58,505 Apply for Housing for All Homes as Applications Close

The government's flagship Housing for All scheme closed in June 2026 with 58,505 applications, according to the housing ministry. That's far more than the 15,000 land plots and 7,900 flats on offer in its first round. Many of the plots are to come from Ras Malé.

The numbers

The ministry gave this breakdown:

• 35,930 applications for flats, and 22,575 for land plots.
• The main Family Housing programme (Aailee Boahiyaavahikan) received 45,644 applications: 35,818 for flats and 9,826 for plots.
• The Goathigedhoru programme received 12,861 applications: 12,749 for plots and 112 for flats.

Goathigedhoru was added during the application period. It lets people whose husband or wife already owns a home apply on their own for a 1,250-square-foot plot in Ras Malé. Its numbers suggest strong demand for Ras Malé land in particular: more people applied for plots under Goathigedhoru than under the main programme.

A deadline that kept moving

When applications opened in January 2026, the deadlines were 4 March for plots and 17 April for flats. They were extended several times: in February the ministry moved both to 30 April, and later into May and June. The final deadline was set for 11:59pm on 15 June. Technical problems with the housing portal pushed it to 2am on 16 June.

Applications had been slow at first. By late February, just over 5,000 had been submitted, with more than 11,000 started but not finished. The final total is more than ten times that early figure.

How applying worked

All applications were made online, through the government's housing portal, using the national eFaas login. Applicants could apply for either a flat or a land plot, not both. Priority was to be based on income levels and living conditions.

The scheme's timeline

• November 2025: the President announces the Housing for All policy, with 15,000 plots in the first round and 25,000 plots in total to come from Ras Malé.
• 18 January 2026: applications open, with deadlines of 4 March for plots and 17 April for flats.
• 26 February: about 5,000 applications submitted. Both deadlines move to 30 April.
• During the application period: the rules widen to include people whose spouse owns a home.
• April and May: further extensions, and a separate Binveriya special scheme opens in April.
• 15–16 June: the window closes at 2am on 16 June, after a portal fault.
• June 2026: the ministry reports 58,505 applications.

Who the homes are for

The 15,000 plots are split into categories, mostly for people registered in Malé. 3,000 are for people from other islands who have lived in the capital region for more than 15 years, 1,500 are for families swapping small plots on Malé's narrow lanes, and 500 are for people who couldn't inherit land. The plots are in Greater Malé and Ras Malé. Most of the flats, offered on rent-to-own or affordable ownership terms, are in Hulhumalé and Malé. Our Ras Malé housing guide explains the categories in full.

Where Ras Malé fits in

Ras Malé is central to the plot side of the scheme. Plots for long-term residents who aren't registered in Malé, and all Goathigedhoru plots, are to come from Ras Malé. In April 2026, the ministry also opened a separate Binveriya special scheme. It lets people who received a shared plot under the earlier Binveriya scheme get an individual 1,250-square-foot plot in Ras Malé, if all the joint owners agree to give up the shared one. People who had been ruled out because they received a government flat can apply for land if they give the flat up.

What happens next

The ministry hasn't published a timetable for checking applications or announcing who has been allocated a home. It has said that:

• Bank of Maldives has started foundation work on housing in Hulhumalé and Villimalé.
• The government has begun procurement to choose developers for affordable housing complexes.
• The rules were widened during the application period, including the spouse rule and a reopened window for applicants with disabilities.

Ras Malé plots can only be handed over once the land is reclaimed and has basic services. In September 2026, the President said reclamation was about 70% complete and should be finished by the end of the year. We'll report when an eligibility list or allocation results are published.

The flats

The 7,900 flats are split between Malé residents (4,000), long-term residents from other islands (1,500) and special priority groups (2,400). The priority groups cover 15 sub-categories, including public servants, police and military staff, and workers in tourism, fisheries and taxi driving. 100 flats are reserved for people with disabilities. Flats are offered on rent-to-own or affordable ownership terms. With 35,930 applications for flats, demand was more than four times the supply.

Help with building

A plot is only the start for families, who then have to build. Bank of Maldives has cut the down payment on its home loans from 20% to 5%, and offers up to MVR 3 million for building or renovation without extra security. Families should check the bank's current terms before planning a build.

What the numbers say about Ras Malé

Ras Malé features heavily in the plot side of the scheme. All 12,749 Goathigedhoru plot applications are for Ras Malé. The 3,000 plots for long-term residents from other islands are also to come from Ras Malé. Across both programmes, there were 22,575 applications for 15,000 plots, about one and a half per plot. Flats are a different story: 35,930 applications for 7,900 flats, more than four per flat. Not every applicant will qualify, so the real ratio will be lower. The President has said 25,000 plots will eventually come from Ras Malé, so later rounds could reach more of the people who miss out now.

If you applied

• Keep your application reference, and watch the housing ministry's announcements for eligibility lists and results.
• If you applied as a long-term resident, keep your proof of more than 15 years in the capital region ready in case it's checked.
• Check that any message about your application comes from the ministry's official channels.
• Be wary of anyone offering to speed up an application or guarantee a plot. Allocation is run by the government through the official portal.

Why it matters

With about two and a half applications for every home on offer, and more than four for every flat, many applicants won't get anything from the first round. Not every application will be eligible, so the real ratio will be lower. Even so, the gap shows how much depends on Ras Malé delivering land on time, and on further rounds. The President has said 25,000 plots will eventually come from Ras Malé, of which 15,000 are in this first round.