Maldives Simplifies Tourist Visa Extensions Amid Middle East Air Travel Crisis

The Maldives will introduce a streamlined and simplified tourist visa extension process starting 1 April, Minister of Tourism and Environment Thoriq Ibrahim has announced. 

The new system, being implemented by the Immigration Department, will allow tourists to extend their 30-day on-arrival visas within just 48 hours by submitting a photograph of their current visa and paying the required fee through the department’s online platform. 

Minister Thoriq hailed the move as “a huge improvement for tourists in Maldives,” citing the previous process as time-consuming and burdened by excessive documentation. The reform comes at a critical juncture, as the country grapples with the growing fallout from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has severely disrupted regional air travel and stranded thousands of visitors.

Since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran a month ago, followed by retaliatory attacks across the region by Iran, over 496 flights bound for or departing from the Maldives have been canceled. The resulting travel chaos has left many tourists unable to leave before their visas expired, prompting emergency extensions from immigration authorities. 

“We’ve already extended visas for stranded tourists as a humanitarian measure, but now we’re putting a more efficient, digital system in place,” Minister Thoriq said. 

The current crisis has led to a significant drop in tourist arrivals—down by an average of 1,150 per day this month—contributing to an 18 percent decline compared to the same period last year. So far in 2026, the Maldives has welcomed over 600,000 tourists, with 143,000 arriving this month alone.

In response, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, in coordination with the Special Committee of Ministers convened to mitigate the impact of the Middle East conflict, is accelerating efforts to restore connectivity. 

Minister Thoriq confirmed ongoing negotiations with several international airlines, including Ethiopian Airlines, to launch new routes and increase flight frequency. 

“We are in active discussions with carriers from multiple countries to diversify our air access and reduce reliance on affected hubs,” he said. 

Additionally, Bank of Maldives (BML) is providing financial support to resort operators facing cash flow challenges due to canceled bookings.

To boost demand, the government is launching an aggressive digital marketing campaign targeting high-potential markets, particularly India and ASEAN nations.

 “We’re expecting over 200 million impressions from this week’s campaign, with focused outreach to specific Indian states where travel demand remains strong,” Minister Thoriq added.