General Baggage Rules:
All arriving/departing
passengers are requested to check with their respective airlines on
the baggage rules.
Remember to check your baggage weight and make note of the allowed weight
and sizes before you set to go to the airport. This is to ensure that
there are no delays and confusion at the time of travel. Plan ahead
to ensure that the allowed baggage in weight and in dimension correlate
to the baggage you are carrying.
Make a note of baggage liability limitations and take enough precautions
to ensure that your baggage is safe. Make a note of prohibited items
in the hand baggage and ensure you don’t carry them in hand.
Bringing in or import of Liquor / Alcohol is prohibited and will be confiscated on arrival.
The country does not allow import pornographic materials, firearms /
weapons, illicit drugs and the penalties for non-adherence is severe.
An international
certificate of inoculation against yellow fever and cholera is required
by visitors arriving from infected countries.
The most common problem for tourists in the Maldives are sunburn and
dehydration as the tropical sun is very intense in the country. The
soft breezes on the islands and during boat rides can easily fool you.
Some form of sun protection is necessary even for travelers with darker
skin tones. A range of sun creams are available in Male and in most
resorts. It is also advisable to wear a T-shirt when snorkeling and
to avoid dehydration drink lots of fluids.
There are two hospitals in Male, many clinics, pharmacies and a number
of good doctors both in private practice and at the hospitals. A physician
is also within easy reach from all resorts islands.
The following items
are prohibited from being imported, produced, handled, sold, distributed
or given in Maldives.
Prohibited Items
• Religious materials offensive to Islam
• Idols (for worship)
• Pornographic material
• Narcotics and psychotropic substances
• Live pigs
Restricted for Import (except to Government authorities)
• Arms and ammunition
• Alcohol and Spirits
• Pork and its by-products
• Dogs
• Dangerous animals
Items allowed to be imported when accompanied with certificates
• Live plants and animals - a valid phytosanitary / sanitary certificate
required
• Medicines - doctor's medical prescription required
Marine products prohibited for export
• Bait fishes (used for pole & line fishing)
• Big eye scad (less than 6 inches)
• Black coral
• Black coral necklaces
• Boulder coral
• Branching coral
• Conch (triton) shell
• Coral
• Dolphin
• Eels (from june 25, 1995)
• Lobster
• Lobster meat
• Mother of pearl shells
• Parrot fish (from june 25, 1995)
• Puffer fish (from june 25, 1995)
• Ray skin (from january 01, 1996)
• Rays (from june 25, 1995)
• Trochus shell
• Turtle (from january 01, 1996)
• Turtle shell products (from january 01, 1996)
• Turtle shells (from january 01, 1996)
• Whales
Please assist us in preserving the environment by taking only photographs
and memories with you, while leaving only footprints.
http://www.immigration.gov.mv/index.php/laws-and-regulations.html
The Government of
Maldives provides everyone a 30-day tourist visa on arrival. However,
the person should carry a valid passport with valid travel documents.
Tourists are required to have a confirmed booking at a resort, hotel
or a safari vessel for immigration clearance. Visitors without hotel
reservations should seek assistance at the airport tourist information
counter right outside the arrival hall. Visa extensions may be obtained
from the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Male’.
For information on visa requirements to travel Maldives, check the following
links:
http://www.immigration.gov.mv/index.php/forms.html