The government has opted to reintroduce mandatory annual medical examinations for expatriates entering the country on long-term visas.
This decision emerged from discussions held during a cabinet meeting yesterday.
Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, the principal secretary to the president on public policy, disclosed the key outcomes of the cabinet meeting in a press briefing this morning. As per Nazim’s announcement, foreign nationals arriving in the Maldives on long-term visas must undergo medical checkups at healthcare facilities approved by the Health Ministry.
Under this new directive, foreign citizens entering the Maldives on various visa categories, including work visas, dependent visas, resident visas, student visas, corporate visas, and marriage visas, must undergo a medical checkup upon arrival. Furthermore, these individuals will be required to repeat this process annually.
This decision aims to bolster public health measures and ensure the well-being of residents and visitors to the Maldives. The authorities have yet to detail the specifics of the approved medical institutions and the implementation timeline for this policy.