An amendment has been proposed to the Act on Becoming a Resident of a Maldivian Island, seeking to abolish the current requirement of five years of continuous residency for changing one's registered island.
The proposed change would allow individuals who own land, a house, or a flat on an island to obtain residency there.
The government-proposed bill was sponsored by Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim. According to the bill, the purpose of the amendment is to eliminate difficulties faced by citizens and to modernize the legal framework for changing residency to align with current social and economic conditions.
Under the proposed legislation, any individual who acquires legal ownership or the legal right to reside in a plot of land, house, flat, or suitable living space on another island—whether through inheritance, land division, purchase, gift, court ruling, or a government housing project—will have the right to apply for residency on that island.
The bill stipulates that once an applicant provides official documentation proving such ownership or rights, and the relevant authorities verify that the premises are suitable for habitation, the individual must be registered as a resident of that island.
The bill further clarifies that upon registration at a new island, the individual's name will be removed from their previous island’s registry, as no person is permitted to be registered as a resident of more than one island simultaneously.
Following the enactment of the amendment, the necessary regulations must be formulated and published in the Government Gazette within a maximum of three months. These regulations are expected to detail the required documentation, procedures, and the protocols for changing the residency of minors under legal guardianship.
The bill will come into effect once it is passed by the People’s Majlis, ratified by the President, and published in the Government Gazette.
