Male’, Maldives – After numerous complaints multiple tourists that terminals are crowded due to slow immigration services, Maldives Immigration has stated that clearing passengers from flights will now take no more than 15 minutes.
Tourism numbers have surged in the Maldives, with high numbers of daily arrivals contributing to reaching arrival milestones thought unachievable just a few weeks ago. Such as the 100,000 arrivals post border opening and the 500,000th tourist arriving earlier today.
However, this sudden surge has apparently overwhelmed immigration counters at VIA, with tourists complaining to resort staff that they had to wait 4-5 hours at Velana International Airport (VIA).
Immigration Controller Mohamed Ahmed Hussain has said to local news outlet “Mihaaru” that with a change to current immigration software, they can now clear up to 350 passengers under 15 minutes. Adding that passengers should take no more than 35 seconds at the Immigration counter to be cleared.
Haneef added that after receiving complaints, they had begun efforts to correct the situation since Sunday. He noted that all Immigration counters are now in operation, and are back to pre-pandemic speeds.
He revealed that President Mohamed Solih himself requested to decrease the time spent by tourists at counters, and to quicken service speeds even more.
Due to the upcoming holiday season- Maldives’ routine high season, coupled with the promise that a vaccine is right around the corner, tourist arrivals are expected to skyrocket in the following days.
