Majlis accepts resolution on pre-approval visas for tourists

The People’s Majlis has adopted a resolution calling for the introduction of 'pre-approval visa on arrival' and 'electronic authorization' services for tourists arriving in the Maldives.

The resolution was proposed by MP for South Mahchangoalhi constituency Ahmed Haitham.

According to the resolution, a total of 9,576,877 visitors that arrived in the Maldives over the course of the past five years required visas to enter. As the government aims to welcome two million tourists this year, the resolution has shed light on the need to facilitate easy accessibility of visas for visitors.

The resolution also stresses that some tourists have already complained over the long process of obtaining on-arrival visas, which is the only way for tourists to get a visa currently.

An adequate solution has been reached for this solution so far.

The resolution stated that it has been observed that some of the visitors who arrive in the Maldives on on-arrival visas are facing serious losses due to the circumstances that force them to return without getting visas due to multiple reasons.

Statistics from the past five years show that 9.940 individuals were forced to return back home after they were denied visas.

In order to address this issue, the resolution has called for the expansion of the service by introducing electronic travel authorization services, not just tourist pre-approved visas on arrival.

Currently, tourists arriving in the Maldives do not have to obtain a visa. They get visas valid for 30 days, free of cost.

29 parliamentarians voted unanimously to accept the resolution, during the last sitting of the 19th tenure of the People’s Majlis, held on Monday.