--- title: "Maldives Spouse of a citizen requirements 2026: 1-year stay" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/maldives/spouse-of-citizen/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-11 --- 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 11 Oct 2026 [Record corrected 11 Oct 2026](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/corrections/#change-mv-spouse-of-citizen) [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 1 yr (Initial Marriage Visa is issued for 1 year; renewals can run for up to 5 years subject to continued eligibility.) - **Who can apply:** Any passport - **Tax angle:** Tax relief (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.) ## 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 **Renewal: Renewable** 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. [Maldives Immigration](https://www.immigration.gov.mv/visa/marriage) **Where to apply: From abroad** The Maldivian sponsor files a Sponsorship Declaration before the foreign spouse arrives. [Maldives Immigration](https://www.immigration.gov.mv/visa/marriage) ## 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 apply - 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. #### Documents - 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. #### Steps 1. The Maldivian sponsor submits the Sponsorship Declaration online through the IMUGA portal for approval before the foreign national travels. 2. After arrival the couple completes the legal marriage process, then applies online through IMUGA by selecting Resident Visa and Marriage Visa. 3. A foreigner already resident in the Maldives changes visa category once the marriage is registered. #### After you arrive - 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 year** Presence (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](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/maldives/tax/) Tax records checked 12 Oct 2026 ## 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. (sources 1, 2) #### Requirements - Applicant is legally married to a Maldivian citizen and the marriage is registered. (source 1) - Applicant who travels to marry or register a marriage in the Maldives is sponsored by the Maldivian spouse before arrival. (source 1) - Application form IM20, endorsed by the Family Court. (source 1) - Colour copies of the passport biodata page and the marriage certificate. (source 1) - Copy of the Maldivian spouse's national identity card and a passport-size photograph of the applicant. (source 1) - A valid medical report and valid health insurance for first-time applicants. (source 1) - The Maldivian sponsor submits the Sponsorship Declaration online through the IMUGA portal for approval before the foreign national travels. (source 1) - After arrival the couple completes the legal marriage process, then applies online through IMUGA by selecting Resident Visa and Marriage Visa. (source 1) - A foreigner already resident in the Maldives changes visa category once the marriage is registered. (source 1) - The initial visa is for 1 year; later renewals can be for up to 5 years. (source 1) - Renewal is submitted within one month before the current visa expires. (source 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. Checked 2026-10-11 ## Official sources 1. [Marriage Visa Service](https://www.immigration.gov.mv/visa/marriage) · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-11 2. [Marriage Visa: documents required (page last updated October 2023)](https://www2.immigration.gov.mv/marriage/) · 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](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | – | | [Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/japan/spouse-of-citizen/) Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes | | [Spouse of a stay permit holder](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/indonesia/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) Indonesia | – | – | No | | [Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-arab-emirates/spouse-of-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](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/maldives/tax/#tax-mv-temporary-resident-source-basis) Tax relief Foreign-source income: Territorial (temporary resident) **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 12 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) [Full page →](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/maldives/tax/) ## More in Maldives [Corporate resident visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/maldives/corporate-resident/) [Work visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/maldives/work-visa/) ## Spouse and partner visas elsewhere [🇲🇾 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/malaysia/malaysian-spouse-ltsvp/) [🇰🇷 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇹🇼 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/taiwan/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇱🇰 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/sri-lanka/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇳🇵 Marriage visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nepal/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇮🇳 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/spouse-of-citizen-x-visa/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## 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. 1. [Marriage Visa Service](https://www.immigration.gov.mv/visa/marriage) · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-11 2. [Marriage Visa: documents required (page last updated October 2023)](https://www2.immigration.gov.mv/marriage/) · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-11 Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.