Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen on Monday announced the decision to suspend vehicle registration services for foreigners.
He announced the decision in a post on X on Monday afternoon.
Ameen said he made the decision due to “ongoing efforts to amend the Transport Act and regulations in order to resolve the issue of congestion of vehicles in the Maldives, especially the Male’ area.”
ރާއްޖޭގެ އެކި ސަރަހައްދުތަކުގައި، ޚާއްސަކޮށް މާލޭ ސަރަހައްދުގައި އެއްގަމު އުޅަނދުތައް ގިނަވެ، ތޮއްޖެހުމުގެ މައްސަލަ ހައްލުކުރުމަށްޓަކައި، އެއްގަމު ދަތުރުފަތުރުގެ ޤާނޫނާއި ޤަވާއިދުތަކަށް ގެންނަންޖެހޭ ބަދަލުތައް ގެނެސް އިސްލާހުކުރުމުގެ މަސައްކަތްތައް ކުރިއަށްދާތީ، ބިދޭސީންގެ…
— Mohamed Ameen (@ameen3d) December 1, 2025
The number of vehicles in the capital are already well beyond it carrying capacity.
The government launched a campaign ‘Fehi Male’’ in an effort to address the issue, through which authorities cleaned the roads of Male’ of abandoned vehicles.
In April, the Transport Ministry revised regulations to mandate the submission of garage documents to authorize import of four-wheeled vehicles. And in July, the Transport Ministry changed regulations to require special permission from them for the import of all vehicles, other than two-wheeled ones.