COVID-19 rules
There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering Malta.
Passport validity requirements
To travel to Malta, you must follow the Schengen area passport requirements.
To enter Malta (and all Schengen countries) your passport must:
- have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive. Passports issued after 1 October 2018 are now valid for only 10 years, but for passports issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added if you renewed a passport early
- have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
Checks at border control
Make sure you get your passport stamped.
If you’re a visitor, your passport must be stamped when you enter or leave the Schengen area (which includes Malta). Border guards will use passport stamps to check you have not overstayed the 90-day visa-free limit for stays in the Schengen area. If your passport was not stamped, border guards will presume you have overstayed the visa-free limit.
If your passport was not stamped, show evidence of when and where you entered or left the Schengen area (for example, boarding passes or tickets) and ask the border guards to add the date and location in your passport.
Read about passport stamping if you live in Malta.
At Maltese border control, you may also need to:
- show a return or onward ticket
- show you have enough money for your stay
Visa requirements
You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area (including Malta) for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This applies if you travel:
- as a tourist
- to visit family or friends
- to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events
- for short-term studies or training
If you are travelling to Malta and other Schengen countries without a visa, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day limit. Visits to Schengen countries in the previous 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days.
To stay longer (to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons), you will need to meet the Maltese government’s entry requirements. Check which type of visa or work permit you need with Malta’s high commission.
If you stay in Malta with a residence permit or long-stay visa, this does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.
If you are travelling to Malta for work, read the guidance on visas and permits.
Vaccination requirements (other than COVID-19)
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccinations and certificates you need in TravelHealthPro’s Malta guide.
Customs rules
There are strict rules about goods that can be brought into and taken out of Malta. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions for medical reasons, for example certain amounts of powdered infant milk, infant food, or pet food. Check the rules about taking food and drink into the EU on the European Commission website.