India to Canada via Maldives route

India to Canada via the Maldives route. The Maldives in the recent past has proved to be the saviour for the travellers during the bans. People who wanted to travel to countries like Canada, the USA or Saudi Arabia used this route. It was the most used indirect route during the bans. Also, read – Which is the safest indirect route to Canada?

India to Canada via Maldives route

Rules to travel from India to Maldives

If one wants to travel from India to the Maldives the below rules has to be followed –

ALL inbound tourists to the Maldives should hold a negative result for a nucleic acid test (PCR test) for COVID- l9 prior to entry into the Maldives, including those who have completed the prescribed dose(s) of Covid-19 vaccines and recovered from Covid-19. The sample for the PCR test must be taken at most 72 (seventy-two) hours before departure from the first embarkation point.
Furthermore, the following measures are to be ensured effective from 26th July 2021 for ALL inbound tourists while check-in to Tourist Guesthouses in Local Islands.
1) To strictly ensure that the tourists (excluding children and infants who are not eligible for vaccination) have completed the recommended dose(s) of a Covid-19 Vaccine (approved by the World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing (EUL) or the Maldives Food and Drug Authority and at least 14 (fourteen) days have passed after the recommended doses(s) before the
check-in to Tourist Guesthouses in local islands. However, those tourists who have not completed the recommended dose(s) of a Covid-19 Vaccine shall be accommodated in Tourist Guesthouses in local islands upon fulfilment of the below criteria by the Tourist Guesthouse island;
(a) At least 60% of the Tourist Guesthouse island population eligible for vaccination have completed and 14 (fourteen) days have passed after the recommended dose(s) of a Covid-19 Vaccine.
(b) At least 95% of staff in ALL tourist facilities of the Tourist Guesthouse island have completed and 14 (fourteen) days have passed after the recommended dose(s) of a Covid-19 Vaccine.
(c) At least 90% of the resident population of the Tourist Guesthouse island who are 65 years & above, have completed and 14 (fourteen) days have passed after the recommended dose(s) of a Covid-19 Vaccine.

2) Should hold a negative result for a nucleic acid test (PCR test) for COVID- 19, within 72 (seventy-two) hours prior to check-out from the respective Tourist Guesthouses in local islands.

Rules to travel from Maldives to Canada

As per the latest travel policies from Canada, one can fly directly from the Maldives to Canada using RTPCR test reports generated in Canada only.

You can enter Canada if you –

• have received at least 2 doses of a vaccine accepted for travel, a mix of 2 accepted vaccines
  • or at least 1 dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine
• have received your second dose at least 14 full days before you enter Canada
  • Example: if your second dose was anytime onThursday July 1, thenFriday July 16would be the first day that you meet the 14 day condition
• have no signs or symptoms of COVID-19
• follow pre-entry testing and entry requirements
  • upload proof of vaccination in ArriveCAN
  • complete your ArriveCAN submission and and have ArriveCAN receipt with letter I, V, or A beside your name
  • complete arrival test and quarantine if selected
  • monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 for the 14 days after entry into Canada

RT-PCR testing in Maldives

How safe is the Maldives as an Indirect route to travel to Canada?

In the year 2021, Maldives proved to be quite safe for the people who travelled to Canada via this route. Even when the situation in India was not good, Maldives kept their hand with Indian travellers and allowed them to use its land for transit. There are a few things that should be taken care of before travelling to Canada via the Maldives, otherwise, the route is safe.

Few issues in the recent past with the Maldives route

• Indian Airlines, never made it clear if a return ticket from the Maldives to India is required or not
• There were few Maldivian Islands where Indians were not allowed in the past and those were not clear, however at present Vaccinated Indians are allowed to all places in the Maldives
• Flights from the Maldives to Canada went overbooked and quite expensive
• RTPCR test facilities were limited in the Maldives, the situation has proved a lot now