Travelers planning a trip to the Maldives are being warned about fraudulent websites that are misleading visitors into paying unnecessary fees for the country’s mandatory travel declaration form known as IMUGA. These fake platforms claim to assist tourists with completing the IMUGA form prior to arrival in the Maldives and charge small service fees, falsely presenting themselves as official or authorized portals.
IMUGA is the Maldives Immigration online travel declaration system that all passengers must complete before entering the country. While the form is a legitimate requirement for arrival, authorities emphasize that the process is completely free of charge when completed through the official government website. Scammers have taken advantage of travelers unfamiliar with the system by creating imitation websites that appear legitimate and request payment for submission services.
Officials remind travelers that the Maldives offers a free visa on arrival for most nationalities, typically valid for 30 days, and there is no fee required for visa applications or the IMUGA declaration through the official channel. Any website requesting payment for this process should be treated as suspicious.
The only official platform to submit the IMUGA travel declaration is the Maldives Immigration government portal at https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/. Travelers are strongly advised to access the form directly through this website and avoid third-party services that claim to process the declaration on their behalf.
Authorities also recommend that visitors double-check website addresses carefully before entering personal information or making any payments online. Fraudulent websites not only charge unnecessary fees but may also collect sensitive personal details from travelers.
Tourists planning their visit to the Maldives are encouraged to stay informed and ensure they use only the official immigration website to complete their IMUGA declaration to avoid scams and protect their personal information.