Maldives · Spouse visas
Maldives Spouse of a citizen
First stay: 1 yr
Marriage Visa (Resident Visa) — Spouse of a Maldivian Citizen
First checked against official sources on Record corrected 11 Oct 2026Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Maldives. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- First stay
- 1 yr
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
The first Marriage Visa is for 1 year; later renewals can run for up to 5 years, subject to continued eligibility. Renew within one month before expiry.
Where to applyFrom abroad
The Maldivian sponsor files a Sponsorship Declaration before the foreign spouse arrives.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Maldives, not after arriving
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Applicant is legally married to a Maldivian citizen and the marriage is registered.
- Applicant who travels to marry or register a marriage in the Maldives is sponsored by the Maldivian spouse before arrival.
Documents4
- Application form IM20, endorsed by the Family Court.
- Colour copies of the passport biodata page and the marriage certificate.
- Copy of the Maldivian spouse's national identity card and a passport-size photograph of the applicant.
- A valid medical report and valid health insurance for first-time applicants.
Steps3
- The Maldivian sponsor submits the Sponsorship Declaration online through the IMUGA portal for approval before the foreign national travels.
- After arrival the couple completes the legal marriage process, then applies online through IMUGA by selecting Resident Visa and Marriage Visa.
- A foreigner already resident in the Maldives changes visa category once the marriage is registered.
After you arrive2
- The initial visa is for 1 year; later renewals can be for up to 5 years.
- Renewal is submitted within one month before the current visa expires.
What happens at day 183
How Maldives decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in any 12-month period commencing or ending in the tax yearPresence (or intended presence) makes a person resident; foreigners meeting the other conditions become temporary residents
- Foreign-source income
Territorial (temporary resident)
Foreigners who meet the residence criteria, are permitted to stay under the Immigration Act and are not married to a Maldivian are temporary residents, taxed only on income derived from the Maldives, while residents are taxed on worldwide income.
- Special regime
Temporary residents taxed on Maldives-derived income only · Tax relief
All tax rules for Maldives Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
A valid medical report and valid health insurance for first-time applicants
- Police certificate and civil documents
Colour copies of the passport biodata page and the marriage certificate
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Resident visa for a foreign national legally married to a Maldivian citizen, issued for 1 year first and then renewable for up to 5 years. 1 2
Requirements
- Applicant is legally married to a Maldivian citizen and the marriage is registered. 1
- Applicant who travels to marry or register a marriage in the Maldives is sponsored by the Maldivian spouse before arrival. 1
- Application form IM20, endorsed by the Family Court. 1
- Colour copies of the passport biodata page and the marriage certificate. 1
- Copy of the Maldivian spouse's national identity card and a passport-size photograph of the applicant. 1
- A valid medical report and valid health insurance for first-time applicants. 1
- The Maldivian sponsor submits the Sponsorship Declaration online through the IMUGA portal for approval before the foreign national travels. 1
- After arrival the couple completes the legal marriage process, then applies online through IMUGA by selecting Resident Visa and Marriage Visa. 1
- A foreigner already resident in the Maldives changes visa category once the marriage is registered. 1
- The initial visa is for 1 year; later renewals can be for up to 5 years. 1
- Renewal is submitted within one month before the current visa expires. 1
Stay
- Initial Marriage Visa is issued for 1 year; renewals can run for up to 5 years subject to continued eligibility.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Official sources
- Marriage Visa Service · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-11
- Marriage Visa: documents required (page last updated October 2023) · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2023-10-01
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a permanent resident Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a stay permit holder Indonesia | – | – | No |
| Spouse of a citizen United Arab Emirates | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Initial Marriage Visa is issued for 1 year; renewals can run for up to 5 years subject to continued eligibility.
Is there a tax break for Spouse of a citizen holders in Maldives?
Temporary residents taxed on Maldives-derived income only: Foreigners who meet the residence criteria, are permitted to stay under the Immigration Act and are not married to a Maldivian are temporary residents, taxed only on income derived from the Maldives, while residents are taxed on worldwide income. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Temporary residents taxed on Maldives-derived income only
Tax relief
Details
- On: Income derived from the Maldives for temporary residents and non-residents
- Who: Foreigner permitted to stay in the Maldives under the Maldives Immigration Act
Foreigners who meet the residence criteria, are permitted to stay under the Immigration Act and are not married to a Maldivian are temporary residents, taxed only on income derived from the Maldives, while residents are taxed on worldwide income.
Taxed on
Income derived from the Maldives for temporary residents and non-residents; worldwide income for residents.
Who it applies to
- Foreigner permitted to stay in the Maldives under the Maldives Immigration Act.
- Not married to a Maldivian.
- Meets a residence criterion: permanent place of living in the Maldives, or present or intending to be present more than 183 days in a 12-month period commencing or ending in the tax year.
Exclusions
- Foreigners married to a Maldivian who meet the residence criteria are residents taxed on worldwide income.
Days in the country
- More than 183 days in any 12-month period commencing or ending in the tax year · Presence (or intended presence) makes a person resident; foreigners meeting the other conditions become temporary residents
Tax residence
Non-residents are persons who are neither residents nor temporary residents.
Visas
The Immigration Act permission to stay is one of the conditions for temporary-resident status.
Other taxes
Goods and services tax and other fees apply separately.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in Maldives
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Marriage Visa Service · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-11
- Marriage Visa: documents required (page last updated October 2023) · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.