The Maldives passed a regulation to cancel business visas of expatriates that take part in any anti-government activities, and deport them.
According to the new regulation of Maldives Immigration that came into effect Tuesday, business visas will be cancelled under seven conditions after they are issued. They include organising any anti-government activities, participating in such activities, and actions that compromise the sovereignty and independence, or the security of the Maldives.
Other reasons include participation in or having connections to terrorist associations, lack of arrangement for food and accommodation during stay in the Maldives, having a dangerous disease or attempting to flee to another country.
The regulation stipulates that business visas will be issued for a period of 90 to 270 days. Applications must be made three months before business visas expire and extensions are only up to 90 days each. Extensions also include a fee of MVR 750.
Business visas are only issued to expatriate workers registered at state institutions and companies, registered schools, colleges, universities, club associations and health facilities of the Maldives. However, visas will not be issued to anyone that have been blacklisted or barred from entering the country under the Immigration Act.
Under the regulation, expatriates and those who accompanied them will be penalised should they remain in the Maldives after the termination or expiration of their visas.
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