A bill has been submitted to the People’s Majlis to amend the "Act on Becoming a Resident of a Maldivian Island," allowing individuals to register as a resident of an island without the current requirement of having lived there for five years.

Under the existing law, a person must continuously reside on an island for five consecutive years before they can be officially registered in its local registry.

The government submitted the amendment to ease the process for the public and modernize the legal framework to match current socio-economic realities. Under the proposed bill, individuals who legally own or hold the legal right to inhabit a land plot, house, flat, or residential property on an island will be eligible to apply for residency. This applies to properties acquired through inheritance, purchase, gifts, court rulings, or state-led housing schemes.

Once official documentation proving ownership or residency rights is submitted and the relevant authority confirms the property is fit for habitation, the individual must be registered as a resident of that island. Upon registration, the person will be automatically removed from their previous island registry, as the bill strictly prohibits any individual from holding residency on more than one island simultaneously.