See Maldives/Clearance for the latest information on clearance into the Maldives and permits.

See Maldives Clearance Agents for a list of agents in Male.

Do not go directly to the anchorage in the lagoon north of the airport, at Hulhumale. EVERY time you wish to anchor at Hulhumale you have to clear Customs.  This is now a permanent regulation.  Contact your agent and anchor at Viligili  Island (various spellings) four miles to the SW from Hulhumale off the fishing harbor.  You will be in 25 meters with a rocky bottom.  If you have too much alcohol aboard it will be sealed in a bonded locker.  3 to 6 bottles is deemed to be the maximum but much depends on the individual officer.

The Customs officer will come to you in a speedboat with your agent. You have to pay for the speedboat – US$150 or MVR2,350.

To avoid this it is possible to anchor at Himmafushi, a few miles north and then if you need to go to Male, catch the ferry.

Vessels are not allowed to enter Malé between 23:00 and 06:00 except with special permission from the Coastguard. The Port Authority now insists that all vessels, regardless of size, need to have a pilot, although this is not strictly applied.

An hour before arrival, the Coastguard should be contacted on Channel 10 or 16 (24 hours), who will first ask if the vessel has an agent. If not, the vessel’s particulars will be passed on to the Port Authority before the boat is allowed to proceed.

In practice, it is more likely that an agent will answer the VHF call, not the Coastguard or Port Control. It is recommended to contact your preferred agent in advance to avoid confusion. See Clearance Agents for a list of agents able to deal with clearance formalities.

Anchoring in Malé atoll itself is difficult because of depth. A patch with a minimum depth of 50 ft (15 m) is reported at 4°10.40’N 73°29.80’E. If this place is occupied, one must be prepared to anchor nearby in depths of around 150 ft (50 m).

The Coastguard must inspect the yacht and provide clearance before any of the other officials. No one must go ashore until clearance is completed. Customs, Immigration, and Health will board during office hours to carry out the rest of the clearance. Note that Sunday is classed as a working day in the Maldives.

On departure, first, clear Immigration, then the Port Authority and finally Customs. This can take some time.

Last updated:  November 2022

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