OUR MISSION & DEVELOPMENT
Foreign Minister Shahid reiterated the deepest appreciation to the Government and the people of
India for gifting an additional 100,000 doses of COVISHIELD vaccine to the people of Maldives,
in addition to the 100,000 doses gifted to the Maldives on 20 January 2021. Minister Shahid
also thanked the Government of India for the various kinds of support extended to the people
and Government of Maldives, during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially noting the financial
assistance of $250 million for budget support.
The Ministers agreed that people-to-people contact is the backbone of the bilateral
relationship. The resuming of regular scheduled flights between the Maldives and India
under the Air Travel Bubble established in August 2020, has enabled increased interaction
for mutual benefit and enhanced the close relationship between the two countries despite
this pandemic time. Minister Shahid appreciated the establishment of the Air Travel Bubble
which enabled the travel of Maldivians to India for medical treatment, despite Indian borders
being closed. The Air Travel Bubble has also enabled an increasing number of Indian tourists
to visit the Maldives, making India the number one tourist-source market during 2020 and
continuing to occupy the top spot in 2021 so far. Currently, over 45 flights per week are
operating between the Maldives and seven destinations in India. Minister Shahid noted that
the increasing number of tourists from India has supported the recovery efforts from the
pandemic. He also noted that the development of Hanimaadhoo Airport and Addu Gan Airport
being financed under the $800million Line of Credit will contribute towards strengthening
connectivity, and facilitate more visitors to the Maldives.
TO BECOMING ONE OF THE BUSIEST TOURISM COUNTRY
Minister Shahid welcomed the offer of a new line of credit of $40million for development
of sports infrastructure and noted that it will contribute in creating new sports
infrastructure. A special event was also held at Ekuveni track – newly renovated with
financing through Indian grant – to celebrate the increasingly strengthening cooperation
in the area of sports. Minister Jaishankar joined the Speaker of Majlis President Mohamed
Nasheed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Youth, Sports and Community
Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof, Members of Parliament, and Presidents of sports associations,
at this event.
An amendatory agreement for the $40million Line of Credit signed in 2011, was signed during the visit.
Under this amendatory agreement, the unutilized amount of $25.64 million under this Line of Credit, will
be directed towards roads development projects in the Maldives. And a $50 million Dollar Credit Line
Agreement between the Government of Maldives and EXIM Bank India was signed for defence projects. A Letter
of Intent between Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation and EXIM Bank was also signed during this visit towards
extending a credit facility under EXIM Bank’s Buyer’s Credit scheme to support the design and construction
of 2000 social housing units in Hulhumalé. And in this context, both Ministers noted with happiness, the
increasing interest of Indian investors in the Maldives.
REMARKS BY EXCELLENCY OF FAISAL NASEEM, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALDIVES
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ooredoo Group, Mr Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo
Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Ms Aminath Shauna, Chairperson of
Ooredoo Group, Ms Fatima Al Kuwari, Managing Director and CEO of Ooredoo Maldives,
Mr Khalid Al Hamadi, Cabinet Ministers, business leaders, officials from the government,
ladies and gentlemen.
I am deeply honoured and it is my great pleasure to stand in front of this spectacular
building, the inauguration of the Ooredoo Maldives Headquarters in this city, Hulhumalé
in the Maldives. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to the whole team of
Ooredoo Maldives for the achievements that they have made over the past 18 years.
Ooredoo Maldives has been more than a partner, they have been a driving force in
evolving our telecommunications infrastructure, connecting our islands, and bringing
us closer to the world. Their investments and technologies have improved connectivity,
helping us overcome geographical barriers and opening up new opportunities for our people.
Note:
Expatriate should be registered under the “Expatriate Medical Insurance” issued
from Allied Insurance Company, before applying for visa.
Work Visa fee should be paid for a minimum of 3 months from the date of submission
of the application.
The existing Employees while returning to Maldives after been abroad must make sure
their visa is valid or at least the Work Permit should remain valid.
History
THE REVOLUTION
The revolution of the Maldivian passport
The first Travel Document to a Maldivian was issued on 1950s, by the Ministry of
External Affairs. It was named as the Maldivian Pass, which was only valid to travel
between Maldives and Ceylon. It is said that the reason for introducing this travel
document was for trade purposes, mainly for fish exporting.
The first passport to a Maldivian was issued from the High Commission of the
United Kingdom, based at Colombo. This series was known as the British Passport,
and it enabled the Maldivians to travel to all foreign countries as a ‘British protected
person of the Maldive islands’.
British Passport was replaced by the Maldivian Passport on 20th April 1964,
which was the first passport issued from an authority of the Maldivian government,
the Ministry of External Affairs, as a result of the independence demands from a British
protectorate, by the then Prime Minister of Maldives, Ibrahim Nasir.
Passport was again transformed on 12th December 1965, soon after the Maldives reclaimed
independence on 26th July 1965. This series was issued by the newly inaugurated Passport
Office of Maldives, the office designated for immigration control of Maldives. The cost
of this passport was MVR4.
The second series of the passport after the independence, the ‘A’ series, was
introduced on 1975. This was replaced by the 2nd issue of ‘A’ series of passport on
1980, which was the first issue after the Passport Office was reformed as the Department
of Immigration & Emigration. The 3rd and 4th issue of the ‘A’ series was issued on 1990
and 2003 respectively.
The first electronic passport, the 1st generation e-passport (also known as bio
metric passport or digital passport) was introduced on the 42nd anniversary of the
Maldives independence, which was on 26th July 2007. E-passport has an embedded electronic
microprocessor chip which contains bio metric information. This information can be used
to authenticate the identity of the passport holder.
PASSPORT
The current passport, the 2nd generation e-passport, was launched on 25th January
2016, by the then President of the Maldives, His Excellency Abdulla Yamin Abdul
Gayyoom. This passport contain a highly secured polycarbonate data page with laser
engraved photo and data. Each visa page of the passport has a different design, with
numerous illustrations by the Maldivian local artist, Hussain Ali Manik. It is one
of the most secure biometric passports in the world with 34 visible and invisible
security features and full compliance to the highest security passport standards.
The Maldives is the first country in the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) to introduce such a sophisticated biometric passport
