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What we help with

Everything you need to open your business

One contact for the whole process, so you don’t have to work it out alone.

Open a company

Register your company in the Maldives through the official business portal, with the right documents prepared the first time.

Foreign investment (FDI) approval

We guide your Foreign Investment Application with the Ministry, from first submission through to your investment licence.

Find a local partner

For sectors that need a Maldivian partner, we introduce vetted local partners and help set up a clear, written joint venture.

Open a shop, café or guesthouse

Planning an outlet, restaurant, retail shop or island guesthouse? We check what’s open to you and the best way to set it up.

Licences & permits

We help you get the registrations, licences and permits your business activity needs, filed with the right authorities.

Banking & tax guidance

Guidance on tax registration with MIRA and introductions for local banking once your company is set up.

Two ways to start

Own it yourself, or partner with a local

Some sectors in the Maldives are open to full foreign ownership. Others are open only through a joint venture with a Maldivian partner. Your type of business decides which one applies.

Maldives Monetary Authority headquarters and modern office buildings beside boats in Malé harbour Route 1 · Direct investment

Own up to 100%

Take up to 100% foreign ownership through the official Foreign Direct Investment process, in sectors open to full or majority foreign capital.

  • Up to 100% foreign ownership (varies by sector)
  • For sectors such as tourism, energy, fintech, ports and more
  • Minimum-investment thresholds are set by sector
  • Ends with a Foreign Investment Licence in your name
Learn about direct investment →
Traditional wooden Maldivian dhoni moored at an island jetty Route 2 · Local joint venture

Partner with a Maldivian

Team up with a trusted Maldivian partner — the usual route for smaller or locally focused businesses.

  • Guesthouses, cafés & restaurants, trades, retail supply
  • We introduce vetted local partners
  • Ownership split, roles and exit set in writing by licensed counsel
  • Agreed before any money moves
Learn about joint ventures →

Not sure which one you need? Just email us — the first conversation sorts it out.

How it works

Four simple steps

The Maldives has one official approval process for foreign investment. We help you go through it once, cleanly.

Tell us your idea

Tell us what you want to open. We confirm whether your activity is open to foreign investors and which route fits.

Free first conversation

Apply for approval

We prepare your Foreign Investment Application for the Ministry, which then issues a Letter of No-Objection.

Application → no-objection

Pay the fee & register

You pay the official administrative fee directly to MIRA, then the company is registered on the Business Portal.

Fee → registration

Get your licence & open

The Ministry issues your Foreign Investment Licence and you sign the investment agreement. You’re ready to operate.

Licence → agreement
We never hold your money. All government fees are paid by you, directly to the government, with receipts in your name. Our own fee is agreed with you in writing before any work begins.
Why the Maldives

A small country with an open economy

1,192
Islands across the atolls
Up to 100%
Foreign ownership, varies by sector
~30%
Of GDP from tourism alone
Dec 2024
New Foreign Investment Law in force
Fresh reef fish and tuna in blue baskets at the Malé fish market
Local trade · Malé fish market
Container cargo ship Maldive Star at sunset with a passenger ferry in front
Shipping & cargo
Sinamalé Bridge crossing the sea toward the Malé city skyline
Infrastructure · Sinamalé Bridge
Aerial view of turquoise reefs and the inhabited island of Guraidhoo in Kaafu Atoll
1,192 islands · Kaafu Atoll

Clear published rules

Which sectors are open, and at what ownership level, is set out in published policy — not decided case by case.

Growing beyond tourism

The government is actively pushing into energy, fisheries, logistics and the digital economy.

Profits move freely

There are no restrictions on taking earnings or profits out of a foreign-invested company.

Questions

Common questions

Can a foreigner open a company in the Maldives?

Yes. Some sectors allow up to 100% foreign ownership; others are open only through a joint venture with a Maldivian partner. Your business activity decides which applies, so we confirm it before you commit any money.

Do I need a local partner?

Not always. Smaller businesses such as guesthouses, cafés and retail are often weighted toward Maldivian ownership, so a joint venture is usually the route. Many larger sectors allow full foreign ownership.

Can I visit first to look around?

Yes. Prospective investors can come on a standard 30-day tourist visa to research and scope an investment before committing.

Can I buy land?

No. Foreign nationals cannot hold land title in the Maldives. Land is held on a long-term lease instead — up to 50 years on inhabited islands.

Can I take my profits out of the country?

Yes. There are no restrictions on repatriating earnings or profits from a foreign-invested company.

Are you part of the government?

No. Contact Maldives is independent and privately operated. All approvals, registrations and licences are issued only by the Maldivian government authorities — we help you prepare and go through the process.

Let’s talk

Tell us what you want to open. We’ll tell you how.

Send us a short message about your business idea. We’ll tell you honestly which route fits, what it involves — and whether you even need us.

Email us Send an enquiry →

For serious investment enquiries, email contactmaldivesnow@gmail.com with a few details: your type of business, sector, intended investment size and timeline.

OfficeM. Sathaha, Sayyid Kilegefaanu Magu, K. Male’, Republic of Maldives

CompanyContact Maldives Pvt Ltd · Reg. No. C14532024