Under-1-year Malé Residents Now Eligible for Housing Scheme Under “Housing for All” Initiative 

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development has revised eligibility rules under the “Housing for All” policy, allowing individuals registered as residents in Malé for less than one year to apply for government housing programmes.

The updated guidelines now permit applicants with under one year of Malé residency to participate in initiatives that previously required up to 15 years of residency. The change marks a significant easing of the eligibility criteria for the housing allocation process.

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Under existing legal provisions, a citizen must be registered as a resident of an island for at least four years to be included in the official registry. However, the revised requirements under the housing programme override this threshold for applicants in Malé.

1 އަހަރަށްވުރެ ކުރުމުއްދަތަކަށް މާލޭގައި ރަށްވެހިވެފައިވާ ފަރާތްތަކަށް ބޯހިޔާވަހިކަން އެންމެންނަށް ސިޔާސަތުގެ ދަށުން ހިންގާ ޕްރޮގްރާމްތަކަށް އެޕްލައިކުރެވޭގޮތަށް ފޯމަށް ބަދަލުގެނައުން pic.twitter.com/TifxSXRrVM— Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Dev. (@MIHUDmv) May 3, 2026

The ministry has also extended the application deadline to the end of May, covering all land allocation categories under the programme.

The deadline had previously been extended in late February ahead of the April 4 elections. Since then, several amendments have been introduced to eligibility criteria, drawing criticism over repeated changes made close to the closing stages of the application period.

Applications for the first phase of the “Housing for All” programme opened on 18 January last year. The government plans to allocate a total of 7,900 flats and 15,000 land plots under the scheme, including 4,000 flats for Malé City residents, 1,500 for non-residents, and 2,400 allocated to special categories.