Coronavirus in the Maldives: everything about the situation and rules of entry

Contents:

1. Coronavirus situation in the Maldives in general

2. Visiting the Maldives: current rules

2.1 What kind of health document is needed to enter the Maldives?
2.2 Who is allowed to arrive in the Maldives
2.3 Tourism in the Maldives during the pandemic
2.4 Non-touristic visits to the Maldives
2.5 Health declaration
2.6 Hotel booking and visa
2.7 During the flight
2.8 At the airport
2.9 Tourist escort from arrival till departure
2.10 Coronavirus testing hut for tourists departing on liveaboards
2.11 Guesthouses resume work
2.12 What to do in case of apparent coronavirus symptoms?

3. How to spend a vacation in the Maldives

3.1 Quarantine restrictions at the restaurants, cafes, hotels, spa and other venues
3.2 Services at the venues
3.3 Visiting touristic sites
3.4 New rules of visiting touristic sites by locals

4. Hotels open in the Maldives at the moment

5. Launch of Maldives' first Covid-19 travel insurance

Coronavirus situation in the Maldives in general

Compared to many countries, the Maldives are one of the safest and most prosperous regions in the world. There is a low mortality rate and a high level of safety for tourists. The authorities were quick to respond to danger, and as early as March 7, 2020, the Maldives reported the first identified case of COVID-19. A health care emergency has been declared in the country since March 12.

The Maldivian government imposed restrictions on visiting the country by tourists from states where disease cases have been detected in time. This fact, well-timed isolation of the sick ones, treatment and extensive contact tracking prevented an upsurge of the infection. Cases requiring admission to the hospital proved to be not critical to the islands' medicine. The mortality rate of COVID-19 in the Maldives has remained at a very low level since the beginning of the epidemic.

Asad Photo Maldives

Visiting the Maldives: current rules

From September 10, 2020 all tourists entering the Maldives, must present a negative PCR test result for COVID-19 on arrival.

What kind of health document is needed to enter the Maldives?

To ensure the safety of tourists, the Health Protection Agency of Maldives (HPA) has introduced a mandatory requirement for all tourists and other travelers entering the Maldives for short-term stay to present a negative PCR test for Covid-19. Children below one year old are exempt from the requirement of a COVID-19 test.

The health document can be executed on different forms of different countries and medical laboratories and must contain information:

• confirmation of a negative PCR test for Covid-19 in English;
• the said PCR test must be conducted within a maximum of 96 hours (four days) prior to departure to the Maldives.*
• the document must clearly indicate the name and address of the laboratory, the test result, and the date and time when the sample was taken;
• everyone arriving and departing from the Maldives must submit an online health declaration within 24 hours of arrival and departure to/from the Maldives - to complete the form, follow the link.

*lf the passenger makes a transit during the journey, the initial PCR test will be valid if the transit does not exceed 24 hours. lf a passenger makes a transit exceeding 24 hours, the passenger must take a repeat PCR test within 96 hours prior to embarkation at the port of transit.

Who is allowed to arrive in the Maldives

Entrance is allowed to residents of any country without restrictions, in line with the current visa regime rules. However those who enter the Maldives, must present a negative PCR test for Covid-19.

Tourism in the Maldives during the pandemic

Tourists must observe existing rules and regulations on restrictions on inter-island routes, which prohibit traveling between different vacation destinations - islands, resorts, cities almost completely. There are exceptions - more on them below.

In case a tourist has returned to his country of residence and was identified as COVID-19 positive within 14 days after the departure, he must inform the traveling agency he used. It will provide possibilities to effectively combat the spread of disease.

Asad Photo Maldives

Non-touristic visits to the Maldives

For travelers visiting the country on business or any other reason besides tourism, the requirements will be more strict. In such case, the obligatory online-registration for home quarantine is required to be done in advance through.

If you cannot pass an online-registration, than you can fill in appropriate documents in the local public health office. Travelers arriving for a short-term non-touristic visit (less than 14 days) shall obtain a special permission. A request for permission must be made by the local placement agency.

Health declaration

If you are planning a touristic visit, then a health declaration will be required before the departure from the home country. Such declaration must be filled in and sent through the Maldivian immigration online-portal. It must be submitted within 24 hours before the departure.

Tourists, who have had close contacts with COVID-19 suspected or confirmed patients within the recent 14 days or have symptoms such as high temperature, cough, sore throat, labored breathing shall not travel to the Maldives.

Hotel booking and visa

Confirmed hotel booking registered at traveling agency is required before arrival to the Maldives. It is also necessary for obtaining a visa.

All traveling establishments before re-opening for tourists are obliged to pass repetitive control. A tourist may spend a vacation in the Maldives at one resort only. It is required to minimize infection risks during transferring.

Split bookings for the opportunity to stay in several hotels in one trip are allowed from the beginning of September. To submit such an application, you must make a request no earlier than two days before travel.

Resting at several resorts at once and moving between them is allowed. This authorization is valid for resorts that meet all mandatory requirements as recommended by HPA.

During the flight

While being onboard tourists are obliged to follow airline company rules. The standard rule states that the crew must be informed about passengers with apparent viral disease symptoms:

• High temperature
• Cough
• Sneezing
• Labored breathing

At the airport

At the arrival terminal passengers are required to follow the rules and guidelines and also carry out the following order of actions:

• Put the protecting masks on when entering the airport
• Provide social distance
• Conduct hands sanitization when entering the terminal
• Pass temperature screening - non-contact temperature measuring
• Install “TraceEkee” social contact tracking app if possible

Tourist escort from arrival till departure

A hotel or a resort accompanies tourists from the moment of arrival until the moment of departure at the airport. In such a case, if the departure time or date is delayed, the hotel must provide a dwelling and make sure the tourist has successfully left the country.

If the tourist was not able to leave on the planned day for reasons not attributable to him, for example, flying restrictions, the touristic venue must provide dwelling or organize stay for him until the departure date.

For transit tourists transferring to another transport such as a plane or a ship in the Maldives, it is strongly prohibited to visit any other place but his hotel room before the departure.

Coronavirus testing hut for tourists departing on liveaboards

Not far from the popular Hulhumale’ Safari Jetty area COVID-19 test sampling booth is set. It is the initiative of the National Boating Association of Maldives (NBAM) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, the Housing Development Cooperation (HDC), the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and the Maldives Police Services (MPS).

Samples are taken on a complementary pre-order basis. The expenses for testing are covered by the National Boating Association.

Guesthouses resume work

The guest houses will resume their work from 15 October 2020. However, before you book a place to stay at the guesthouse, it is worth finding out if the guest house has work approvals from the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Health, HPA and the Emergency Operations Center (HEOC). If there is such an agreement, which guesthouses can report on their own, then booking a place for rest is safe.

Guest houses, which will be approved, fulfill the requirements to ensure comprehensive security for tourists and staff.

What to do in case of apparent coronavirus symptoms?

In case you observe apparent symptoms of acute viral illness such as cough, hard breathing, running nose, sore throat, high temperature, you should pass a COVID-19 test. It is a PCR-test, which is then sent to the laboratory. Before passing the test every tourist is on quarantine.

How to spend a vacation in the Maldives

A “Guideline for restarting tourism” is now in place on the islands. It provides detailed information on the peculiarities of tourism in the Maldives during coronavirus restrictions. The most important guidelines are written below.

Quarantine restrictions at the restaurants, cafes, hotels, spa and other venues

The same rules as in the most of European countries are applied here as well.

Services at the venues

When visiting restaurants and cafes you should thoroughly wash hands or use sanitizing liquid at the entrance. Self-service is not allowed. The staff is obliged to follow all the safety measures such as:

• The distance between tables must be not less than 1 meter.
• A printed menu is not recommended for use.
• Every venue should provide natural or artificial ventilation.
• The venue owners are obliged to guarantee observation of all the restrictions and rules, which were officially approved and released on August 2.
• The staff may require the full observation of social distance and other safety rules.

Visiting touristic sites

Gyms and fitness centers can be visited without restrictions but only after prior booking. The distance observation and enough free space are obligatory.

Spas and saunas may limit the number of visitors and conduct frequent disinfection.

Pools and water parks do not require a special booking. Although, there are certain restrictions here as well. The pools apply social distancing rules, so there might be queues and delays in entering. Before pool usage taking a shower is necessary.

Beaches. No personal protection means are required, but sunbeds must be placed observing the social distance. Local authorities recommend avoiding beach activities until the end of quarantine. Lidded litter bins must be in place.

New rules of visiting touristic sites by locals

By contrast with other countries tourists at the Maldives have certain unique favors. Unconventional measures are taken here to minimize risks. Maldivian authorities have made a special order fully prohibiting local citizens of visiting infrastructure created for tourists. Such restrictions are in place from August, 2 and will be active until full quarantine recall.

Launch of Maldives' first Covid-19 travel insurance

Covid-19 travel insurance has been introduced in the Maldives since October 2020. The Ministry of Tourism, together with Allied Insurance, developed an insurance policy that covers the costs of Covid-19 medical treatment, including costs of isolation, transportation to a medical facility.

You can purchase one of two packages: Allied Inbound and Allied Inbound Plus. The insurance can be taken out for 7 days or more. You must purchase it before flying to the Maldives.

Asad Photo Maldives

Hotels open in the Maldives at the moment

In total 87 resorts are getting ready for welcoming tourists in the Maldives, 2 hotels based on the uninhabited islands, 92 passengers touristic ships and 24 transit hotels.

78 resorts are ready for visiting according to the Ministry of Tourism of Maldives. You can find a full list of resorts in the Maldives where you can already book a room below. We are following the news and will constantly update the information.