NOTE: International travel rules are changing significantly from October 4th. Information on this page will be updated once we have the full picture of the new scheme. In the meantime, please contact us for the latest information

Below is a quick reference to the key points with regard to travel to and from the Maldives in the Covid-19 world. Click on the specific sections for more detail.

• The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Maldives due to coronavirus risks.


• The Maldives is welcoming all tourists except from some South Asian countries. Visitors to the Maldives must have a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of departure, and complete the online Health Declaration Form within 24 hours of departure.


• The Maldives has administered at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine to 56% of its population.


• The Maldives is on the government's Amber List for entry into England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.


• We will contact you well in advance of your departure to review the prevailing circumstances and outline your options for proceeding with, changing or cancelling your booking. We will remain as flexible as possible at all times.


• Remember, even with restrictions in place, there is no reason not to make a new booking. The huge number of postponed holidays means there is limited availability at popular times for the coming months and into next year, so it's worth thinking ahead. We'll always be here to help and advise, and we can move your holiday booking if necessary. Travel to paradise will be back!

Please note the following important points relating to information published here:

• We aim to keep all details up-to-date but the situation remains fluid and developments can occur at short notice. Please check with us to confirm the latest advice for travel to and from the Maldives.


• The information is UK-centric and it's not possible for us to list details for departure from other countries. If you are travelling with us from outside of the UK please contact us directly for more information about your circumstances.

Currently the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Maldives due to Covid-19 risks. Full details are available on the UK Government website.

The status of FCDO travel advice is particularly important as in most cases it determines the validity of travel and other insurance.

Our advice as your tour operator is to follow the official advice of the FCDO. If you elect to travel against the FCDO advice it is necessary to:

• Source a travel insurance policy that covers you under those circumstances.


• Sign a disclaimer indemnifying Angelfish Travel and its insurers against any claim that may arise from so doing.

Foreign nationals from all countries are free to visit the Maldives and issued a 30-day tourist visa on arrival (tourist visas for arrivals from some South Asian countries have been temporarily suspended), subject to the following requirements:

• All visitors must present a negative result for a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before departure to the Maldives. Infants under one year are exempt


• All visitors must complete the online Health Declaration Form within 24 hours of departure to the Maldives, replacing physical arrival forms.


• Passports must be valid for at least one month from the expected date of departure from the Maldives.


• Accommodation must be pre-booked and confirmed at a registered tourist facility.

Further details on planning your trip and what to expect in the destination can be found on the Maldives Ministry of Tourism website.

In light of the negative PCR test requirement, we strongly recommend self-isolating as much as possible for a week or so before the start of your holiday to avoid any last minute disappointment.

The Maldives has been highly proactive in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, being amongst the first countries to restrict arrivals, and then shut down tourism. It was also the first destination to reopen to all foreign nationals (with negative PCR test) in July 2020.

Its natural archipelago geography makes it ideally placed to manage cases as they arise. The country is currently experiencing a second wave of Covid-19 infections, occurring mainly in the capital Male and other residential islands. Cases in resort islands remain very limited. Case data can be viewed on the Maldives Ministry of Health dashboard.

The Maldives has one of the best vaccine roll-outs in the world, with 56% of the population having received at least one dose, and almost all frontline workers and tourism staff now fully vaccinated. The Health Protection Agency publishes daily statistics on their social media feeds.

In order to restart tourism in the safest possible manner the Maldivian government has worked closely with tourism stakeholders to develop a wide range of protocols, including:

• Airport safety measures - mask-wearing, social distancing, thermal screening, sanitizers, mandatory testing for any arrival with symptoms, and random testing.


• All resorts had to submit a comprehensive Covid-19 management plan and pass inspection before reopening


• Deep-clean sanitization in rooms and other resort facilities


• Safety procedures for all resort staff, including quarantine on arrival, mask-wearing, social distancing, random testing & screening.


• In resort medical services, PPE, a designated Covid-19 safety manager, and isolation/quarantine facilities.


• Assistance in resort with arranging pre-departure tests.

For more details please refer to the Ministry of Tourism website.

The UK has adopted a so-called traffic lights system to designate the safety of foreign destinations. The Green, Amber & Red lists dictate the rules on travelling to (or through) and returning from a particular country.

The rules are complicated, and to make things trickier they vary, with the devolved administrations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland having their own country lists and rules.

We understand that lists will be reviewed and updated every 3 weeks.

Here is a brief summary of the rules for the UK's constituents (follow the links for more information):

England

• Red list - If travelling to or through a red list country within the last 10 days only UK or Irish residents will be admitted. Before arrival, take a Covid-19 test, complete a passenger locator form and book a quarantine hotel package. On arrival, quarantine in the hotel for at least 10 days and take tests on day 2 and day 8.


• Amber list - Before arrival, take a Covid-19 test, complete a passenger locator form and book Covid-19 tests for day 2 and day 8. On arrival, quarantine at home for 10 days (you may be able to end quarantine early through the test to release scheme.


• Green list - Before arrival, take a Covid-19 test, complete a passenger locator form and book a Covid-19 test for day 2. You do not need to self-isolate unless you test positive.

Scotland

• Red list - If travelling to or through a red list country within the last 10 days only UK or Irish citizens or residents, or those with exemptions, will be admitted. Before arrival, have a negative PCR test within 3 days, complete a passenger locator form and book a quarantine hotel package with tests on day 2 and day 8. After arrival, isolate in your hotel for at least 10 days.


• Amber list - Before arrival, take a Covid-19 test within 3 days, complete a passenger locator form and book and pay £170 for Covid-19 tests for day 2 and day 8 through the CTM Portal. On arrival, isolate for 10 days


• Green list - Before arrival, take a Covid-19 test, complete a passenger locator form and book and pay £88 for a Covid-19 test for day 2 through the CTM portal. You do not need to self-isolate unless you test positive.

Wales

• Red list - If travelling to or through a red list country within the last 10 days only UK or Irish residents will be admitted. Before arrival, take a Covid-19 test within 72 hours, complete a passenger locator form and book a quarantine hotel package. On arrival (at an approved point of entry), isolate in managed quarantine for at least 10 days and take tests on day 2 and day 8, through the CRM Portal.


• Amber list - Before arrival, take a Covid-19 test within 72 hours, complete a passenger locator form and book Covid-19 tests for day 2 and day 8 through the CTM Portal. On arrival, isolate for 10 days


• Green list - Complete a passenger locator form, have proof of a negative Covid-19 test (for ages 11 and above) taken no more than 72 hours before departure, book a PCR test via the UK booking site on or before day 2.

Northern Ireland

• Red list - If travelling to or through a red list country within the last 10 days only UK or Irish residents will be admitted. Before arrival, take a Covid-19 test within 72 hours, complete a passenger locator form and book a quarantine hotel package at the port where you first arrive. On arrival (at an approved point of entry), isolate in managed quarantine for at least 10 days and take tests on day 2 and day 8, through the CRM Portal.


• Amber list - Before arrival, take a Covid-19 test within 72 hours, complete a passenger locator form and book Covid-19 tests for day 2 and day 8 through the CTM Portal or approved private testing provider. On arrival, isolate for 10 days


• Green list - Provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test result taken up to three days before departure, book and pay for a day two PCR test, complete a UK passenger locator form within 48 hours of departure.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic our objective has been to be as helpful and flexible as possible for all our clients, proactively contacting everyone well ahead of departure, while the options available remain as broad as possible.

Each situation is different depending upon time of travel and varying rebooking and cancellation policies for our airline, resort and other supplier partners. Broadly, the options for an existing Maldives booking are:

• Postpone - we can re-book your holiday for future dates. There may or may not be a change in price, depending on seasonality, individual policies and so on. Even if you can't commit to new dates right away, we can still postpone in principle and re-book when you're ready.


• Travel as planned - ignoring FCDO non-essential advice (subject to indemnity waivers) and completing the managed quarantine on return. We'd advise against this option.


• Cancel your booking - please note that if you choose to cancel, loss of deposit and other cancellation penalties may apply.


• Wait for us to cancel - if we consider that it will not be possible to fulfil your booking, for example if other options are exhausted, your departure is before the next traffic lights review, and the FCDO advice remains unchanged then we will cancel your booking and provide a full refund.