Maldives · Work
Maldives Work visa
First stay: 1 yr
Work Visa (e-Visa) for expatriate employees
Checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
Work visa is a work route for Maldives. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- First stay
- 1 yr
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
The visa follows the work permit period, and renewed work visas are issued for a maximum of 1 year.
Where to applyInside the country
The employer applies for the Work e-Visa within 15 days of your arrival on a valid Entry Pass (work permit).
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Maldives
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The employee holds a valid Entry Pass (Work Permit) issued by the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology.
- The employer or its authorised representative applies for the work e-Visa.
Documents1
- A recent photograph meeting the Maldives Immigration photo standard and a colour copy of the passport biodata page are submitted.
Steps2
- Applications are filed in the Xpat Online System with an eFaas account, under the employer's organisation profile.
- The work e-Visa is applied for within 15 days of the employee's arrival on the Entry Pass.
After you arrive2
- The work e-Visa is valid for as long as the approved work permit; renewed work visas run for at most 1 year.
- Passport-sticker work visas stopped being valid after 23 November 2025; only an approved e-Visa counts.
What happens at day 183
How Maldives decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 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
Full official text
Digital work e-Visa issued through the Xpat Online System to an expatriate who holds a work permit and entry pass from the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology. 1 2
Requirements
- The employee holds a valid Entry Pass (Work Permit) issued by the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology. 1
- The employer or its authorised representative applies for the work e-Visa. 1
- A recent photograph meeting the Maldives Immigration photo standard and a colour copy of the passport biodata page are submitted. 1
- Applications are filed in the Xpat Online System with an eFaas account, under the employer's organisation profile. 1
- The work e-Visa is applied for within 15 days of the employee's arrival on the Entry Pass. 1
- The work e-Visa is valid for as long as the approved work permit; renewed work visas run for at most 1 year. 1
- Passport-sticker work visas stopped being valid after 23 November 2025; only an approved e-Visa counts. 1
Stay
- Valid for the period of the approved work permit; renewals are issued for a maximum of 1 year.
- First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Employment with the employer named in the work permit.
Family
Spouses, children under 18 and parents of professional-category work visa holders can apply for a Dependent Visa (visa fee MVR 750 (≈ $49)).
Official sources
- Work Visa (Xpat Online System, e-Visa) · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-11
- Dependent Visa Service · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2026-09-06
Work visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work visa | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| LTR · Highly Skilled Thailand | Needs income of $80k+ a year | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Engineer/Specialist visa Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Golden Visa · Parent rep $25M Indonesia | Needs an investment from $25M | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Green · Skilled worker United Arab Emirates | Needs income of AED 15k+ a month ≈ $4,080 | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Work visa?
Valid for the period of the approved work permit; renewals are issued for a maximum of 1 year.
Can I work on the Work visa?
Employment with the employer named in the work permit.
Can I bring my family on the Work visa?
Spouses, children under 18 and parents of professional-category work visa holders can apply for a Dependent Visa (visa fee MVR 750 (≈ $49)).
Is there a tax break for Work visa 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
Work 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 2026-10-12 against 2 official sources. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
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.
- Work Visa (Xpat Online System, e-Visa) · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-11
- Dependent Visa Service · Maldives Immigration · checked 2026-10-12
Tracked since 2026-10-11. 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.