Maldives Pearl Residence
The Maldives' first-ever residency-by-investment programme, developed with Henley & Partners under the government's Vision 2040 strategy — genuinely new, and still finalizing its regulations.
Maldives Pearl Residence Overview
The Pearl Residence programme, officially launched in April 2026, is the Maldives' first-ever residency-by-investment scheme — developed in partnership with Henley & Partners as part of the government's Vision 2040 economic diversification strategy. Since the Constitution of the Maldives prohibits direct foreign ownership of land, qualifying property is held on a long-term leasehold basis (typically 50 to 99 years), not freehold.
Important caveat: at the time of this research, the Maldives' final Pearl Residence implementing regulations had not yet been published — all parameters described here are preliminary, and Indohill treats them as such until the official regulatory document is confirmed.
Benefits of Maldives Pearl Residence
- A five-year renewable residence visa, with family participation included
- Zero personal income tax for offshore earners, and no annual property tax
- No minimum stay requirement to maintain residence status
- Access to a genuinely new, government-designated set of investment zones across multiple atolls
Requirements
The main applicant secures a long-term lease on a qualifying strata-title Pearl Residence unit within one of the designated investment zones:
1. Strata-Title Leasehold Investment
A standard accessible threshold starting at approximately $250,000 for strata-title Pearl Residence units, held on a long-term lease of 50 to 99 years, within designated investment zones — Gaafaru, Fushidhiggaru, and Ras Mala in Kaafu Atoll, plus Project Ayla in Noonu Atoll (added January 2026).
Procedure
The applicant selects a qualifying strata-title unit within one of the designated investment zones and secures a long-term lease (50-99 years), then applies for the resulting five-year renewable residence visa. Because final implementing regulations were not yet published at the time of this research, Indohill confirms the current, officially published process with every prospective client before any commitment is made.
Fees & Costs
Beyond the roughly $250,000 leasehold investment itself, applicants should expect Maldivian government processing fees and separate legal and property due-diligence advisory fees, though exact figures remain preliminary pending final regulations. Indohill discloses the fullest available statutory and legal fee breakdown for this programme, and every other programme we track, in the Global Matrix Marketplace fee breakdown tool, updated as official terms are confirmed.
This Program's Final Regulations Are Not Yet Published
As of this research, the Maldives government had officially launched Pearl Residence but had not yet published the final implementing regulations — specific thresholds, the list of approved properties, and the application process may all still change. Indohill flags this candidly rather than presenting preliminary terms as finalized, and will re-verify all figures against the official regulatory document once published.
Background & Legal Considerations
Property in the Maldives is held on a long-term leasehold basis because the Constitution of the Maldives prohibits direct foreign ownership of land. Pearl Residence itself was developed in partnership with Henley & Partners under the government's Vision 2040 economic diversification strategy; the programme's final implementing regulations had not been published at the time of this research.
Why Indohill Advises This Program
- A private, advisor-reviewed intake — every application is scoped by a person, with the preliminary nature of current terms disclosed candidly rather than presented as final
- Coordination with pre-vetted Maldivian leasehold developers and immigration counsel, reviewed against Indohill's Certified Partner Network standards, updated as official regulations are published
- Full, continuously updated fee disclosure through the Global Matrix Marketplace as this newly launched programme's terms are finalized
- The same 5-phase advisory methodology Indohill applies across every program, from initial audit through lifelong governance and renewal support
Maldives Pearl Residence FAQ
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