The Maldives extends negative COVID test validity to 96 hours for travelers
After the reopening of its borders on July 15, 2020, Maldives did not have rules to submit a negative PCR test report for its tourists, other short-term visitors, and those who are not subject to 14 days quarantine period. Then, the imposition of rules to submit a negative PCR test report that the visitors have undergone 72 hours before their departure.
Maldives’s Ministry of Tourism has presently extended the validation of negative PCR tests from October 15, 2020, onwards to within 96 hours before the tourists depart for the Maldives. The Ministry of Tourism believes that this will ease out the travel restraints to the Maldives.
This fresh alteration of the PCR test results timing will get acceptance if the duration between the departure schedule time from the initial port of embarkation en-route to the Maldives and the testing time does not surpass 96 hours.
However, if the visitor makes a transit during the trip, the first PCR test will get validation if the transit is within 24 hours. Consequently, if the visitor makes a transit after 24 hours, then he/she has to again undergo the PCR test within 96 hours before their embarkation at the transit port.
The PCR test certificate must clearly state the name of the visitor (name as in passport), the name and address of their testing laboratory, date of sampling, type of PCR test, name and signature of the officer-in-charge of issuing the report, and the negative test result.
The Maldives Ministry of Tourism announced on their official Twitter handle-
“We are happy to announce that #Maldives Health Protection Agency has extended negative #PCRtest validity time of within 72Hrs to within 96Hrs before tourists departure to #Maldives.”
The visitors who need a negative PCR test result before entering the Maldives are as follows:
1. All the Tourists
2. Holders of Special Visa whose length of stay is up to seven days
3. Holders of work visa whose duration of the visit is up to seven days
4. Foreign diplomats and their accompanying family members
5. Airline crew, only if the transit in the Maldives is in housing than a designated transit or if they continue to stay more than seven days
6. Crew members of ships who come by airline to sign onto the ship
7. Note that exemption is for newborns who are less than a year
All the travelers arriving at the Maldives must submit their PCR test certificate to the Maldives Immigration portal “Imuga” via online imuga.immigration.gov.mv at the time of filling the Traveler Health Declaration.
With the PCR test report, the traveler has to go through all the airport screening. There is no quarantine or testing on arrival for the visitors. They will get a 30-day free visa-on-arrival visa with the confirmed booking for holidaying at any resort or guest houses.
The remaining passengers have to take a mandatory home quarantine for 14 days after reaching the Maldives.
