Maldives to Install E-Gates at All International Airports by 2026, Announces President

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that all international airports in the Maldives will be equipped with electronic immigration gates (E-Gates) by 2026, marking a major upgrade to the country’s border control infrastructure.

The President shared the update on his official X account, noting that installation work is already progressing at the new terminal of Velana International Airport (VIA). According to the announcement, ten E-Gates will be set up at each terminal—covering both arrivals and departures—before 1 January 2026.

He further confirmed that the service will be expanded to all international airports across the Maldives within the same year.

The E-Gates are designed to expedite immigration procedures by allowing passengers to scan their passports once and complete border crossing through facial recognition technology. This modernized system is expected to significantly reduce waiting times and enhance convenience for both Maldivians and foreign travelers.

The new VIA terminal, which opened on 26 July 2025, can accommodate up to 7 million passengers annually and has already rolled out several advanced services. The introduction of E-Gates forms part of the Government’s broader Maldives 2.0 vision, which places strong emphasis on digital transformation and improving public service delivery.

Officials say the nationwide rollout of E-Gates will position the Maldives among regional leaders in airport digitization and passenger experience.