A confirmed hotel reservation, return ticket and a passport that has more than 6 months before expiry – are required to visit Maldives on tourist visa. This is the government policy. However, Maldives being a tourist welcoming country there are tourists who visit without hotel reservation. But, there are also rejections as well. To avoid unwanted risks it is always better to follow the policy and do hotel booking prior to arrival.
If you arrive without a hotel confirmation it is upto the duty officer at Maldives Immigration to decide whether to allow entry or send you back. The visa policy is mainly aimed at controlling illegal activities such as arriving to work in Maldives without Work Permit and Work Visa. The officers in Immigration Department usually know the kind of people who try to gain illegal entry, may be based on nationality and other factors. If they are not suspicious you may be given entry to Maldives as a tourist.
If you manage to make entry then you may want to book a hotel right away. When you exit the terminal there are Airport Representatives waiting to welcome other guests. You can inquire and they will help with the hotel booking, but the prices are often high. This method is therefore not advisable. There are several advantages for arriving with prebooked accommodation.
In suspicious cases the Immigration Department may even contact the hotel verify your reservation, including the payment status. Bookings that have not made payment usually rises a red flag, this happens to suspicious nationalities.
Some agents (though few) make arrange for tourist to arrive and make direct payment to hotel upon arrival. This is usually not a problem for Europeans and other popular tourist markets. A confirmed hotel reservation with full payment done, is the best and most popular method to enjoy a holiday in Maldives. It just keep you away from unwanted issues.
Even if you all required documents the Immigration Department reserves the right to deny your entry. This is mainly to tackle illegal immigrants. Genuine tourists are always welcomed in Maldives.
Tourism the main economic activity in the Maldives. The industry generates more than 70% of foreign currency. Therefore, tourists are very important to the economy and so they are treated respectfully across the country. Passengers who attempt to enter Maldives illegally (for example to work) are not regarded as tourists since the Immigration officials could recognize them, they are usually dealt strictly and often deport them back to country of origin.
