A Special Visa Granted to Resort Owners, Investors

Sunday 3rd of May 2020

A Special Visa Granted to Resort Owners, Investors

On 2nd April, National Emergency Operations Center announced the decision to permit specific parties to travel to Maldives by granting special visas. The statement was made by spokesperson Mabrouq Azeez during the NEOC press briefing.

“We received the tech team’s decision today. Since Maldives has cancelled issuance of on arrival visa, the parties who come to Maldives using special visa permit. This includes resort owners, investors, and officials from institutions such as the WHO or World Bank. And this also establishes guidelines for diplomatic services,” he said.

According to the announcement, those who arrive in Maldives under the special visa will also need to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine, similar to the stranded islanders in Male’ who have been granted permission to return to their home island. Further, those under the special visa will not be permitted to travel between islands and will need to undergo testing for COVID-19 within 24 hours of arrival, and a second round of testing following completion of 14 days of quarantine.

“It is stressed that resort owners and resort investors when they arrive in Maldives be allowed the opportunity to stay in their own resorts where possible.” It was also stated that those who will be allowed to serve such parties needs to be the bare minimum number of workers necessary, and will need to remain 14 days in the island from the date the last guest departs from the island, as is current protocol.