Maldives Visa on Arrival for Pakistanis 2026: Free 30-Day Entry, IMUGA Form, Taxes & Rules

The Maldives is one of the few genuinely hassle-free destinations for a Pakistani passport. There is no embassy appointment, no sticker visa and no visa fee: a 30-day tourist visa is stamped free on arrival at Velana International Airport (Malé). But “visa on arrival” does not mean “turn up with nothing”. Maldives Immigration has a mandatory online Traveller Declaration (IMUGA), strict rules on confirmed bookings, and a set of taxes that quietly add to the cost of a trip. This guide covers what Pakistani travellers need to know in 2026.

How the visa on arrival works

According to Maldives Immigration, tourists of all nationalities are granted a visa on arrival and “do not require pre-approval”. The visa is issued for 30 days. There is no application form to file in Pakistan and no fee is charged at the counter. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan also confirms visa-on-arrival access for Pakistani citizens.

What Immigration does require is that you satisfy the basic entry conditions at the border. The officer can refuse entry if your paperwork is incomplete, so treat the list below as compulsory, not optional.

Entry requirements you must meet

Maldives Immigration’s official tourist-visa page (updated September 2026) lists the following:

• Machine-readable passport with at least 1 month’s validity (many airlines still insist on 6 months, so keep 6 months to be safe)
• Confirmed return or onward ticket
• A prepaid, confirmed booking at a registered resort, hotel or guesthouse
• Sufficient funds for the stay (a bank card is normally enough), or an Immigration-approved sponsorship
• Completed IMUGA Traveller Declaration submitted within 96 hours before arrival
• Own passport for every child, plus their own IMUGA declaration

Two points catch Pakistani families out. First, passports with an “extended validity” endorsement are not accepted. Second, every traveller, including infants, must have an individual passport and an individual declaration; a child endorsed on a parent’s passport will not be admitted.

The IMUGA Traveller Declaration

IMUGA is a free online form at imuga.immigration.gov.mv. You enter passport details, flight number and accommodation address, then receive a QR code by email. Show that QR code at the immigration counter in Malé. It takes around ten minutes and there is no approval wait, but it can only be submitted in the 96-hour window before arrival, so do it after your ticket is issued, not weeks in advance. Some airlines check for the QR code at check-in in Pakistan, so have it saved on your phone before you reach the airport.

The hidden costs: taxes and fees

The visa is free, but the Maldives has raised nearly every tourism charge since late 2024, and these are where a “cheap” trip becomes expensive:

Departure tax and Airport Development Fee. From 1 December 2024, non-Maldivian economy passengers pay USD 50 departure tax plus USD 50 airport development fee; business class is USD 120 each and first class USD 240 each. These are built into your air ticket, which is why Malé fares look higher than the base price suggests.

Green Tax. Charged per person per night by your accommodation: USD 12 at resorts, resort hotels and liveaboards, and USD 6 at guesthouses on inhabited islands with 50 rooms or fewer. Children under two are exempt; everyone else pays. A family of four spending seven nights at a resort pays USD 336 in Green Tax alone.

TGST and service charge. Tourism GST is 17% on accommodation, food and activities, and most resorts add a 10% service charge on top. Always ask whether a quoted rate is “net” or “plus taxes”.

Practical advice for Pakistani travellers

There are no direct flights from Pakistan; most travellers route via Colombo, Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi. Check the transit rules of the connecting airport, especially if a long layover would require leaving the airport. Carry printed copies of your resort confirmation and return ticket; immigration officers in Malé do ask for them. Alcohol, pork products and religious material for distribution are prohibited imports. Public displays of affection and bikinis are restricted on inhabited islands (resorts are exempt), so pack accordingly if you are staying at a guesthouse. Finally, the immigration page notes that a complete itinerary “does not guarantee entry”: admissibility is decided at the border, so travel with clean documentation and a clear purpose.

Quick answers

Do Pakistanis need to apply for a Maldives visa in advance? No. A free 30-day tourist visa is granted on arrival. Only the IMUGA declaration is done online beforehand.

Is IMUGA a visa? No, it is a travel declaration. It costs nothing and is mandatory for every traveller, including children.

Can I stay longer than 30 days? You may apply for an extension through IMUGA, but approval is not automatic and overstaying carries fines and future entry problems.

Do I need a hotel booking? Yes, a prepaid confirmed booking at a registered facility is an entry requirement, not a suggestion.

How much are the airport taxes? USD 100 combined (departure tax plus airport development fee) for economy class, already included in your ticket.

Visa rules, taxes and fees change frequently. Confirm the latest requirements with Maldives Immigration (immigration.gov.mv), MIRA and your airline before you travel.