Foreign Office warns UK tourists must fill out form '96 hours before travelling'

The Foreign Office has a warning for British tourists who are venturing to the sun-kissed holiday hotspot for a break.

The Foreign Office has issued an urgent warning to British holidaymakers who are heading out of the European Union and heading to the Maldives. The Foreign Office has a warning for British tourists who are venturing to the sun-kissed holiday hotspot for a break.

"You must complete a traveller declaration form (IMUGA) within 96 hours before your flight to or from the Maldives," the Foreign Office has advised. An important notice from Maldives Immigration reads: "We would like to inform all travellers that the Traveller Declaration is a self-declaration form provided by Maldives Immigration and is completely free of charge.

"Recently, there have been reports of misleading activities where individuals are asked to pay for the submission of this form." UK tourists were told: "The Traveller Declaration form is a self-declaration form that can be easily submitted on your own.

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"You can access and fill out the form directly by visiting the official IMUGA portal at https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/. There are no fees associated with submitting this form through the official IMUGA portal.

"We strongly advise all travellers to use the IMUGA portal to fill out the Traveller Declaration form and avoid using any other websites that may charge a fee or provide misleading information." Your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least one month after the date you arrive in Maldives.

On its website, the Foreign Office department urges Brits nationwide to "make sure your passport is not damaged or you may be stopped by immigration." Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements.

Renew your passport if you need to. You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen, the Foreign Office goes on to advise.