Find visa optionsFind visas
Menu

Maldives · Relocation guide

Moving to the Maldives: a practical relocation guide

Maldives work immigration is now digital: a new expatriate arrives on a valid Entry Pass and the employer must obtain the Work e-Visa through Xpat within 15 days. Work, marriage, resident and dependant visas remain separate.

Content updated 12 September 2026. Individual source-check dates are listed below.

Use the correct sponsor and visa

A Work e-Visa authorises residence and employment and is tied directly to the approved Work Permit. Marriage, resident and dependant visas have different sponsors and do not automatically grant ordinary employment.

Since 23 November 2025 passport work-visa stickers are no longer valid; only the approved e-Visa is recognised, except a new arrival entering on a valid Entry Pass.

Use the correct sponsor and visa
PlanRoute to examineBoundary
EmploymentWork VisaEmployer obtains Work Permit, Entry Pass and Work e-Visa.
Join workerDependent VisaSeparate dependant permission; verify work rights.
Marriage to MaldivianMarriage VisaUse the marriage process, not an employment workaround.

Meet the 15-day e-Visa deadline

The employer or authorised representative must obtain the Work e-Visa through Xpat within 15 days of arrival on the valid Entry Pass. Obtain the approved digital visa, not merely a submission screenshot.

Ensure the e-Visa matches the current passport before entry or departure; Immigration warns that discrepancies trigger verification and possible passport retention.

Make island and housing terms explicit

Employment, accommodation and transport can all be resort- or island-linked. Get the occupied island, room, meals, family occupancy, transfers and end-of-employment departure terms in writing.

A change of employer or island can affect the work permit and visa. Do not move or start a new role until Xpat records and permission are correct.

Plan medical evacuation and tax

Outer-island medical capability is limited. Confirm employer insurance, evacuation to Male or abroad, and dependant access before cancelling other cover.

Register with the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority as required and separate payroll withholding from tax residence and foreign income.

Coordinate dependants, school and banking

Each dependant needs their own approved visa and housing plan. Confirm school availability on the actual island before moving children.

Banks apply identity, e-Visa, address, tax-residence and source-of-funds checks. Ensure salary and emergency funds remain accessible across islands.

Keep Work Permit fees, visa and passport current

Work e-Visa validity follows the Work Permit; renewed work visas are issued for up to one year, and expired Work Permit fees invalidate the visa record. Calendar employer action early.

Update passport data before travel and complete formal cancellation or transfer when employment ends.

Your moving checklist

Tick off the tasks that apply to you. The timing is a planning order, not a substitute for the deadlines on your permission or an official instruction.

0 of 12 tasks completed

Before you move
On arrival
Your first month
Later and before renewal

Sources and checks

The linked authorities set the rules. VisaAtlas explains how the steps fit together; planning suggestions are not a decision on your immigration status, tax residence or entitlement to services.

Plan your next step