Those traveling to open border countries or on Schengen visas will now be able to obtain visas for three more European countries; France, Spain, and Portugal, while staying in the Maldives.
In 2020, the VFS global joint session visa application center was opened in Malé City to facilitate application of visas while traveling to Europe.
In August, the VFS Malé visa centre and Switzerland officially partnered to expand the service. The center allows travelers to apply for Schengen visas for Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Luxembourg, and Slovenia.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that from Sunday onwards, Schengen visas to France, Spain, and Portugal will now be available through the visa application Centre in Malé.
Schengen visas for these three additional countries will now be issued in the Maldives. Previously, individuals had to travel to neighboring Sri Lanka to obtain Schengen visas. However, in 2019, the ministry made available the issuance of a temporary visa through the application for a Schengen visa while staying in the Maldives.
As the number of Maldivians traveling abroad has been increasing, the number of Maldivians going on holiday to European countries is also on the rise.