Maldivian passport

Maldivian passport
The front cover of the current biometric passport.
TypePassport
Issued by Maldives
First issued25 January 2016 (latest update)
PurposeIdentification
EligibilityMaldivian citizenship
Expiration5 years from the date of issue

Maldivian passport is a proof of citizenship, issued by Maldives Immigration, to all the nationals of the Maldives for international travel. The current passport, the 2nd generation e-passport, was launched on 24 January 2016.[1] This passport consists of a highly secured poly-carbonate data page with laser engraved photos and data. Each visa page of the passport has a different design, represented with numerous illustrations by the Maldivian local artist, Hussain Ali Manik.[2] A Maldivian Passport can be issued to any Maldivian citizen who applies for a passport.

The Maldivian passport is one of the most secure biometric passports in the world with 34 visible and invisible security features and full compliance to the highest security passport standards.[1] The Maldives is the first country in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC to introduce such a sophisticated bio-metric passport.

According to the Henley Passport Index (2024 update), Maldivian passport is the most powerful passport in South Asia, ranked globally at 58,[3] enabling travel to 94[3] countries without a prior visa.

  1. ^ a b "President Launches Biometric Passport and Immigration Auto-Gate Service". The President's Office.
  2. ^ "Maldives - Overview - Success Stories - DERMALOG - The Biometrics & Security Innovation Leader". www.dermalog.com.
  3. ^ a b "Global Passport Ranking".