For Maldivian
National Buyers
A short overview of how property ownership differs for Maldivian nationals compared to foreign buyers on this platform. Not legal, tax, or investment advice — consult independent legal counsel.
Leasehold vs. Freehold
Foreign buyers may only acquire leasehold rights in Maldives property, typically for 30–99 years. These leaseholds are registered via the Strata Title Registry, administered by the Ministry of Tourism, and apply to the resort and tourism-designated listings shown across this platform.
Maldivian nationals can acquire freehold property, but through a different legal pathway: a standard Land Registry transfer administered by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development — not the Ministry of Tourism / Strata Title process used for foreign leasehold acquisitions. Freehold and leasehold are not interchangeable terms, and the process, registry, and governing ministry differ between them.
How This Applies on Top Selling Property
Most listings on this platform are leasehold-only. A small number of listings are individually flagged as eligible for freehold acquisition by Maldivian nationals. There is no separate browsing experience for domestic buyers — the same search and listings apply to everyone.
To find out whether a specific listing is freehold-eligible, open the property's detail page and select "Maldivian National" as your buyer type when requesting an introduction. Eligibility and terms are confirmed directly by the seller or their advisor — not by Top Selling Property.
Domestic property transfer tax and duty figures for freehold transactions in the Maldives are not yet verified on this platform — available sources conflict (for example, whether a Property Transfer Tax applies, or whether an earlier stamp duty was repealed). Do not rely on any figure until it has been confirmed by a licensed Maldivian tax advisor.
Not legal, tax, or investment advice. Consult independent legal counsel before entering any transaction.