Embassy/Consulate Addresses | Foreign Relations | Travel Advisories | Travel Tips | Customs/Duties



EMBASSY/CONSULATE ADDRESSES

The United States does not maintain an Embassy in Maldives but the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka has jurisdiction over the Maldives.

US Diplomatic Representation:
Location: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
Mailing address: PO Box 106, 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka
Telephone: 011-94-1-244-8007, 011-94-1-2437-345. (24 hours)

Mission to the U.N.:
Location:820 Second Ave., Suite 800C, New York, NY 10017
Telephone: 212-599-6195.

Embassy and Consulate Web Sites for Maldives

Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Maldives to the UN


FOREIGN RELATIONS

Maldives follows a nonaligned policy and is committed to maintaining friendly relations with all countries. According to the Foreign Ministry, the country has a UN Mission in New York, embassies in the United States (the Ambassador to Washington is resident in New York), Sri Lanka, China, the United Kingdom, Bangladesh, India, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia, as well as diplomatic missions in Geneva and Brussels. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka maintain resident embassies in Male'. Denmark, Norway, the U.K., Germany, Turkey, and Sweden have consular agencies in Male' under the supervision of their embassies in Sri Lanka and India. The UNDP has a representative resident in Male', as do the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Like the United States, many countries have nonresident ambassadors accredited to the Maldives, most of them based in Sri Lanka or India. The Maldives is a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). In 2010, Maldives was elected to a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, and in 2011 it will host the 17th annual South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit. President Nasheed's skilled rhetoric and his consensus-building among smaller island nations brought global attention to Maldives at the December 2009 United Nations climate change conference. In March 2010, Maldives hosted a donor forum that yielded $313 million in pledges to the country from multilateral development banks, the European Union, and many nations including the United States.

U.S. MALDIVIAN RELATIONS
The United States has friendly relations with the Republic of Maldives. The U.S. Ambassador and some Embassy staff in Sri Lanka are accredited to the Maldives and make periodic visits. The United States has sought to support the Maldives’ democratic transition and economic development agenda. U.S. Naval vessels have regularly called at Male' in recent years. The Maldives has extended strong support to U.S. efforts to combat terrorism and terrorist financing. Maldives has offered in principle to resettle a Guantanamo detainee, but final arrangements had yet to be determined as of mid-July 2010.

U.S. contributions to economic development in the Maldives have been made principally through international organization programs. Following the December 2004 tsunami, the U.S. and Maldives signed a bilateral assistance agreement for $8.6 million in reconstruction assistance. This assistance will help in the rebuilding of harbors, sewerage systems, and electrical generation facilities and in the development of aid absorption capacity in the Ministry of Finance. The United States has directly funded training in airport management and narcotics interdiction and provided desktop computers for Maldivian customs, immigration, and drug-control efforts in recent years. At the March 2010 Maldives donor forum, the United States (largely through the U.S. Agency for International Development--USAID) pledged $4.6 million for climate change adaptation, bond market reform, maritime security, border security, and International Military Education and Training (IMET). The United States also trains a small number of Maldivian military personnel annually. About 10 U.S. citizens are resident in the Maldives; some 5,000 Americans visit the Maldives annually. The Maldives welcomes foreign investment, although the ambiguity of codified law acts as somewhat of a damper. Maldives signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the United States in October 2009, was granted GSP trade benefits in December 2009, and signed an Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) agreement with the United States in March 2010. Areas of opportunity for U.S. businesses include tourism, construction, and simple export-oriented manufacturing, such as garments and electrical appliance assembly. There is a shortage of local skilled labor, and most industrial labor has to be imported from Sri Lanka or elsewhere.

Principal U.S. Embassy Official
Ambassador--Patricia Butenis

The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka is at 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3; tel: +94 (1) 244-8007; fax: +94 (1) 2437-345.


TRAVEL ADVISORIES

To obtain the latest Travel Advisory Information for Maldives check the U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet.


TRAVEL TIPS

Driving TBA
Currency (MVR) Rufiyaa
Electrical 230 Volts
Telephones Country Code 960

Telecommunications: International telephone, telegraph, and telex services generally are reliable. Telephone service within Male is adequate, but the service connecting Male to the resort islands is sometimes erratic. Male is 10 hours ahead of eastern standard time.

Transportation: Six airlines service the Maldives. Boats are the primary means of transport between the islands. Limited taxi service is available in Male.

Tourist attractions: Maldives have some of the world's most beautiful beaches, excellent snorkling, scuba diving, wind surfing, and fishing.

Climate: The Maldives have a hot tropical climate. There are two monsoons, the southwest from May to October and the northeast from November to April. Generally the southwest brings more wind and rain in June and July. The temperature rarely falls below 25°C (77°F). The best time to visit is November to Easter.

Clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens throughout the year. Light waterproofs are advised during the rainy season.

Currency: Maldivian Rufiya (Rf) = 100 laari. Notes are in denominations of Rf500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of Rf2 and 1, and 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 laari.

Currency exchange: Major currencies can be exchanged at banks, tourist resort islands, hotels and leading shops. Payments in hotels can be made in most hard currencies (particularly US Dollars) in cash, travellers cheques or credit cards.

Credit & debit cards: Most major island resorts will accept American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Eurocard and Diners Club. Arrangements vary from island to island, and it is advisable to check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other facilities which may be available.

Travellers cheques: These are generally accepted in Sterling and US Dollars. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.



CUSTOMS/DUTIES

Tobacco....Reasonable quantity

Liquor.....Not permitted

Gifts......Reasonable amount

Cameras....No restrictions

Currency...No restrictions

Agriculture items.....Refer to Consulate

Prohibited imports: pornographic literature, idols of worship, pork products and certain other animal products, explosives, weapons or drugs may not be imported. Alcoholic beverages cannot be imported without an official licence. Drugs are strictly prohibited; the penalty for importing drugs for personal or other use is life imprisonment. Animals require a veterinary certificate, and dogs also need an import permit.
Prohbited exports: turtle shells and products made of turtle shell (the government has banned the killing of turtles), black coral, eel, pufferfish, parrotfish, skate and ray, big-eyed scad under 15cm (6 ins), bait fish used in tuna fishery, dolphin, whale, lobster, all stony coral, triton shell, trochus shell and pearl oyster.



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