If you’re going to be working from your vacation villa in the Maldives there are some important considerations to bear in mind. Fortunately, you’re unlikely to have any problems with internet and data connectivity as it’s generally very fast in the Maldives. However you may need to think about other issues such as logistics and visas, depending on the type of work you’re doing and whether it’s location-independent or not.
We created this guide to show you the various options and issues that may affect you. Read on to find out more.
We know many of our clients manage teams remotely from around in the world, and therefore will need to hop on Zoom calls, send updates over Slack or email important documents to clients and colleagues. The good news is that internet connectivity across most of the Maldives is pretty reliable and fast. You can even get a good data connection on your phone from the middle of the ocean.
When your Maldives vacation villa has been built, it will be connected with utility services including power but you can also request broadband internet to be installed. Ooredoo and Dhiraagu are the service providers for broadband as well as phone/data services. Make your selection via our concierge dashboard – the custom-built portal that handles all aspects of the design and construction of your holiday villa.
If you’re in the Maldives for a few months per year on a business visa, then you’ll probably be required to attend meetings, or maybe even go to an office regularly. This is where your choice of island home becomes very important. Due to the geography and topography of the Maldives, a daily commute isn’t as simple as it is in other countries.
Atoll.Homes does not currently work with any islands in Malé Atoll, so if you need to be in Malé (the capital) or its satellite islands for work, you’ll need to either take a public/private speedboat (travel time is at least one hour from anywhere outside of Malé Atoll) or charter a private seaplane (starting at around $300 one way). So, inter-atoll commuting is possible but it is not a low-cost option. However, for occasional business trips, this is a speedy and reliable solution to getting around the Maldives. You can read more about the geographically disparate Maldives here.
As we just touched on, it’s possible to get anywhere you need to in the Maldives but one important thing to remember is that if you’re leaving the atoll that your vacation home is located in, then you’re looking at a journey of over one hour. This is because most atolls take one hour to cross by speedboat, or longer by dhoni (public ferry).
Therefore, flying by seaplane or domestic flight is the most practical solution for inter-atoll business trips and you’ll need to plan ahead and factor in the timing. A seaplane flight can deliver you to another atoll in as little as 10-20 minutes – and it will take you right to whichever island you want. But you do need to charter them at least the day before, they can only operate during daylight hours and it may take a little while to be processed at the seaplane terminal if you are flying to/from Malé.
Domestic flights can operate day and night but you might need to also take a speedboat before and after the flight to get to the exact island you need to go to. You can read more about transportation options in our post here.
Maldivian work visas and business visas are sponsored by an employer upon confirmation of a job offer or business agreement. The process is surprisingly fast. It’s not possible for visitors to work in the Maldives without a work visa or business visa.
You probably won’t need a work visa while visiting your vacation villa, but if you do for any reason, a work visa is issued for one year and can be renewed again each year. A business visa lasts for 90 days. With both of these visa categories, you must exit the Maldives and re-enter again before the visa can be renewed or re-issued. With the business visa you must spend a 90-day period out of the Maldives between visa renewals. You can now renew your own business visa online from your vacation home here.
If you’re entering the Maldives on a tourist visa, every nationality can receive a free 30-day tourist visa on arrival in the Maldives. Certain other conditions apply but you can see the latest regulations here. This visa can be extended for another 60 days so your period in the Maldives will come to a total of 90 days before you have to depart.
The other option is the Corporate Resident Visa. This visa is for anyone who invests USD $1 million in a government-approved real estate project/in a Maldivian bank as a security deposit or USD $50 million or more in the Maldives. It lasts for five years then can be renewed.
We know many of our clients manage teams remotely from around in the world, and therefore will need to hop on Zoom calls, send updates over Slack or email important documents to clients and colleagues. The good news is that internet connectivity across most of the Maldives is pretty reliable and fast. You can even get a good data connection on your phone from the middle of the ocean.
When your Maldives vacation villa has been built, it will be connected with utility services including power but you can also request broadband internet to be installed. Ooredoo and Dhiraagu are the service providers for broadband as well as phone/data services. Make your selection via our concierge dashboard – the custom-built portal that handles all aspects of the design and construction of your holiday villa.
If you’re in the Maldives for a few months per year on a business visa, then you’ll probably be required to attend meetings, or maybe even go to an office regularly. This is where your choice of island home becomes very important. Due to the geography and topography of the Maldives, a daily commute isn’t as simple as it is in other countries.
Atoll.Homes does not currently work with any islands in Malé Atoll, so if you need to be in Malé (the capital) or its satellite islands for work, you’ll need to either take a public/private speedboat (travel time is at least one hour from anywhere outside of Malé Atoll) or charter a private seaplane (starting at around $300 one way). So, inter-atoll commuting is possible but it is not a low-cost option. However, for occasional business trips, this is a speedy and reliable solution to getting around the Maldives. You can read more about the geographically disparate Maldives here.
As we just touched on, it’s possible to get anywhere you need to in the Maldives but one important thing to remember is that if you’re leaving the atoll that your vacation home is located in, then you’re looking at a journey of over one hour. This is because most atolls take one hour to cross by speedboat, or longer by dhoni (public ferry).
Therefore, flying by seaplane or domestic flight is the most practical solution for inter-atoll business trips and you’ll need to plan ahead and factor in the timing. A seaplane flight can deliver you to another atoll in as little as 10-20 minutes – and it will take you right to whichever island you want. But you do need to charter them at least the day before, they can only operate during daylight hours and it may take a little while to be processed at the seaplane terminal if you are flying to/from Malé.
Domestic flights can operate day and night but you might need to also take a speedboat before and after the flight to get to the exact island you need to go to. You can read more about transportation options in our post here.
Maldivian work visas and business visas are sponsored by an employer upon confirmation of a job offer or business agreement. The process is surprisingly fast. It’s not possible for visitors to work in the Maldives without a work visa or business visa.
You probably won’t need a work visa while visiting your vacation villa, but if you do for any reason, a work visa is issued for one year and can be renewed again each year. A business visa lasts for 90 days. With both of these visa categories, you must exit the Maldives and re-enter again before the visa can be renewed or re-issued. With the business visa you must spend a 90-day period out of the Maldives between visa renewals. You can now renew your own business visa online from your vacation home here.
If you’re entering the Maldives on a tourist visa, every nationality can receive a free 30-day tourist visa on arrival in the Maldives. Certain other conditions apply but you can see the latest regulations here. This visa can be extended for another 60 days so your period in the Maldives will come to a total of 90 days before you have to depart.
The other option is the Corporate Resident Visa. This visa is for anyone who invests USD $1 million in a government-approved real estate project/in a Maldivian bank as a security deposit or USD $50 million or more in the Maldives. It lasts for five years then can be renewed.
Meerubahuruge Aage (2F), Henveiru, Male, Maldives 20077
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