livesabroadExplore destinations
Line drawing of the Maldives: overwater villas, a dhoni boat and the Malé waterfront with the Grand Friday Mosque

Maldives visa for Pakistani passport holders

The Maldives gives Pakistani passport holders a free visa on arrival for up to 30 days. There's nothing to apply for before you go.

What you do need is a confirmed return ticket, a prepaid hotel or resort booking, and the free IMUGA traveller declaration, filled in within 96 hours before your flight.

Immigration at Velana International Airport can ask for all of it, so keep the papers on your phone and on paper.

What to have ready

  • Passport with machine-readable zone, valid at least 1 month
  • Confirmed return or onward ticket
  • Prepaid confirmed booking at a registered tourist facility and sufficient funds (US$100 + US$50 per day, per MFA mission page)
  • IMUGA traveller declaration within 96 hours before travel (free)
  • Yellow fever certificate if arriving from an endemic country

Immigration pages ask for a prepaid hotel AND funds; MFA pages accept hotel OR funds. Carry both.

How to apply

  1. Book a return ticket and a paid hotel

    Pick a resort, hotel or guesthouse registered for tourists, and pay for it in advance.

  2. Fill in the IMUGA declaration

    Do it within 96 hours before your flight. It's free. imuga.immigration.gov.mv ↗

  3. Land at Velana International Airport

    Show your passport, return ticket and hotel booking. The 30-day visa is stamped on the spot.

  4. Fill in IMUGA again before you leave

    The same form is needed for departure, again within 96 hours.

Do this, not that

Do

  • Fill in IMUGA within 96 hours before your flight.
  • Carry the hotel confirmation and return ticket on paper and on your phone.
  • Keep a card or bank statement handy to show you can pay for your stay.
  • Plan your trip inside 30 days unless you're ready to apply for an extension.

Don't

  • Don't fly on a one-way ticket. You'll be asked for the return.
  • Don't turn up with a "pay at hotel" booking. Immigration pages ask for a prepaid one.
  • Don't pay any site for IMUGA. The official form is free.
  • Don't book a guesthouse that isn't registered for tourists.

What people get wrong

You'll hearThe Maldives is visa-free, so you need nothing.

ActuallyYou still get a visa on arrival. It's free, but you need a return ticket, a paid booking and IMUGA.

You'll hearYou must apply for a Maldives visa in Pakistan.

ActuallyThere's nothing to apply for before you go. The visa is issued at the airport.

You'll hearIMUGA is a paid visa application.

ActuallyIt's a free traveller declaration on the immigration website.

You'll hearOnly resort guests are allowed in.

ActuallyRegistered guesthouses on local islands count too, as long as the stay is booked and paid.

What has changed

DateChange
15 April 2025Entry refused on Israeli passports (no change for Pakistanis)

Official links for each entry are in our Maldives entry rule history.

Disclaimer

This guide is for a holiday on an ordinary Pakistani passport, not work or a long stay. Maldives Immigration and the Foreign Ministry word the hotel and money rules differently, so carry proof of both. The officer at Velana International Airport has the final say.

This is general travel information, not legal or immigration advice. We're not linked to the government of Maldives or Pakistan. Seen a newer rule? Report an outdated Maldives rule.

Questions Pakistani travellers ask about Maldives

Is the Maldives visa-free for Pakistan?

You don't need a visa before travel. Pakistanis get a free 30-day visa on arrival at the airport.

What is the Maldives visa fee for Pakistani passport holders?

There is no fee. The visa on arrival and the IMUGA traveller declaration are both free.

What documents do Pakistanis need for the Maldives?

A passport valid for at least one month, a return ticket, a prepaid hotel booking, enough money for your stay, and the IMUGA declaration.

When should I fill in the IMUGA form?

Within 96 hours before your flight to the Maldives. You fill it in again before you leave.

Do Pakistanis need a return ticket for the Maldives?

Yes. Immigration asks for a confirmed return or onward ticket along with your hotel booking.