Maldives marriage-visa guide specifies a two-month renewal window and downloadable eVisa

Arrange sponsorship before travelling to register a marriage

Maldives Immigration’s marriage-visa instructions differ between its current and legacy websites. This procedural guide examines the consequences for foreign spouses.

The separate Sponsorship Declaration guide requires approval before a sponsored person arrives. Its stated purposes include marriage, visiting and dependent applications. A Maldivian citizen or a foreign national with a valid professional-category Work Visa may sponsor an approved entry purpose; this broader sponsorship eligibility should not be confused with the requirement to have a Maldivian spouse for the Marriage Visa itself.

The sponsorship checklist includes IM20, the traveller’s passport copy, the sponsor’s identity or employment evidence and relationship evidence where applicable. On IMUGA, indicate that the sponsored person is outside the Maldives and select the correct sponsorship category. The guide gives a normal assessment period of five working days, advises buying tickets only after approval, and requires entry within thirty days after approval. Therefore, choosing an arrival date involves both allowing assessment time and avoiding an approval that expires before travel.

Use the current marriage checklist for the residence application

The current Marriage Visa page lists IM20, the foreign spouse’s passport copy, marriage certificate, Maldivian spouse’s identity-card copy and a compliant photograph. It requests the latest arrival stamp for first-time applicants or the latest visa page for someone already residing in the Maldives. First-time applicants also need a valid medical report and health insurance. Further documents may be requested.

On IMUGA, select Apply for a Visa, state the applicant’s location, then choose Resident Visa and Marriage Visa. Existing valid-visa holders can seek a category change after marriage registration. Registration alone should not be assumed to change an immigration permission.

Resolve the differences in legacy form and renewal instructions

The older marriage page on www2.immigration.gov.mv refers instead to an IM23 form stamped by the Family Court, a MVR50 visa-card charge and submitting extensions with three months remaining. It also describes an appointment to hand over the passport. The current page specifies renewal within two months before expiry; initial validity is one year, with subsequent renewals up to five years subject to approval.

The continued availability of conflicting official pages creates a practical uncertainty about form and payment details. The legacy MVR50 card charge is not sufficient evidence of a current all-inclusive eVisa price. Applicants should ask Immigration which form and payment apply to their particular IMUGA case, rather than paying against an older downloaded instruction. Keep the current visa’s actual expiry as the controlling date while resolving the discrepancy; a question sent to the department does not itself extend lawful residence.

Download the approved visa and verify its authenticity

The department’s eVisa announcement was published on 10 November 2025 and made the service available from 23 November 2025. It explains the move away from passport submission for physical stamping toward downloadable permissions with a verification QR code. That dated announcement provides context for the current electronic workflow; it is not a new November 2026 launch. The significance for residents outside Male is practical: the published digital model removes a journey solely to deliver a passport for stamping. That does not eliminate the need to complete medical, insurance or marriage-registration requirements through the appropriate institutions. A digital immigration service should be distinguished from every supporting process becoming available remotely.

The IMUGA Visa page separates signing in to apply or track a case from checking an already issued eVisa. Its public verification function accepts passport number, nationality and date of birth, or a scan of the visa’s QR code, without an account. Use that function to check the issued record, rather than assuming a submitted application or payment receipt is the final visa.

For the unresolved legacy-page discrepancies, IMUGA’s contact directory lists call centre 1434, operating on working days from 08:30 to 15:00, and the Visa Service at Star Clouds, eighth floor, Majeedhee Magu. Explain the applicant’s current location, visa category and expiry, and identify the conflicting form or fee instruction. This allows Immigration to address the actual procedural issue before travel or renewal becomes urgent.