Maldives Corporate Resident Visa
Capital, not a job. The Maldives issues five years to foreign investors and depositors against money placed in the country.
The common misunderstanding is that this is a golden visa. It is not. The usual qualifying route is a USD 250,000 fixed deposit held in a licensed Maldivian bank for five full years, which is a capital lock rather than an investment you manage, and the permit it buys renews only if the capital is still there. It confers no permanent residence and does not shorten the naturalisation clock.
Programme snapshot
| Item | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Main audience | Foreign investors and depositors, not employees |
| Route family | Investment |
| Validity | 5 years |
| Stay per entry | Continuous while the permit holds |
| Threshold | USD 1,000,000 invested in the Maldives over the previous 3 financial years, or USD 250,000 on fixed deposit in a licensed Maldivian bank for 5 years, or USD 250,000 in a government-approved project (2026) |
| Renewal | Apply 90 days before expiry, resubmitting the same evidence |
| Settlement | None |
| PR clock | None. The 5 year permit renews but is not permanent residence |
| Citizenship clock | None published for investors |
| Family | Unverified. The service page does not list dependants |
| Local employment | Yes for the investor’s own business activity; local staff need their own permits |
| Tax headline | No personal income tax, and no tax on foreign source income for residents. Confirm with a Maldivian accountant |
| Processing | 5 working days after submission; MVR 15,000 fee (2026) covering application and renewal |
Application flow
- Confirm which threshold you meet, and place the funds accordingly.
- Assemble the evidence: bank confirmation of the fixed deposit, or investment and project documentation.
- Apply through the oneGov portal and the Business Portal.
- Pay the MVR 15,000 fee. It is non-refundable.
- The permit is decided in about 5 working days.
- Renew 90 days before expiry with the same evidence, and the same fee again.
Good fit
An investor with USD 250,000 of genuinely idle capital who wants a five year renewable base in the country and a relationship with a Maldivian bank, and who does not need the money to be liquid or working. It also suits someone already investing USD 1,000,000 or more into a Maldivian business, for whom the threshold is already met.
Poor fit
A founder with USD 50,000. Anyone who needs the capital available, since the deposit is locked for the full five years. Anyone who wants permanent residence or a passport at the end, because this permit provides neither.
Watchpoints
- The deposit is locked for five years. This is not a managed investment. It is cash sitting in a Maldivian bank, and spending it ends the visa.
- Renewal re-tests the same criteria. The capital must still be in place five years later, so the permit is only as long as the money stays put.
- The MVR 15,000 fee is non-refundable and is charged again at every renewal.
- Dependants are not clearly provided for. The service page is silent, so budget for separate qualifying applications for each family member and get Immigration’s answer in writing before committing funds.
- This is not a step toward citizenship. It grants no residence credit and does not shorten the twelve year naturalisation clock, which remains discretionary in any case.
Sources
- Maldives Immigration, resident visa page, checked 2026-10-22
- oneGov, business visa and Corporate Resident Visa guidelines, checked 2026-10-22
- Ministry of Economic Development, Corporate Resident Visa Regulation 2021, checked 2026-10-22