The Republic of Maldives is an archipelagic state in the Indian Ocean, located southwest of India and Sri Lanka, comprising around 1,200 coral islands grouped into twenty-six atolls, with population centres primarily on Malé, Hulhumalé and Addu City. Forced displacement to Maldives is limited in scale. Asylum-seekers originate from diverse regions, notably South and Southeast Asia, including individuals from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Afghanistan who arrive irregularly by boat or air. These persons reside in immigration detention centres—primarily on Hulhumalé—or in private accommodation where permits are granted. Freedom of movement is constrained by the conditions of temporary stay, and access to livelihoods, education and public services depends on discretionary administrative approval.

The Maldives has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, nor the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons or the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. As a result, there is no domestic legal framework specifically designed for refugees, asylum seekers, or stateless individuals. While the Constitution of the Maldives guarantees the right to citizenship, the legal provisions for nationality are not fully aligned with international standards, which can lead to situations of statelessness.