Traveling to Maldives? You now need to have a negative COVID test: Here’s everything you need to know.
The Ministry of Tourism of Maldives has declared on 1st September 2020 that every visitor must show their negative COVID-19 test report at the Velana International Airport on their arrival. The visitors must present their recent test report that is done within 72 hours before their departure for the Maldives.
Tweeting the same, the Ministry of Tourism has said:
“For the safety of all, HPA Maldives has made it mandatory, with effect from 10th September, for all tourists and short term visitors to present a Negative PCR certificate on arrival in #Maldives.”
The visitors should submit their certificates through “Imuga”, the immigration portal. Officials are posted at the Male International Airport to confirm that all the travellers who have arrived can enter only with a negative PCR test report. Apart from these rules, all the other rules concerning COVID-19 shall continue to function like before.
The resorts of Maldives have permission to devise their regulations with some mandatory rules. One of those mandatory rules is posting a trained medical professional in the resort who will be in charge of acquiring the COVID-19 samples from their guests to test. This step is a well-planned step to develop a COVID-free zone.
According to sources, now the visitors can split their holiday stay in two resorts, unlike the previous ban. However, the entry provisions are tighter than earlier.
It is mandatory for all the visitors except the citizens of Maldives to submit the certificate of their negative PCR test that has been conducted within 72 hours before their departure. The certificate must have clear details of the laboratory’s name and address and the sample date of the test.
The visitors must attach the result with the Traveler Health Declaration form, and this procedure should be followed via online within 24 hours before arriving. All the hotels and guesthouses have reopened for International travelers.
On 15th July 2020, Maldives reopened its borders after a halt of 110 days to restrict the spread of deadly Coronavirus. Previously, visitors could arrive in the country if they could submit a health declaration form a minimum of 24 hours before their arrival.
