Maldivians who acquire land or housing on another island could be allowed to transfer their official residency without meeting the current five-year residence requirement, under an amendment proposed to Parliament.
The bill, submitted by Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim, seeks to amend the Act on Becoming a Resident of an Island in the Maldives. The proposed change would create a new pathway for citizens who obtain legal ownership or legal rights over private land, a house, a flat or another suitable dwelling on an island where they are not currently registered as residents.
Under the existing law, a person may only be registered as a resident of an island after living there continuously for five years. The amendment is intended to ease that condition for people who have acquired housing or property rights on another island, allowing them to apply for residency based on legal entitlement rather than length of stay alone.
According to the proposed provision, residency transfer would be permitted where a person obtains land or housing rights through inheritance, purchase, gift, known as hiba, a court ruling or a government housing project. This would expand the basis on which individuals can seek formal registration as residents of an island.
Applicants seeking residency under the proposed route would be required to submit official documents proving that they hold the relevant legal rights. The bill states that the authenticity of those documents must be verified before the person is registered as a resident of the island.
The amendment also addresses the administrative handling of residency records. Once a person is registered as a resident of the new island, their name must be removed from the registry of the island where they were previously registered. This reflects the existing principle that a person cannot be officially registered as a resident of more than one island at the same time.
If passed, the amendment would have practical implications for citizens who acquire housing through private transactions, inheritance or state housing schemes but remain tied to their original island registry. It would also formalise a clearer process for local councils and relevant authorities when handling residency applications linked to property ownership or housing rights.
