Qatar Airways has updated their website to reflect what others have heard: "The PCR test has to be conducted within maximum of 72 hours prior to departure to Maldives, counting from the first port of embarkation enroute to the Maldives".... as far as I'm concerned, this means from my first flight at 7:00 A.M from SMF to ORD. I'll have my itinerary printed out, but confident enough now that having three separate tickets to get to MLE won't be an issue.

Anybody know if the country cares about the specific PCR test name, other than SARS-Cov-2 PCR?

New member here... I have a trip planned to the Maldives in mid-October. I will be flying from LAX via DOH to MLE.

I had a question regarding the PCR-test requirement, specifically what a "certificate" with signature is defined as. This is because I have not been able to find any laboratory in CA that provides a test result with a "certificate" and signature. The only official information I have been able to find from the Maldives Health Protection Agency (HPA) is on the Traveler Health Form that one is required to complete within 24-hours of arrival. This form is on imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ethd/create , and under the arrival / PCR test section, the only verbiage mentioned is "I must present a negative PCR Covid 19 test-result (not exceeding 72 hours prior to departure...," and there is no information on what the certificate is defined as.

However, the following Maldives news article - raajje.mv/86078, discusses how "The PCR certificate must also include the name and address of the laboratory that preformed the testing, result of the test, date of testing as well as name and signature of the issuing officer."

Would anybody from this forum who was able to enter the Maldives after September 10th, be able to clarify what they provided (specifically what was included on the PCR test results). Greatly appreciated.

a certificate is simply going to be a PDF report of the test results with the date, name, time stamp, etc. nothing more... with regards to the signature, i don’t know how strict they’re going to be. i found a couple testing centers near me that provide results in 24-36H but i’m not sure whether they provide signatures.. to be honest i don’t think they’re gonna send you back if your pdf has everything but the signature but let’s wait and see what happens in the next few days or so as people start arriving.

we r flying etihad so are gonna be using one of their approved pure health centers. i think it would
ne unreasonable for the maldives to expect a tourist to undergo two separate tests....

Re: Covid testing. We are traveling right now. We obtained our PCR test through www.gogettested.com. Results were around 24 hours in Dallas metro area.

Upon check in, Qatar airlines checked our test to ensure it was within 72 hours of our initial flight (DFW to Doha). They also needed the QR code or picture of a printout from the health assessment that is required by the Maldives to be completed within 24 hours of departure.

All has been smooth sailing so far...!!!

These certificates, signatures, date, time etc. requirements are exactly why I I'm happy I'm "transiting" through Istanbul on separate tickets. I know the airport test will be sufficient so don't have to worry about my test back home being sufficient or not. I'd suggest anything to make your anxieties go away. I heavily suggest limiting all variables and going with what is proven to be effective in the past.

mcs26891 HI, I have a 6 nights reservation with WA Maldives in November and plan to purchase a multi-city ticket as below-
New york to Istanbul NOV 24th
Istanbul to Male Nov 30th
Male to New York Dec 6th

Since I have a 6 days stopover in Turkey, do you think Turkish airline will let me board the plane with my final destination being Maldives? I plan to do Convid test at IST airport .
If not I will do Convid Test 72 hours before my flight to IST in new york and do another Convid test at IST airport, this is 100% ok right? I tried to email Minister of tourism of Maldives but have no reply yet and I am very nervous if I am allow to do a 7 days stop over before I fly to Maldives. How long you going to stay at turkey?? Thank you so much in advance.

Similar situation to edgymix above. Going to Bodrum for five nights at the end of October, then on to Maldives for five nights. (BJV-IST-MLE on Turkish). Planned on finding a test somewhere in Bodrum, assuming Turkish won't let me board the BJV-IST leg without it. Getting the rapid test at IST might be cutting it too close. From what I've read elsewhere, seems like testing capacity will be good in and around Bodrum.

I emailed Maldives ministry of tourism and they confirmed back to me it's OK! esp I am getting a test 72 hours before my departure to IST and will get another one at IST airport. I did enquired what kind of test is accepted and they said they RECOMMEND molecular PRC test. ONLY recommend but more important must show the name and address of the lab. Will you flying from the US? Is your ticket a multi city ticket all the way to Maldives or 2 separate tickets ?

Did you guys print out the PCR test results? I'll be at the airport by the time the result will come through so not sure where to have it printed :/

I just flew back from a week in the Maldives (Sept 13-20) and the PCR test result is asked at your first check-in point by the airline (QR for my case). Once in the Maldives, I've never been asked to show that again. Same with the IMUGA QR code.

This is my concern. I absolutely intend to show them at my check-in point in ORD, but I am taking the test 74 hours before my scheduled departure from ORD-DOH. I have a separate ticket SMF-ORD before this, which is my initial point of departure. My ticket DOH-MLE is also on QR, but is also a separate ticket. My test time is 63 hours before that first flight. I will have a printout with me showing my entire itinerary SMF-ORD-DOH-MLE, but as to whether QR is going to accept that, eh.... anxious about that.

The circular from the Maldives ministry of tourism specifies: "not more than 72 hours prior to the scheduled time of departure from the first port of embarkation enroute to Maldives". So technically I will be within those guidelines, but the last thing I need is what you had and end up with a power-tripping agent.

Not trying to be a spoilsport but I don't think separate tickets, stopovers and such are part of the equation when it comes to official govt rules.

I'd agree with the stopover part, but not doing any stopovers.
Overall we are leaving Sacramento at 7:00 A.M to go to the Maldives. The circular specifies origin airport. Well is the origin Sacramento, Chicago, or Doha?
There is nothing in the official government rules about this. All I can really find is post #28 .


I went ahead and rescheduled my test so it will be within 72 hours even of my flight DOH-MLE. But then the next question is do I fill out my health form within 24 hours of SMF-ORD, ORD-DOH, or DOH-MLE

I'd have it ready before boarding at ORD as QR is apparently checking that QR code.

The Maldives immigration QR code is the last of your worries actually. Do one within the 24h prior to your very first flight in case Qatar asks for it at that point. You can always do it again on your last PNR booking to the Maldives if needed. Just have a scan or picture of your PCR test and a photo of yourself ready for submission at all times.

I submitted an immigration form a bit too early the first time (I thought it said "24h prior to first flight") but the QR code has an expiry date on it. So you can't do it too early, but you can still do it 1h before the flight.