Govt hands over advance passenger info system to Maldives

MALE: Govt today handed over an Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) to Maldives that would allow authorities here in providing safe and efficient immigration service to travellers to the country, whose main source of foreign revenue is tourism.

Maldivian authorities said the new system installed at the Male's Ibrahim Nasir International Airport marks a "giant step" forward in the capability of the country's immigration to provide better service to the travellers.

The APIS will feed advance information on the passengers travelling to and from Maldives, to the Border Control System in the country, for use by the various enforcement agencies in the country like the immigration, customs and police.

Maldives, with a population of about 350,000 is a world famous luxury tourist destination and receives close to one million foreign tourists every year.

The APIS was formally handed over by High Commissioner of India to Maldives Dnyaneshwar M Mulay to Maldives' Controller of Immigration & Emigration Mohamed Ali.

Speaking on the occasion, Mulay described the handing over of the system as yet another milestone in the bilateral development partnership that has grown from strength to strength over the years.

Ali thanked India for the extensive assistance provided in the development of Maldives and termed the installation of the system as a "giant step" for the country's immigration service, Indian mission here said in a statement.