The IMUGA Traveller Declaration is free. So is the Maldives tourist visa on arrival for Malaysian passport holders.
Maldives Immigration states the declaration is free of charge, and it has warned travellers about websites that charge for it. For the full form walkthrough, see the IMUGA step-by-step guide, part of our entry and travel paperwork hub.
Is IMUGA free on the official site?
Yes. The official portal is imuga.immigration.gov.mv, and the declaration costs nothing for any traveller, adult or infant.
The official form does not ask for a credit card. If a page you reached through a search ad or social media post shows a payment step, you are not on the official portal.
Which Maldives entry costs are real?
The confusion comes from the fact that a Maldives trip does carry government charges. They are just not collected through IMUGA. This table shows what is real, who collects it and how you pay.
| Item | Cost | Who collects it | How you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMUGA Traveller Declaration | Free | Maldives Immigration | Nothing to pay |
| Tourist visa on arrival | Free | Maldives Immigration | Nothing to pay |
| Airport Development Fee (economy) | USD 50 | Airline, for the government | Usually inside your ticket |
| Green Tax, resorts and large hotels | USD 12 per guest per night | Your property | On your hotel bill |
| Green Tax, small inhabited-island guesthouses | USD 6 per guest per night | Your property | On your hotel bill |
| Tourism GST | 17% | Your property | On room and services |
Children under two are exempt from Green Tax. Tourism GST rose from 16% to 17% on 1 July 2025.
What a free IMUGA saves a family
A worked example shows why paid sites are worth avoiding. Fees on unofficial sites vary and change, and we have not verified a current figure, but they are charged per traveller and every traveller needs a declaration.
The cost multiplies quickly for families. A grandparent, two parents and three children means six separate charges for six free forms.
Take a family of four and an illustrative USD 30 charge per person. That is USD 120, or about RM491 at RM4.09 per USD, for a form the government gives away.
That RM491 would cover a good part of a family's Green Tax at a small guesthouse. Four guests for 4 nights at USD 6 is USD 96, about RM393.
How to make sure you pay nothing
- Type imuga.immigration.gov.mv into the address bar yourself.
- Skip search results marked "Sponsored" or "Ad".
- Ignore WhatsApp or social media offers to "process your IMUGA".
- Stop if any page asks for card details.
The IMUGA scams guide explains how to tell the real portal apart and what to do if you have already paid.
Where the real money goes on a Maldives trip
For most Malaysian travellers the big costs are flights, accommodation, transfers and food. Taxes and service charges add a meaningful slice on top of room rates.
Tourism GST at 17% plus a usual 10% service charge adds about 28.7% to a pre-tax room rate. That is where your attention is better spent than on entry paperwork.
Our guide to how much a Maldives trip costs from Malaysia breaks this down. The trip cost calculator lets you run your own numbers in ringgit.
Who is most likely to pay by mistake
First-time travellers who search "Maldives visa" late at night are the main target. The top results can be adverts for paid services.
Older travellers and busy parents filing for several people are also at risk, because a paid site can look official and quick. Honeymooners and solo travellers rarely lose much money, but they do hand over passport details.
When in doubt, remember the rule in one line: entry paperwork for a Maldives holiday costs nothing, and taxes are paid to your airline and property.
Does the timing affect the price?
No. There is no express fee for filing late and no discount for filing early, because the declaration is free at any point in the window.
The only constraint is the 96-hour rule. Our guide on when to complete IMUGA works out the exact opening time for each KLIA flight.
Questions travellers ask
Why do paid IMUGA websites exist if the form is free?
Does my travel agent charge for doing IMUGA?
Is there a fee for children's IMUGA declarations?
How much is the Maldives airport departure fee?
Sources and checks
Last reviewed: · Prices researched:
- Maldives Immigration, Tourist Visa · immigration.gov.mv · Checked 12 October 2026
- Edition.mv, Immigration warns of fake portals issuing IMUGA forms · edition.mv · Checked 12 October 2026
- MIRA circular, changes to Green Tax rates from 1 January 2025 · mira.gov.mv · Checked 11 October 2026
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