Malta
Malta is a small archipelago in the Mediterranean south of Sicily, three inhabited islands, Malta, Gozo and Comino, with Valletta as its capital. Maltese and English are both official languages, the euro is the currency, and Malta is a member of the Schengen Area.
Booking links go to our partner Trip.com — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Visa Requirements for Malta
Holders of American, British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passports need no visa for Malta and may stay up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen Area, for tourism, business or a short English course. Irish citizens move freely as citizens of the EU, and Indian and Nigerian travellers need a Schengen visa issued before the journey. Longer stays, for a long English course, work or residence, need a Maltese national visa or residence permit.
Before you travel
90 days in any 180
A visitor whose passport needs no visa may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area, Malta included, for tourism, business or an English course shorter than 90 days.
The passport
The passport must have been issued within the last ten years and remain valid for three months beyond the departure from the Schengen Area; proof of funds and a return ticket are worth carrying.
Where to apply
A Schengen visa is applied for at a Maltese embassy or consulate, or at the mission of another Schengen state, with the application form, passport photographs, the itinerary, proof of accommodation and of means, and travel insurance at the Schengen minimum, whose current threshold is checked before applying.
Longer English courses
A student on an English course of more than 90 days needs a national student visa or residence permit, with the school's letter of acceptance, proof of funds, accommodation and health insurance.
Visa types
Visa-Free Entry (Schengen)
For tourism, business or a short English course on a passport that needs no Schengen visa.
Free movement
For Irish citizens, who live, work and study in Malta freely as citizens of the EU, registering their residence after 90 days.
Schengen Visa (Type C)
For short stays, tourism, business, cultural events or an English course under 90 days, on a passport that needs a Schengen visa.
National Visa (Type D) / Student Visa
For stays beyond 90 days: long English courses, study, work or residence in Malta, with the school's or university's letter of acceptance, proof of funds, accommodation and health insurance for a student.
Nomad Residence Permit
For remote workers employed by, or working for clients of, businesses outside Malta, with proof of income and health insurance, to live in Malta while they work.
Guides
Malta packs some seven thousand years into a small space: Valletta, the fortress city the Knights of St John built after 1565, the walled medieval town of Mdina, and megalithic temples older than the pyramids of Egypt. The sea is the other half of a trip, from the wrecks and reefs that draw divers to the Blue Lagoon on Comino, and Gozo, a short ferry away, is quieter and greener. Distances are short, and the three islands' different ways of getting about set the shape of a week.
Malta travel guide →
The Knights' capital, temples older than the pyramids, the diving, and the three-island plan.
Money in Malta →
The euro, cards across the islands, the cash Comino needs, and tipping.
Eating in Malta →
Beyond the resort menu: pastizzi at any hour, rabbit as the national dish, and Gozo's small cheeses.
Getting around Malta →
The central airport, buses and driving on the left, the harbour ferries, the Gozo ferry, and the private boats to Comino.
Health & safety in Malta →
Who pays for medical care, the taste of the tap water, jellyfish season and the shadeless old towns.
Embassies & missions
Accredited missions for Malta
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Malta?
Not for a visit of up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen Area on a US, UK, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passport; Irish citizens move freely as EU citizens. Indian and Nigerian travellers need a Schengen visa issued before the journey.
Planning a trip to Malta? Compare hotels and flights and book in minutes.
Booking links go to our partner Trip.com — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Treat this Visaja page as your starting point: verify the current rules directly with the official source before you submit an application.