The Maldives has signed a strategic partnership with UK residency by investment firm Henley & Partners to introduce the island nation’s first ever residency by investment program.
Investment immigration programs are a popular vehicle used by migratory high-net-worth individuals, or families, to relocate to a country and obtain residency status with the right to live, work, study, in their new country of residence in exchange for investment.
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The announcement of the ‘golden visa’ falls in line with the Maldives’s forward-thinking ‘Vision 2040’, which aims to position the Maldives among developed nations as a dynamic, diversified, and resilient economy by 2040.
The agreement was signed at the Maldives-Singapore Business Forum 2025, which was hosted at Sentosa Island, Singapore, in July 2025.
Henley & Partners has been instructed to develop and implement the first-ever residency-by-investment program, which will hand ultra-high-net-worth investors the keys to prime real estate, unparalleled lifestyle perks, financial advantages and global travel opportunities.
In an official statement, Mohammed Saeed, Minister of Economic Development and Trade said: “The Maldives has long been a world-class destination for travellers.
“With this program, we aim to extend that legacy to discerning global investors who see value in our people, our potential, and our future.”
By introducing a ‘golden visa’, the Maldives government hopes to broaden socioeconomic benefits for Maldivians and diversify beyond the traditional tourism sector.
Through foreign investment in real estate acquisition, the visa program will be a key driver of growth across sectors such as employment, hospitality, infrastructure, and services.
Importantly, real estate investment by ultra-high-net-worth individuals often serves as a first step toward deeper economic engagement and longer-term commitments.
Philippe Amarante, Managing Partner and Head of Government Advisory EMEA at Henley & Partners said that the new investment migration program will capitalize on the country’s world-class real estate offering.
A big draw to the island nation will be the real estate sector with state-of-the-art properties offering utmost privacy, exclusivity and security to high-net-worth (HNW) investors and their families.
The Maldives is considered to be one of the world’s most iconic luxury tourism destinations. The independent island country sits off the coast of Sri Lanka in the north-central Indian Ocean.
The island nation consists of a chain of about 1,200 small coral atolls and sandbanks lapped by crystalline lagoons over roughly 90,000 sq km.
Living in the picture-perfect Maldives offers UHNW global investors a unique opportunity to reside in a tropical paradise fringed by white sandy beaches, luxurious hotels, and lush greenery.
The islands offer sliding scales of privacy and luxury – from resort-only beaches to nearly uninhabited atolls with ultra-prime real estate discreetly tucked away to the vibrant, hustle and bustle of the capital city Malé – one of the most densely packed islands in the world.
Many of the private atolls are available for sale, offering the utmost privacy, security and exclusivity. Some of the atolls are uninhabited, with the opportunity to create a private, tropical sanctuary or invest in islands with running hotels.
Both parties have stated that a rigorous due diligence framework will ensure the program attracts only qualified and reputable applicants, protecting national security and legal integrity.
Final visa and residency approvals will remain under the sovereign discretion of the Government of the Maldives, with robust mechanisms in place to safeguard the country’s international standing and reputation.
Henley & Partners will work closely with the government to build an investor visa framework specifically linked to real estate acquisition. At time of writing the criteria is yet to be defined.
The Maldives is a popular destination among the world’s super rich thanks to its breathtaking tropical scenery, safety and ultra-high-end resorts offering the utmost privacy.
Famous holidaymakers include A-listers Liv Tyler, Tom Cruise, and Russell Crowe, as well as musicians like Madonna and Sir Paul McCartney.
It’s also a favourite vacation spot for oligarchs, tech entrepreneurs, business and tycoons royalty, including Dubai’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan and the British Royal Family, with Prince William and Kate Middleton frequently visiting.
While residency-by-investment programs do not immediately result in citizenship, they provide a path to permanent residence or naturalisation over time.
Other new residency-by-investment include Vietnam’s recently introduced 10-year golden visa aimed at global talent attraction.
Core benefits of these programs include access to a second home, improved quality of life and the ability to travel freely within certain regions.
According to Henley & Partners’ latest Henley Residence Program Index the top five residency-by-investment programmes globally ranked in order of desirability were Greece, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, UK (joint 3rd),Australia, Canada, Spain (joint 4th) and the UAE.
