Motion Seeks Immediate Halt to Permanent Residency Sale Plan

A motion has been submitted to Parliament calling for an immediate halt to government plans to sell permanent residency to foreigners through a company with a criminal record, under a non-transparent agreement.

A resolution submitted to the People’s Majlis states that the government's policy to grant permanent residency to foreigners under the "Maldives Pearl Residence Program" is being implemented as an administrative decision without the passage of a formal law by Parliament.

The resolution, introduced by Dr. Ahmed Shamheed, Member of Parliament for the South Hulhumale' constituency, states that the program was awarded to a firm called "Henley & Partners" without disclosing the financial and legal details to either the Parliament or the public.

It has been noted that the financial benefits to the Maldivian state remain unclear. Furthermore, serious concerns have been raised regarding potential risks to national security and the state's financial sovereignty.

The resolution, therefore, calls for an immediate halt to these activities and demands that the government disclose all related agreements.

While President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu asserted during this year's Independence Day ceremony that his administration fully implements democracy through a system of good governance, the resolution submitted regarding this matter contends otherwise. It emphasizes that granting residency permits to foreigners is a sovereign power directly linked to immigration, national security, taxation, Maldivian land, and state finances. The resolution further states that such a policy must be carried out with the highest degree of transparency and accountability, asserting that it is mandatory for these processes to remain under the oversight of the People’s Majlis.

The government has not disclosed any details regarding the agreement signed with Henley & Partners in Singapore on July 1, 2025.

The resolution proposed by the member highlights that villas constructed under this project are currently being advertised for sale. It further expresses concern that such actions could lead to the establishment of a 'state within a state,' potentially undermining the sovereign authority of the State as guaranteed by the Constitution.

The resolution further states that while the current administration came to power by accusing the previous government of selling off parts of Maldivian maritime territory during the presidential campaign, the election results clearly demonstrated that safeguarding the sovereign authority over the nation's land, lagoons, and seas remains the people's highest priority. However, it notes that an administration elected on such a mandate is now granting control of Maldivian lagoons and islands to a private foreign company and selling residency rights in these areas to foreigners on the international market.

The resolution highlights this commitment, echoing President Muizzu’s presidential address to Parliament earlier this year, in which he asserted that not a single grain of sand from Maldivian soil, nor the smallest fraction of the nation's maritime territory, shall ever be surrendered.

Henley & Partners, the firm contracted by the government for this initiative, is the same entity that managed Malta’s "Citizenship by Investment" program, which the European Union Court of Justice ruled illegal in 2025. Furthermore, the company was flagged by the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in 2014 for involvement in illicit financial transactions. The resolution also highlights that it remains unclear how a company with such a record of legal violations was selected for this project.