Brits can't holiday in Maldives after UK travel red list is announced

09 May, 2021

The Maldives have been added to UK's red list countries from which travel is banned, the Transport Minister said 0n May 7. Maldives resorts are open but British holidaymakers face hotel quarantine upon their return.

That means that UK citizens returning from red list destinations from 4am on Wednesday 12 May will continue to be required to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days on their return, at their own expense and with mandatory testing on days two and eight. Non-UK citizens are not allowed to travel from these countries to the UK.

Grant Shapps said: "Today marks the first step in our cautious return to international travel, with measures designed above all else to protect public health and ensure we don’t throw away the hard-fought gains we’ve all strived to earn this year.”

"This is a new way of doing things, and people should expect travel to be different this summer – with longer checks at the borders, as part of tough measures to prevent new strains of the virus entering the country and putting our fantastic vaccine rollout at risk."

It is still illegal to travel overseas on holiday until 17 May, with a penalty of up to £5,000 for anyone caught attempting to do so. Everyone travelling internationally must show proof of essential travel reasons at the airport, or face being fined or sent home. Until 17 May, all UK arrivals require a negative pre-departure COVID test, and must self-isolate at home for 10 days after landing.

The Maldives reopened its borders on July 15.

With the border reopening, 30-day free on-arrival visa is issued to all tourists with a confirmed booking for a stay at any registered tourist facility in the country.

There is no mandatory quarantine or testing on arrival, but tourists have to complete an online health declaration form and provide a negative PCR test result taken at least 96 hours prior to their departure.

Start from April 20, travellers to Maldives will not be required to produce a negative Covid-19 PCR test certificate upon arrival and undergo mandatory quarantine if visitors have passed two weeks after full vaccination and they can demonstrate proof of a valid full vaccination certificate (covid passport) with an approved vaccine against Covid-19.

Tourists who have completed full vaccination and completed two weeks after full vaccination do not require a negative PCR test result to enter the Maldives.

Other visa holders are exempt from quarantine procedures if they have completed the second dose of vaccination and have passed two weeks from then.

However, travellers arriving to the Maldives to work in the following places are required to present a negative PCR test result on arrival, even though two weeks have passed after completing their second dose of vaccination:

• Health facilities
• Daycare centres
• Schools
• Residential care services

The Maldives reopened for tourists of all nationalities on July 15.

The stringent health and safety measures in place, and the naturally distanced nature of the Maldivian islands ensure safety for all tourists.

Maldives is also rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine. This is expected to increase the confidence travellers have in the Maldives, and further increase tourist arrivals from India.