Maldivians can enter the United Kingdom and remain for up to 6 months visa-free, if the visit is for tourism purposes or to visit friends/family.

If you are travelling to the UK for any other reason, you will need to apply for and obtain a UK visa before  you travel to the UK. The UK Government’s ‘Check if you need a UK visa’ website is the best place to find out more information on UK visas.

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) Requirement for Maldivians Visiting the UK

The Government of the United Kingdom introduced the 'Electronic Travel Authorisation' (ETA) in 2023, with the program being expanded to all countries, including the Maldives, in 2024. Maldivians will be able to apply for an ETA from 27 November 2024. The ETA will be accepted by UK Border Force from 8 January 2024.

The ETA can be acquired through an online application which costs £10. To complete the application, applicants will need to have their passport with them.

The ETA is not a visa. Maldivians travelling to the UK for tourism purposes, or to visit family and friends, can apply for an ETA and enter the UK without a visa, with previous visa-free access still in place. Maldivians visiting the UK for any other purpose will be required to acquire a visa as usual. Further information can be found here.

UK Visa for Tourism Purposes

Although Maldivians do not need a visa to enter the UK for tourism purposes, they do need to have documents to show the UK Border Security Officers on arrival. These documents are the same documents that you would need if you did require a visa.

Full information on the supporting documents you will need can be found on the UK Government website.

In the majority of cases, Maldivians travelling to the UK for tourism purposes will need the following documents:

• A genuine passport valid for the duration of your stay in the UK

• Previous passports showing previous travel

Full information on the supporting documents you will need can be found on the UK Government website.

If travelling for tourism purposes, you must not do the following while in the UK:

• take employment, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services to members of the public;
• undertake a course of study;
• marry or form a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership;
• carry out the activities of a business visitor, a sports visitor or an entertainer visitor;
• receive private medical treatment; or
• stay longer than six months.

Long-stay and non-Tourism UK Visas

If you intend to stay longer in the UK longer than six months, or wish to visit the UK for any reason other than tourism or visiting friends/family, you will need to apply for a visa. The UK will no longer issue physical visas for travel into the UK. Expired biometric residence permits (BRPs) and biometric residence cards (BRCs) can no longer be used for travel, though these documents can be retained for personal records or assisting future immigration applications.

Instead the UK has begun the implementation of eVisas. Applications and eVisas can be managed through UKVi, which will require the creation of a UKVI account.

For information on how to create a UKVI account, you can view this video from the UK Home Office.

From 15 July, main applicants for the following visas will only get an eVisa (no 90-day vignette in their passport):

• Students (including short-term up to 11 months)
• Global Business Mobility
• Global Talent
• International Sportspersons
• Skilled Workers (including Health and Care)
• Temporary Workers
• Youth Mobility Scheme

Please visit the UK Government website for more information about different types of visas and the supporting documents you would need.