valid for a short stay. Your passport should remain valid for at least six months beyond your intended date of entry. Proof of accommodation and sufficient funds may be requested at the border.
How much does a visa for the Maldives cost from Japan?
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 Japanese passport valid six months beyond entry, an accommodation booking (resort, hotel or guesthouse), a return or onward ticket, and evidence of funds. Any fee is not confirmed here: refer to the official IMUGA portal for the current details.
How to apply for a visa for the Maldives from Japan
- 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
There is no online visa application, but a mandatory traveller declaration must be completed on the official IMUGA portal, imuga.immigration.gov.mv, within the window before your arrival (and again before departure). The visa itself is issued by immigration officers at Malé airport, on presentation of your passport and supporting documents.
Where do you apply for a visa for the Maldives from Japan?
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 Japan on another passport?
The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in Japan 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
Complete the IMUGA declaration within the official window before arrival to avoid problems at check-in or the border. Keep the confirmation (QR code) on your phone. Travel insurance and the exact address of your accommodation help you clear immigration smoothly.
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
Common mistakes are forgetting or filling in the IMUGA declaration too late, arriving without a confirmed accommodation booking, and presenting a passport with less than six months' validity. Check these three points before departure.
Plan your trip
Nomad Insurance travel cover (SafetyWing)
Medical cover and repatriation, can be taken out mid-trip.
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eSIM data (Saily)
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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
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
Tips for extending your stay in the Maldives
- Check entry and extension conditions before traveling.
- Ensure your passport is valid for at least one month after your arrival.
To extend your stay, you must go to the local immigration office before the end of your initial stay.
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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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