To curb the misuse of business visas by foreign nationals seeking to convert to work visas, the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has amended its regulations to restrict Business and Special Visa holders from applying for work permits through the ‘Expat System.’ As part of the government’s ongoing efforts to address the issue of undocumented immigrants, biometric data has been collected from over 294,000 foreigners, with more than 208,937 expatriates currently residing in the Maldives under valid work permits. Furthermore, due to the increasing number of foreign nationals engaging in unauthorized business activities or working outside their permitted sectors—often referred to as ‘open visa’ arrangements—authorities are conducting operations to identify and deport such individuals. Maldives Immigration has urged all stakeholders to exercise responsibility and comply with established regulations.
