Amendment submitted to extend resident visa validity

Parliamentary representative for Raa Atoll's Dhuvaafaru constituency Ismail Ahmed, on Monday, proposed an amendment to the Immigration Act, which would enable foreign nationals who are presently married to Maldivian citizens, to conveniently secure resident visas for long periods.

Submitted to the Parliament Committee on National Security and Foreign Relations, the Dhuvaafaru MP's amendment recommended additions to Article 16 of the Immigration Act.

Under the amendment, resident visas issued to foreigners married to Maldivians would remain usable within the period in which the individual's passport was valid.

At present, the Immigration Act requires migrants married to Maldivians to renew their resident visas on an annual basis. The Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services recently stated that these stipulations caused difficulties for families and requested the Committee on National Security and Foreign Relations to rectify the matter.

The government currently grants resident visas to foreign nationals legally married to Maldivians as well as those that have made significant investments to conduct government-approved projects or businesses in the country.

The Dhuvaafaru MP's amendment also included a set of conditions under which permanent residence visas could be issued for resident visa holders. The requirements include being married for a minimum of seven years, living in Maldives for seven years and spending at least eight months per year in the country within the duration. In order to be eligible for permanent residence visas, the individual must also not be convicted for any criminal charges.

As per the amendment, permanent residence visas secured as per the aforementioned criteria will remain valid in the event that a divorce occurs or the spouse passes away, provided that they have children and there is no additional financial burden to the state.

Additionally, the amendment requires both residence visa holders and permanent visa holders to have subscribed to health insurance, in accordance with specific instructions given by the immigration controller.

In July, heated debates ensued within the parliament concerning an amendment to the Immigration Act which proposed the issuance of residence visas for migrants who have resided in Maldives by way of rent for over a decade as well as foreigners that invested a minimum of MVR 100,000 in the country. The proposal was then sent back to the committee for further discussion.