24 March 1950
1950s
The beginning of formal travel documentation in the Maldives.
Appointment of Mohamed Ibrahim Didi as the first Controller.
Businessmen near the shops on the southern side of Orchid Magu in the 1950s.
1957
Introduction of the Maldivian Pass.
- First formal travel document.
- Valid only for travel between Maldives and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
- Used primarily for trade and business purposes.
- The first person to travel using this document was Boduhokko Husenfulu, who served at Aa Ganduvaru under Thuhthu Goma.
1960s
Independence and the first Maldivian passports.
In the early 1960s, Maldivians travelled using British Protected Person Passports issued through Colombo.
20 April 1964
First Official Maldivian Passport issued by the Government of Maldives.
- Issued to Mr. Hasan Didi (A0001) by Passport Officer Ahmed Ali Didi.
20 January 1965
Passport issued to Al-Ameer Hassan Nooraddeen, former King of the Maldives (1935–1943), at the age of 79.
- The biodata page featured a manually attached photograph and signature, with personal details entered by hand.
12 December 1965
First Post-Independence Maldivian Passport issued
- Passport No. A0001 re-issued following the cancellation of pre-independence passports.
- Issued to Hussain Manik of Thaa Atoll Dhiyamigili to travel to Colombo for employment at the Maldivian High Commission.
- The passport fee: MVR 4.
12 April 1966
President Ibrahim Nasir inaugurated Hulhulé Airport.
Airport border control services commenced with fully manual immigration clearance processes.
1970s
Tourism arrives and travel documents are standardized.
1972
Beginning of tourism and growing immigration operations
George Corbin of Italy became the first tourist to visit the Maldives, arriving at Kurumba Village, the country's first resort.
George Corbin with the first group of tourists to visit the Maldives.
1975
Introduction of the first "A" Series Passport.
- Adopted a standardized national passport format.
- Aligned Maldivian travel documents with international practices.
- The "A" series remained in use for decades.
A foreign visitor arriving at Hulhulé Airport during the early years of international travel to the Maldives.
1979
Visa Services
Visa services were administered through relatively simple procedures, reflecting the limited verification and screening resources available at the time.
Air travel became increasingly accessible to Maldivians, with growing numbers travelling abroad for education, employment, and other opportunities.
1980s
A new department, a new airport, and rapid growth.
1980
The Passport Office restructured as the Department of Immigration and Emigration.
1980
Introduction of the Second Issue of the "A" Series Passport, featuring a dot-matrix biodata page.
Introduction of standardized uniforms, strengthening the professional identity of immigration officers.
1981
Hulhulé Airport redeveloped as Malé International Airport, expanding immigration operations amid growing tourism and passenger traffic.
MV Samaa Dhaan in 1981, one of the first cruise ships to operate in the Maldives.
Air and sea border operations expanded rapidly alongside tourism growth.
- 1985 | Maldives reached a milestone of 100,000 tourist arrivals for the first time.
- 1986 | Immigration Head Office established at Huravee Building.
- 1988 | Annual Rank and Promotion Ceremonies introduced to recognize staff achievements and strengthen institutional culture.
1989
Introduction of the Third Issue of the "A" Series Passport.
1990s
Modern terminals and the move to computerized systems.
From the late 1980s through the 1990s, Immigration officers travelled to resorts and remote islands to provide on-site visa services.
1994
New airport terminal introduced dedicated immigration counters.
1996
Fourth Issue of the "A" Series Passport introduced with enhanced security features.
Controller K.D. Ahmed Manik played a key role in the development of the organization during his tenure as Controller from 1987 to 1993.
1996
Immigration records began transitioning from manual systems to computerized databases.
2000s
Going online and pioneering the e-Passport.
27 August 2002
Launch of the official Immigration website.
2005
Significant growth in immigration and expatriate management services.
26 July 2005
Immigration uniforms redesigned.
2007
Immigration Act strengthened enforcement powers.
- Expanded raid operations.
- Introduced multiple visa categories for foreign nationals.
2007
Expansion of Immigration border control services to Gan International Airport.
26 July 2007
Launch of the first Electronic Passport (e-Passport).
- First biometric passport in the SAARC region.
- Featured an embedded microprocessor chip containing biometric data.
- Positioned the Maldives as a regional leader in travel document security.
2010s
Smarter systems, wider reach.
2010
Work visa systems upgraded from passport endorsements to secure visa stickers and cards.
Establishment of a dedicated office and expanded operations for the Expatriate Monitoring and Repatriation Section.
Establishment of the Intelligence and Risk Management Unit.
Improved risk assessment and inter-agency cooperation.
2013
Immigration border control operations expanded to Hanimaadhoo International Airport and Villa International Airport Maamigili. The Immigration Office in Kulhudhuffushi was also established, expanding immigration services in the northern region.
2014
New epaulette design introduced following structural reforms and the implementation of a new promotion system.
24 January 2016
Introduction of the Second-Generation Electronic Passport.
Polycarbonate data page. 34 advanced security features. ICAO-compliant design.
2020s
Digital transformation and the Diamond Jubilee.
15 July 2020
Introduction of Traveller Health Declaration.
Replaced paper arrival cards with digital pre-arrival processing during COVID-19.
21 July 2020
Launch of IMUGA.
Initially used for Traveller Health Declaration submission. Later expanded into a comprehensive digital platform for immigration services, beginning with the Dhivehi Passport service.
27 September 2020
Launch of Maldives Border Miles program.
To support post-pandemic tourism recovery and enhance visitor engagement. 1 January 2021 — program commenced with first tourist arrival.
5 November 2020
Launch of the Strategic Plan 2020–2024.
Marking the publication of the first printed strategic plan and the introduction of the first organizational action plan in 12 years.
1 August 2021
Visa services relocated for improved accessibility and convenience.
Since 2020
The Maldivian Passport has consistently ranked as the strongest passport in South Asia.
25 March 2024
On the 74th anniversary of the organization, the working uniform was enhanced with gold-tone buttons, and an Immigration rank was introduced for trainees.
17 July 2024
Launch of Immigration Watch.
Enabled anonymous public reporting of immigration offences. Supported digital submission of evidence and documents.
26 December 2024
Tourist arrivals exceeded 2 million visitors, marking the highest volume of international passenger movements processed by Immigration.
24 March 2025
Marked the Diamond Jubilee of Immigration services — 75 years of service to the nation.
26 July 2025
Opening of the new Velana International Airport terminal.
Significantly increased passenger processing capacity.
7 October 2025
Passport services expanded across all atolls, completing nationwide decentralization.
10 November 2025
Introduction of E-Visa services under the Maldives 2.0 initiative.
Eliminated in-person visa applications. Enabled end-to-end digital visa processing.
10 November 2025
Introduction of MI ID Checker.
Facial recognition system for identifying undocumented migrants. Instant access to passport, visa and work permit records.
23 November 2025
Maldives Immigration became the first fully digital government agency in the Maldives.
All public services transitioned to digital platforms. Major milestone in public-sector digital transformation.
31 December 2025
Modern E-Gates at new terminal of Velana International Airport.
Automated border clearance through biometric verification.
2025–2026
Electronic Passport Issuance Begins Overseas
Electronic passport issuance commenced in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Colombo, Sri Lanka, with Immigration officers stationed at both locations to provide passport services directly to Maldivians abroad.