Do you need a visa to the Maldives? This is what worries tourists first of all, because few people want to collect a pile of papers and wait for approval from the visa center. The Maldives is sought after by people interested in a heavenly, relaxed holiday on the snow-white coast. Russians often choose this country for a vacation also because they do not need a visa to visit it. But the duration of the trip should not exceed 1 month.
To get to the Maldives for other purposes, for example, for work, you will have to submit documents to the Embassy of Sri Lanka, since there are no representatives of the Russian Federation in the Maldives.
Nuances of visa-free entry
Ticket to the Maldives
Russians are provided with visa-free entry into the country, but the border crossing procedure still has a number of features. First of all, this concerns a set of documents that you must have with you. The list of required papers includes:
- pre-purchased return ticket;
- a voucher confirming your hotel reservation;
- a foreign passport, which must be valid for at least 3 months from the date of departure to the Maldives;
- a completed migration card, which will be provided to the tourist on the plane;
- a document confirming the availability of funds in the amount of at least $150 per person.
The migration card must be filled out in accordance with certain rules - in Latin block letters. If you have any questions regarding filling it out, it is better to ask the flight attendants for help.
Rules for traveling from the Maldives to Russia
No earlier than one day before departure, you must fill out a special health form again. After filling out the form, the system will generate a QR code that will need to be shown upon departure.
Starting from April 15, 2021, general rules for the entry of Russian citizens from the territory of foreign states into the territory of the Russian Federation came into force:
Before leaving the Maldives
to Russia, you must fill out a form for those arriving in the Russian Federation on the State Services website, which indicates personal data and symptoms (cough, temperature, etc.). It must be filled out before crossing the border in order to be presented upon arrival at the control point.
Upon returning to Russia
after the Maldives, you must do a PCR test for the presence of coronavirus infection COVID-19 within 3 days and upload the result to the State Services. An express test can be done at Moscow airports upon arrival or in any laboratory recommended by Rospotrebnadzor.
According to the new rules, which come into force on July 7, 2021, upon arrival in Russia from any country in the world: • for vaccinated
during the year and citizens who have been ill for six months - PCR testing is cancelled;
• for unvaccinated
citizens - the re-take of the PCR test is canceled; the first and only test must be taken within 3 days upon arrival.
Until the results of the study are received, self-isolation is required. The rule of taking a PCR test twice upon arrival from abroad, which was in force until 07/06/2021, has been cancelled. If the article turned out to be useful, you can support our editorial team in difficult days for tourism (the amount can be any).
Customs clearance procedure
When going through customs, you need to show respect and follow all the rules. It should be remembered that the Maldives is an Islamic state with a special view of religion and cultural values. To avoid problems directly at customs, you need to study all the prohibitions. It is strictly prohibited to import the following goods into the territory of the state:
- any type of weapon;
- items dictating anti-Islamic propaganda;
- alcoholic drinks;
- products containing pork;
- narcotic substances;
- explosive objects;
- pornographic materials.
You cannot export turtle shells, any items caught from the depths of the sea, or jewelry made from black coral from the Maldives. You should also take into account that there are restrictions on the export of perfumes and cigarettes: it is permissible to export 20 cigarettes and 125 ml of perfume per person. You can export interior items, souvenirs and jewelry without restrictions.
customs control
Citizens of other countries arriving on the islands are required to undergo customs control. It is advisable to know what can and cannot be imported into and out of the country. This will help avoid problems, misunderstandings and delays at the border.
Our table will tell you what can and cannot be imported/exported to/from the South Asian republic:
| Free or limited carriage | Prohibited carriage |
| Allowed to import 200 cigarettes and no more than 125 ml of perfume per person | It is prohibited to import: alcohol (all alcohol will be confiscated upon entry by customs officers and returned upon departure), pork and products containing it |
| Import of animals is possible according to international rules | The import of: poisons, narcotic drugs, psychotropic drugs, explosive substances, ammunition, weapons, pornographic products, including those that are considered acceptable erotica in Europe |
| Upon entry, all items whose price exceeds $200 are declared. If something declared upon entry is not subsequently exported, a duty is imposed on this item | The export of sharp and cutting objects is prohibited |
| It is advisable to have sales receipts for significant purchases made on the islands, and, if necessary, demonstrate them upon departure | The export of turtle shells, corals and products made from them is prohibited |
Nuances of the visa regime
Maldives
Almost the entire territory of the Maldives is available to Russians for visa-free entry, however, there are a few islands that require a visa to visit. To do this, the tourist will need to submit an official application to the Ministry of Atoll Administration. The papers indicate data from the international passport and the purpose of the trip. You will need to provide a voucher confirming your hotel reservation with your written request.
Would you like to know how much a holiday in the Maldives costs?
Compare current prices for individual tours to the island-hotels of the Maldives (accommodation with meals, air travel, transfer from the airport to the hotel, medical insurance) for any dates online without extra charge directly from tour operators:
