Maldives Publishes 8 Conditions Foreigners Must Meet to Get Citizenship in 2026

• The Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released the official list of conditions foreigners must meet to apply for citizenship
• Applicants must be Muslim, at least 21 years old, and have lived in the Maldives for a continuous period of 12 years
• The government warned that failing to meet even one condition will result in an outright rejection of the application

The Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially published eight conditions that all foreign nationals must satisfy before they can be considered for citizenship in 2026.

The ministry confirmed that any application failing to meet even one of the listed requirements will be rejected outright, and that all submissions must be made in person at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

8 Conditions for Maldivian Citizenship

According to the official guidance, an applicant must be a Muslim and at least 21 years old, as well as of sound mind. They must also have resided in the Maldives for a continuous period of 12 years, though the government noted some flexibility: a person who has lived outside the country for no more than six months and has spent over ten years in the Maldives in total will also be considered to have met the residency requirement.

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Beyond residency, the applicant must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the Maldivian Constitution, be able to speak the Dhivehi language, and have attained an adequate level of education.

The government also requires that the applicant has not committed any political offence, any crime carrying a Hudud punishment under Islamic Shariah, or any offence related to the unlawful production, distribution, or trade of illegal substances.

A person must also have rendered distinguished service to the Maldives to qualify.

Renouncing Foreign Citizenship

One of the more significant requirements involves dual nationality. Any applicant who currently holds citizenship of another country must formally renounce that citizenship in accordance with the laws of that country, and must notify the Maldivian government of the renunciation in writing.

The ministry made clear that satisfying all eight conditions does not guarantee approval; it merely makes a person eligible to apply. The ultimate decision rests with the government.

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Foreigners who believe they meet all the stated criteria are required to submit their applications directly and in person to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives.

Ghana begins visa waiver talks with European countries

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Ghana had commenced discussions with Luxembourg over a potential visa-waiver arrangement that could broaden travel access for Ghanaian passport holders to the European country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the talks followed a bilateral meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Xavier Bettel.

Source: YEN.com.gh