President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has directed authorities to expand passport services to every inhabited island in the Maldives with a population of at least 1,000, as part of the government’s efforts to make essential public services more accessible outside the capital.
The directive also covers islands with airports, regardless of whether they meet the population threshold, according to Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan.
Speaking at a press conference at the President’s Office, Ihusaan said the administration was working to reduce the need for residents of outer islands to travel long distances to access passport-related services.
He explained that expanding access to passport services across the country is a key policy priority of President Muizzu, with the government seeking to establish service points in as many locations as possible.
According to the minister, passport services were available at only five locations before President Muizzu assumed office in November 2023.
That network has since expanded to 39 regions, while arrangements have also been introduced to provide passport services to Maldivians living in Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
The expansion has increased the number of locations where citizens can access passport-related assistance, particularly for residents living outside the Greater Malé region.
Ihusaan said the President had now instructed the relevant authorities to ensure that every island meeting the population requirement, along with islands operating airports, is included in the service network.
Based on the new criteria, four additional islands have been identified as requiring passport service facilities.
Preparations are already underway to introduce the service in those locations, with the minister indicating that the government intends to complete the expansion by February 2027.
The latest directive builds on broader efforts to decentralise public services and improve access to government facilities across the country’s geographically dispersed island communities.
For many residents of the atolls, accessing administrative services that are unavailable locally can involve travelling to another island or to Malé, bringing additional transport costs and time away from work or family responsibilities.
Passport services are particularly important for citizens travelling abroad for medical treatment, education, employment and other purposes.
Expanding the availability of these services to more islands could reduce the need for such journeys and make passport-related procedures more convenient for residents.
The Maldives’ geography has long presented challenges in delivering public services uniformly, with communities spread across numerous inhabited islands separated by stretches of sea.
Successive administrations have sought to address these difficulties through decentralised service centres and digital government initiatives, although access to certain administrative services continues to vary between islands.
The latest expansion is intended to bring passport services closer to communities while extending coverage to islands that serve as important transport hubs.
Ihusaan said the government was working to complete the necessary arrangements for the four remaining locations identified under the President’s instructions.
Once the additional service points are introduced, the network is expected to cover all inhabited islands meeting the population threshold, as well as islands with airports, in line with the administration’s stated policy.
