Alright, this is one of those things that seems like “a quick formality” until you’re at the airport with snail-speed WiFi and a cold sweat kicks in.
The Traveller Declaration (IMUGA) is mandatory to enter the Maldives and must be completed online and free of charge. The good news: if you do it calmly following these steps, it’s a quick and simple process. After that, all that’s left is to think about what really matters: manta rays, sharks, and crystal-clear water.
1) When to do it
The form can be completed from 96 hours (4 days) before your flight to the Maldives.
Our advice: do it between 24–72h before your flight to have some margin in case the system gives you any errors with photos, files, or connection.
2) Always use the official website
The IMUGA must be completed only on the official Maldives Immigration portal. It’s a free process, so if any website tries to charge you for it, leave immediately.
3) Before starting, have this ready (saves you 15 min)
- Scanned passport
- Passport-style photo or a decent selfie (no filters)
- Flight details (number and date)
- Accommodation details: if you’re on a liveaboard, enter the name of the boat
- Accessible email (to receive/save the QR)
4) Start the form and scan your passport
When starting the form, you’ll see the option Scan passport / Upload.
If you scan or upload your passport, the system automatically fills in many fields, reducing typing errors. The website states that the scanned data is only used to complete the form.
If it doesn’t work properly, you can fill in the form manually, but usually scanning is faster.
5) “Purpose of Visit”: choose Holiday
In the Purpose of Visit section, select Holiday. This is the correct option if you’re traveling for tourism or vacation.
6) Personal details: exactly as in your passport
Make sure all details match 100% with your passport:
- Full name
- Passport number
- Nationality
- Date of birth
A small mistake in a number may force you to correct the form later.
7) Travel details: pay attention here
In the Travel Information section, you’ll need to enter:
- Flight number (exactly as shown on your ticket)
- Flight date/time, as requested by the form
- Arrival airport: indicate the flight that actually enters the Maldives. If your trip includes stopovers, this will be the final leg landing in Malé (Velana International Airport).
8) Accommodation: if you’re on a liveaboard
In the Accommodation section, enter your accommodation.
If your trip is on a liveaboard, simply enter the name of the boat.
If you have any doubts, you can ask us or check with your tour leader.
9) Upload a proper photo
To avoid the system rejecting your photo, follow these recommendations:
- Face centered
- Good lighting
- No sunglasses
- No filters
- File under 6MB (if it’s too large, it may fail). You can use a free online file compressor to reduce the size if needed.
10) Submit the form and save the QR
Once the form is submitted, the system will generate a QR code. Save it carefully because you’ll need to show it upon arrival in the Maldives
We recommend keeping it in several places:
- Screenshot on your phone
- Downloaded file
- Copy in your email
This way you’ll avoid issues if you don’t have internet connection upon arrival.
Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
These are the most common mistakes we see when filling out the IMUGA:
- Trying to complete it before the allowed 96h window.
- Entering data that does not match your passport (especially the number).
- Choosing the wrong flight entering the Maldives, if there are stopovers.
- Not saving the final QR and relying on “I’ll find it later” (spoiler: later is always worse).
Do you need help with the IMUGA?
If you’re traveling with us and have any doubts while filling it out, we can help you.
We want you to arrive in the Maldives thinking only about enjoying the trip… and diving in the Maldives.
