Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed it is working to allow visa-free travel to more countries.
Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs Abdulla Humaid talking to local news PSM said the government has facilitated visa-free travel to six countries in the past three years, which include Kazakhstan, Morocco, UAE, Thailand, Russia, and China. While, a visa exemption agreement has been signed with China, Maldivians will only be able to travel after the COVID-19 situation improves in the country.
Furthermore, Deputy Minister Humaid noted that Maldivians can currently travel to 88 countries without visas and that discussions are being held to sign visa exemption agreements with 17 more countries. He added that the government is also working to facilitate easier means by which Maldivians can obtain visas.
A permanent Schengen Visa Application Centre was established in 2020 to ease the difficulties Maldivians face while applying for visas to travel to Germany and the Czech Republic, and the government is working on allowing Maldivians to apply for visas via the centre to travel to other countries.
