Maldives Immigration orders airlines to submit passenger data from October

Maldives Immigration will require every airline flying to or from Maldivian international airports to transmit advance passenger information (API) and passenger name record (PNR) data under a regulation published in the Gazette of the Government of Maldives. The rule, Regulation No. 2026/R-85, appears in the issue of 25 September 2026 (Volume 55, Issue 153). Production messages must begin on 15 October 2026, while the regulation itself enters into force on 30 October 2026.

The text is titled “Regulation on submitting information of persons travelling on aircraft arriving in and departing from the Maldives to Maldives Immigration”. It was made under Articles 8 and 26 of the Maldives Immigration Act (Law No. 1/2007) and Article 35(a) and Annex 9, Article 9.15 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, signed in Chicago on 7 December 1944 and ratified by the Maldives on 12 March 1974.

Its stated purposes are to safeguard the security and safety of the Maldives, to prevent dangerous and organised crime and terrorism, and to implement the United Nations Security Council resolutions 2178 (2014), 2396 (2017) and 2482 (2019) on terrorist travel.

Who must report and what data is required

The regulation applies to all passengers and crew on board international flights, including commercial, non-commercial, regular and non-regular air transport operators serving the Maldives. Responsibility extends to aircraft owners, charterers, agents, captains and every party accountable for the aircraft.

• API messages: transmitted as UN/EDIFACT PAXLST.
• PNR messages: transmitted as UN/EDIFACT PNRGOV.
• Table 1 of the regulation lists 35 data elements, split between flight data and passenger or crew data.
• Flight data includes flight identification with the International Air Transport Association carrier code and flight number, scheduled departure and arrival dates and times, place or port of call of departure, initial arrival and transit, and the number of passengers and crew.
• Passenger and crew data includes surname and given names, gender, date of birth, nationality, official travel document number, type, issuing state and validity dates, place of embarkation and debarkation, traveller status, seating and baggage information, PNR locator number, visa details, residence and destination addresses, contact number, ticketing and payment details, travel agent information and no-show history.

Deadlines, message windows and addresses

Airlines must send testing messages before the production start date on the messaging platform designated by Maldives Immigration. Airlines that newly commence operations to the Maldives receive a grace period of 30 days to complete the technical requirements.

• API messages are sent in two pushes: at close of check-in, and at close of boarding or doors closed before departure.
• PNRGOV messages are sent in two pushes: 24 hours before departure and 1 hour before departure.
• Type B addresses: MLEMCXH for production and MLECUXH for testing.
• Type X addresses: XHMLEPR for production and XHMLEPT for testing.

Charter flights, private jets and penalties

For non-RPT flights such as charter flights and private jet operations, the passenger and crew manifest of inbound and outbound flights must be sent through the immigration portal at portal.immigration.gov.mv.

• Inbound manifest for flights of less than three hours: 30 minutes before landing.
• Inbound manifest for flights of more than three hours: 1 hour before landing.
• Outbound manifest: 30 minutes before departure from the Maldives.

Parties that breach the regulation may be fined MVR 2,000. Data submitted is treated as confidential, held for a period determined by Maldives Immigration, and may be shared with its staff, with the Maldives Customs Service under Articles 60, 70 and 84 of the Customs Act (Law No. 8/2011), and with intelligence bodies under the Terrorism Prevention Act (Law No. 32/2015). The government point of contact is Maldives Immigration in Malé, telephone +9609778003, email ict@immigration.gov.mv.

The regulation puts every international carrier, charter operator and private jet flying into or out of the Maldives under a single advance-reporting regime, and means inbound and outbound travellers will have their identity, itinerary and booking details screened before arrival or departure. With the production deadline falling two weeks before the regulation formally takes effect, airlines have a narrow window to complete technical integration or face fines.

Source: Gazette of the Government of Maldives, No. 2026/R-85, 25 September 2026, Section I, Volume 55, Issue 153 (official reference: 2026/R-85).