Maldives Traveller Declaration IMUGA arrival & departure form

Maldives Immigration · IMUGA

Maldives Traveller Declaration

Every traveller flying into or out of the Maldives must submit the IMUGA Traveller Declaration within the 96 hours before departure — residents, tourists, children and babies included.

  • Arrival and departure forms handled
  • Reviewed by a person before submission
  • QR code delivered to your inbox
Start my declaration How it works

Three steps, a few minutes

  1. Step 1 Send us your details Fill in one simple form with your passport, flight and accommodation information.
  2. Step 2 We check and submit Our team reviews every field against your passport before filing it on the IMUGA portal.
  3. Step 3 Receive your QR code Your confirmation and QR code arrive by email, ready for check-in and immigration.
Start my declaration

The declaration at a glance

96 hours
The window to submit before each flight
2 forms
One for arrival, one for departure
30 days
Free visa on arrival for most nationalities
1 QR
Per traveller, per journey

What the Maldives Traveller Declaration is, and why it matters

The Maldives Traveller Declaration is the mandatory immigration form that Maldives Immigration requires from every person crossing the country's border. It is submitted electronically through the IMUGA portal and replaces the paper card that travellers used to complete on board or at the counter.

Who has to submit it

The rule has no exceptions worth counting on. Foreign tourists, Maldivian nationals returning home, resident permit holders, work visa holders and children of any age all need a declaration in their own name. A family of four submits four declarations, even if one adult files them all from a single account.

The 96-hour window

A declaration can only be submitted within the 96 hours — four days — before the flight it refers to. Submit it earlier and the portal will reject the dates; leave it to the airport and you are relying on airport wifi, a charged phone and a queue that will not wait for you.

Because the window is tied to each individual flight, most trips need two separate declarations: one for the arrival into Velana International Airport and a second one, filed later during the holiday, for the departure.

What you need to have ready

  • Passport valid for at least six months, with the number and expiry date exactly as printed.
  • Flight details for the sector that actually enters or leaves the Maldives — not your connecting flight.
  • Confirmed accommodation: resort, hotel, guesthouse or liveaboard safari boat.
  • A working email address, since the QR code is delivered there.
  • Health information requested in the declaration's final section.

The QR code

Once the declaration is accepted you receive a QR code by email. Airline staff often ask for it at check-in before they will issue a boarding pass, and immigration officers scan it on arrival at Velana. Save it offline — as a screenshot, a PDF or a printout — because mobile data in the atolls is not something to gamble on.

It is not a visa

The declaration records information; it does not grant entry. Most nationalities receive a free 30-day visa on arrival, provided they hold a valid passport, a confirmed booking, a return or onward ticket and sufficient funds for the stay. The declaration and the visa are separate things, and having one does not replace the other.

Free form, optional assistance

The declaration itself costs nothing on the official IMUGA portal, and the visa on arrival is free as well. What we charge for is the work around it: reviewing your data against your passport, catching the mismatches that cause problems at the counter, filing within the correct window and staying reachable if something needs fixing. That service is entirely optional, and we say so plainly.

Guides

All guides →

Maldives Declaration for Families and Children

A practical family guide to the Maldives Traveller Declaration: one form per traveller including newborns, group submissions from a single account, and who signs for a minor.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Maldives Traveller Declaration compulsory?

Yes. Maldives Immigration requires it from every traveller arriving in and departing from the country, including Maldivian citizens, residents, children and infants.

When exactly should I submit it?

Within the 96 hours before the flight it covers. The portal will not accept a declaration filed earlier than that, and filing it at the airport leaves no margin for error.

Do I need one declaration or two?

Two for a normal return trip: one for the arrival and a separate one for the departure. The departure declaration is submitted during your stay, once you are inside the 96-hour window.

Does my baby need a declaration?

Yes. Every traveller with a passport needs their own declaration, regardless of age. You can submit them together as a group from one account and one email address.

How much does the declaration cost?

Nothing on the official IMUGA portal. Our fee covers optional assistance: document review, error checking, submission and support if anything needs correcting.

What if I made a mistake after submitting?

Small errors can usually be fixed by submitting a corrected declaration before you travel. The safest approach is to check the passport spelling and number carefully before you send it.

Where do I have to show the QR code?

Typically twice: at the airline check-in desk before boarding, and at immigration when you land at Velana International Airport. Keep it saved offline.

Is the declaration the same as a Maldives visa?

No. It is an information form. The 30-day visa on arrival is granted separately by the immigration officer once you land, based on your passport, booking and return ticket.

The declaration at a glance

Every traveller flying into or out of the Maldives must submit the IMUGA Traveller Declaration within the 96 hours before departure — residents, tourists, children and babies included.

Start my declaration