In most of the countries you will find diplomatic missions, which usually refers to an embassy and/or a consulate. Diplomatic bodies represent other country interests in Maldives, with the aim of strengthening international relations between the states and providing services for their citizens in Maldives.

Embassies and consulates are considered legal territories of their home countries. They are not "foreign territory" but they are protected and considered the property of the country using them, meaning that the Maldives do not have jurisdiction over the embassy or consulate of another country.

What is the difference between Embassy and Consulate

The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations international treaty defines the diplomatic mission’s purpose and framework. The various diplomatic missions offer several services and carry out different missions. For example:

• Embassy: This is the primary diplomatic representation of a country’s government and is headed by an ambassador. An embassy is the main location for a diplomatic presence of one country in another. A country has at most one embassy in another country, and is always established in the capital city of the host country. In the absence of a consulate in a country, the embassy has also a consular section to carry out all the relevant consular services (see below).
• Consulate General: This is a diplomatic mission, headed by a consul that provides a full range of services such as: issuing passports/visas, keeping birth and marriage records, assisting expats, providing legal information, translations etc. It can be located in any major city of the host country, although often in the capital city (in certain cases, in the same building as the embassy). In major countries and large territories, you often have more than one consulate.
• Honorary Consulate: It supplements the Consulate to provide a limited range of consular services and is headed by an honorary consul. They help nationals abroad. For example, in the event of a hospital stay, missing person, death, natural disaster or other emergency. They can also issue emergency travel documents and consular declarations for which the applicant is required to appear in person.

NB: You will usually apply for a visa at the Consulate of the country you want to visit. However, if there is no such representation in Maldives, you can apply for a visa at the embassy.

Where to find Consulates and Embassies in Maldives

Not all countries have an Embassy and/or a Consulate as it depends of the political situation, the relationship with the host country, the size of the country, and the number of foreign citizens living there.

In some cases, countries can share representations and you can be assisted by the services of another embassy or consular service to get the information you need.

We recommend you register/contact your country’s embassy at your destination. It is a free service provided by any diplomatic mission and it will allow them to record information about your upcoming trip abroad. It can be used to assist you in case of an emergency.
Registration will also allow you to get routine information from your nearest embassy or consulate, as citizen residing abroad.

The Maldivian capital, Malé hosts 9 embassies.

There are also 13 consulates and three other representations in Maldives. All consulates and honorary consulates are located in Malé.

You will find below a list of selected countries (the list is not exhaustive) that have a diplomatic mission in Maldives. The list includes embassies, consulates, honorary consulates and sometimes other official representations for you to be able to get information and services.

Embassies and Main Consulates in Malé

China

Chinese Embassy in Maldives

Address: H. Nookurikeela, Dhunbugas Magu, Henveiru, Malé
Tel: (+960) 301 0635, (+960) 301 3082 
E-Mail: chinaemb_mdv@mfa.gov.cn and consulate_mdv@mfa.gov.cn (Visa Inquiry)
Social Media: https://mobile.twitter.com/chinaembassy_mv

The consular section shares the same building and details as the embassy. Residence and Work permits, visa and emergency travel document (ETD).

India

Indian Embassy in Maldives

Address: Lot No. 11499 N1 56(E), Hithigas Magu, Goalhi - 4 Hulhumale Phase-I
Tel: (+960) 400 4198
E-Mail: hoc.male@mea.gov.in 
Social Media: https://twitter.com/HCIMaldives
Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday: 09:30-13:00 and 13:30-17:30

The Indian embassy provides a range of consular services such as visa and passport services, as well as document legalization, attestations, birth certificates, driving licence certificate, police clearance certificate, fees for services, renunciation of Indian Citizenship and Surrender of Indian Passport.

Japan

Japanese Embassy in Maldives

Address: 5th and 8th Floor, Aagé Building, 12 Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Henveiru, Malé, 20094
Tel: (+960) 330 0065
E-Mail: culturemale@mo.mofa.go.jp
Social Media: https://twitter.com/JapaninMaldives
Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday: 08:15-12:30 and 13:30-17:00

The Japanese embassy provides consular services such as visa and passport processing as well as document legalization.

United Kingdom

British Embassy in Maldives

Address: Online or phone contact
Tel: +94 11 5390639
E-Mail: BHC.MaleGeneral@fcdo.gov.uk
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/UKinMaldives and https://twitter.com/ukinmaldives

The British embassy provides consular services such as visa and passport processing as well as document legalization, notarial and documentary services, etc.

Honorary Consulates in Maldives

Contact directly the Embassy/Consulate website for more information.

For countries with no consulates or embassies in Malé, the Honorary Consulates are supervised by diplomatic representations located in other country, often in India or Sri Lanka.

Honorary Consulates in Malé

• Austria
• Denmark - male@umgate.dk
• France - info@frenchconsulate.net
• Germany - male@hk-diplo.de
• Italy - male.onorario@esteri.it.
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Philippines - info@philippineconsulate.mv
• Russia
• Seychelles
• South Africa
• Sweden - info@swedenconsulate.mv
• Turkey