Maldives President Begins 3-Day State Visit to Pakistan on 20 October, MoUs Expected

Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu is on a state visit to Pakistan from 20 to 22 October 2026, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. His office says he will meet President Asif Ali Zardari and the prime minister, hold official talks, and then watch the two sides exchange several memoranda of understanding (MoUs). Nothing changes yet for Pakistanis who travel to, work in or trade with the Maldives. The rules below are the ones that apply today.

We read the announcement on the Maldives President's Office website on 20 October 2026. It calls this the first high level visit between the two countries in a decade. The visit falls in the 60th year of diplomatic relations, which began on 26 July 1966.

The visit runs from 20 to 22 October and ends with MoUs

The Maldives President's Office says the visit lasts three days, from 20 to 22 October 2026. President Muizzu meets President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, holds official talks with the prime minister, and the two leaders then witness an exchange of several MoUs.

He travels with First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a delegation of cabinet ministers and senior officials. The office has not listed the subjects of the MoUs. So any claim today about a new visa deal, a jobs quota or a flight agreement is a guess, not a fact.

Pakistan's Foreign Office also announced the visit on 18 October, as reported in the press. That statement, as reported, adds a Pakistan Maldives Business Forum during the visit and lists trade, investment, health, education, tourism, agriculture, defence, maritime security, climate change and people to people contact as areas for talks. We could not open that statement on the Foreign Office website on 20 October, so we treat those details as reported.

The two offices describe the gap since the last visit differently

The Maldives President's Office calls this the first high level visit in a decade. Pakistan's Foreign Office, as reported, calls it the first visit by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years, which points to a reported state visit in May 2015.

Both can be true. One counts any high level visit in either direction, the other counts presidential visits to Pakistan. We note the difference because a reader comparing the two will see it. It does not change anything practical.

Pakistani tourists still get a Maldives visa on arrival

Pakistani tourists still get a visa on arrival if they meet the entry rules. Maldives Immigration asks for a passport valid for at least one month, a return ticket, a prepaid booking, enough money, and the free IMUGA declaration within 96 hours of landing.

The Traveller Declaration is the free online arrival form on the IMUGA portal. Each traveller, including a child, needs a separate one. None of the Maldives tourist visa rules for Pakistanis has changed with this visit.

Travel the other way is easy too. Maldivians are among the few nationals who can enter Pakistan without a visa: Pakistan's visa table marks their ordinary passports for up to three months.

Pakistani workers need an Entry Pass and a work e-Visa

A Pakistani going to work in the Maldives must hold an Entry Pass, the work permit issued by the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology, when they land. The employer then has 15 days to get the work e-Visa through the Xpat Online System.

Maldives Immigration says work visa stickers in passports stopped being valid after 23 November 2025. Only an approved e-Visa now counts. A renewed work visa lasts at most one year, and it follows the validity of the work permit.

That makes one check worth doing before you fly. The Xpat system has a public page where you can check a Maldives work permit by its number.

Business visitors need approval before they land

A Pakistani going to the Maldives for meetings, such as talks that follow this business forum, needs a Business Visa approved before arrival. A registered Maldivian business must invite them, and the visa allows up to 90 days in any 12 months.

The application goes through the Business Portal of the Maldives Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. Immigration then checks that the passport is valid for at least six months and that the photo is less than three months old. Approval does not guarantee entry. Officers still decide at the airport.

What to watch on 21 and 22 October

The real news for Pakistani readers will be the list of MoUs. Watch for anything on health workers, teachers, flights, trade, or recognition of qualifications, because those are the areas where an MoU could change daily life.

An MoU is a signed intention, not a law. Even a strong one usually needs follow up rules before it changes a fee or a visa. We will report the signed list once either government publishes it.

1. Check the Maldives President's Office and Pakistan's Foreign Office press pages on 21 and 22 October.
2. Read the title of each MoU, not just the headline about it.
3. Look for a start date or a follow up rule before you act on any change.
4. Until then, follow the current entry rules in the table above.

Common questions

When is the Maldives president visiting Pakistan?

From 20 to 22 October 2026. The Maldives President's Office says it is a state visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Has the visit changed Maldives visa rules for Pakistanis?

No. Nothing has been announced on visas. Pakistani tourists still get a visa on arrival if they meet the entry rules and file the free IMUGA declaration.

Which agreements will be signed?

The Maldives President's Office says several MoUs will be exchanged after the talks. It has not named them, so we cannot list them yet.

Can a Pakistani work in the Maldives on a tourist visa?

No. A worker needs an Entry Pass issued by the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology on arrival, and then a work e-Visa from the employer within 15 days.

Do Maldivians need a visa to visit Pakistan?

Pakistan's visa table marks Maldivian ordinary passport holders for entry without a visa for up to three months.

Is this the first visit by a Maldivian president in years?

The Maldives says it is the first high level visit in a decade. Pakistan's Foreign Office, as reported, says it is the first presidential visit in 11 years.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked 20 October 2026. The dates, meetings, MoU exchange, delegation and the 60th anniversary come from the Maldives President's Office announcement, which we read on 20 October 2026. Entry rules for tourists, workers, business visitors and dependants come from the Maldives Immigration visa pages, read the same day. The business forum and the list of talk areas come from Pakistan's Foreign Office statement of 18 October as reported in the press; we could not find that statement on mofa.gov.pk on 20 October, so we mark it as reported. We will add the signed MoUs when either government publishes them.