Bilehdhoo Council Sets Exit Fee and Cash Incentive for Island Registry

In an effort to manage demographic changes, the F. Bilehdhoo Island Council has introduced a policy combining a MVR 5,000 exit fee with a cash incentive to attract new residents.

Under the new directive, the council charges a MVR 5,000 administrative fee to individuals who choose to relinquish their island citizenship and transfer their residency elsewhere. Conversely, the council offers a MVR 2,500 financial reward to individuals who deregister from another island’s registry and officially enrol in the Bilehdhoo registry.

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The decision forms part of a broader trend among outer-atoll councils attempting to curb outbound migration to urban centres, particularly the Greater Malé region, where residents frequently move to access better healthcare, education, and employment opportunities.

Other island councils have recently implemented similar financial measures to safeguard their population numbers. On 16 August 2026, the Lh. Hinnavaru Council approved a MVR 2,000 fee for outgoing residency transfers, a policy that took effect on 1 September 2026 after officials cited the negative impact of outbound migration on the island’s population. Meanwhile, the Kinbidhoo Council adopted a MVR 1,200 administrative fee for residents relinquishing local residency, sanctioning the policy on 2 September 2026, before putting it into effect on 3 September 2026.

While these measures aim to preserve island demographics, the imposition of exit fees has previously drawn scrutiny. Under Maldivian law, citizens maintain constitutional freedom of movement and relocation. In early 2024, GDh. Thinadhoo Council sought to introduce a similar MVR 5,000 fee. Although the Local Government Authority (LGA) initially suspended the rule over missing procedural steps, the council reinstated the MVR 5,000 fee after conducting public consultations and securing majority community support.