Restrictions eased to allow Maldivians to import limited quantities of tobacco products for personal use
25 އޯގަސްޓު 2026 | އަންގާރަ 11:15The government has amended regulations to grant duty exemptions on 200 cigarettes and 100 grams of tobacco imported by travelers for personal use. While this concession applies to individuals aged 21 and over, it excludes those born after 2007 as well as products such as shisha. The move comes amid public criticism following recent broader adjustments to tobacco duties.
A cigarette burns in an ashtray resting atop a cigarette pack, which is inscribed with warnings from health experts. | getty images
The government has amended the relevant regulations to extend the same duty concessions previously granted to tourists for importing tobacco products for personal use to Maldivian citizens as well.
The Maldivian government on Monday gazetted amendments to the regulations governing duty exemptions for traveler luggage, goods imported for personal use, and commercial samples.
Authorities have decided to grant duty exemptions on certain tobacco products brought in for personal use by travelers aged 21 and over arriving from abroad. Under these new regulations, travelers will be permitted to import up to 200 cigarettes, 25 cigars, and 250 grams of tobacco without being subject to customs duties.
Furthermore, the regulations specify that travelers aged 21 and over arriving from abroad may be permitted to bring in rolling tobacco for personal use. This allowance includes small, manual portable rolling machines designed to roll individual cigarettes or bidis, along with 50 sheets of rolling paper, 50 filters, and 50 empty tubes or pipes used for hand-rolling.
Furthermore, the regulation stipulates that shisha and flavored cigarette products cannot be imported without the payment of customs duties. It also specifies that no exemptions or concessions regarding the importation of tobacco products will be granted under this policy to any individual born in or after 2007.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration has introduced several legislative measures aimed at reducing tobacco consumption among Maldivians. However, many of these decisions have since been reversed. Among these changes is the reduction of import duties on cigarettes, a move the government claims was made based on recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO).
