Visa & Entry Requirements
Malta is in the European Union and in the Schengen area, so the common Schengen rules decide who needs a visa and how long you can stay. This page sets out those rules for UK, US and EU travellers as of November 2026. Confirm your own case with the official sources below before you fly.
Your days in Malta count towards the Schengen 90
British and US tourists do not need a visa for a short stay. The limit is 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the whole Schengen area, so days spent in Italy, Spain or any other Schengen country before or after Malta use up the same allowance. Eligible non-EU short-stay visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) at the external Schengen border; holders of certain long-stay visas or residence permits are exempt. ETIAS is not in operation yet. Treat the official links below as the final check.
Official Sources To Verify Now
Your Europe: Entry Rules for Non-EU Nationals
The EU rules for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, the 29 Schengen countries (Malta among them) and the passport validity rule.
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Travel to Europe: Entry/Exit System (EES)
The official EU site for the EES, which registers eligible non-EU short-stay visitors at the external Schengen border, with exemptions for some travellers. Malta uses the system.
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Travel to Europe: ETIAS
The official ETIAS site. As of November 2026 the European Commission says ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being collected; the fee is EUR 20.
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Identità: Central Visa Unit (Malta)
The Maltese government unit for visas: Schengen short-stay visas of up to 90 days, national long-stay visas, contact details and fees.
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UK Government: Malta Entry Requirements
Foreign Office advice for British passport holders: the 90 days in any 180-day rule, passport issue and expiry dates, EES registration and cash declarations.
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U.S. State Department: Malta
Entry requirements for U.S. citizens (no visa for 90 days or less, passport validity, currency limits), the travel advisory and U.S. Embassy contacts.
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Visa-Free Entry for Tourism
According to the EU's own pages, Malta has been an EU member since 1 May 2004 and part of the Schengen area since 21 December 2007. The EU's short-stay rules apply here: up to 90 days in any 180-day period, calculated across all 29 Schengen countries. The UK Foreign Office confirms that British tourists can visit the Schengen area, which includes Malta, without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The US State Department says no visa is required for US citizens for 90 days or less. ETIAS, the future travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not in operation: as of November 2026 the European Commission says no applications are being collected and that the EU will announce the start date several months before launch. It gives the application fee as EUR 20.
No visa
For UK and US tourists on a short stay
90 / 180
Up to 90 days in any 180, shared across the Schengen area
ETIAS
Not in operation as of November 2026; no applications yet
Passport Requirements
- British passports: the UK Foreign Office says your passport must have a date of issue less than 10 years before the day you arrive and an expiry date at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. A passport renewed before 1 October 2018 may carry an issue date more than 10 years old, which makes it invalid for entry.
- US passports: the State Department says passports must have 3 months' validity beyond your date of departure. The EU's Your Europe page sets the same general rule for non-EU nationals: valid for 3 months after you leave the EU and issued within the last 10 years.
- Have a return or onward ticket and proof of enough money for your stay: both the UK Foreign Office and the State Department say border officers may ask for them
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered in the EES, which applies only to non-EU nationals. Check which travel document your own government accepts for travel within the EU before you go.
Arrival at Malta International Airport
If you fly in, you land at Malta International Airport in Luqa. Malta is one of the countries using the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which replaces passport stamps for non-EU short-stay visitors. If you are subject to EES, registration happens at your first external Schengen border crossing, which may be before Malta if you connect through another Schengen country. You may need to provide a facial photo and fingerprints, and EES replaces passport stamps; children aged 11 or younger are not fingerprinted but may be photographed. The UK Foreign Office says registration is free, the record is valid for 3 years and checks can add time at the border, so allow extra time on departure too.
Documents to carry to the border
- A passport that meets the validity rule for your nationality (EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: the travel document your government accepts)
- A return or onward ticket, which border officers may ask to see
- Proof that you have enough money for the stay, in case you are asked
- Nothing for ETIAS yet: it was not in operation as of November 2026, so check the official ETIAS site again before a later trip
Staying Longer Than 90 Days
For UK and US tourists visiting visa-free, the 90-day allowance is for short visits. A longer stay needs the right visa or permit before you exceed it:
Long-stay visas
Malta's Central Visa Unit at Identità issues a National Visa (long stay, D-Visa) for stays of more than 90 days and up to 365 days, under national rules. The UK Foreign Office says time spent in Malta on a residence permit or long-stay visa does not count towards the 90-day limit. Check the requirements on the Central Visa Unit page.
Do not overstay
The UK Foreign Office warns that if you overstay the 90-day visa-free limit you may be banned from entering Schengen countries for up to 3 years. Count every Schengen day in the previous 180, not just your days in Malta.
If Your Nationality Needs a Visa
Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. If you do, you apply for a Schengen short-stay visa, which covers a stay of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. Identità's Central Visa Unit says visas for Malta are issued together with Malta's diplomatic missions abroad, and that holding a visa does not by itself guarantee entry: border officers can still refuse entry if, for example, you cannot show adequate means of subsistence.
If you are unsure about your passport, check the EU's Your Europe page or the Central Visa Unit, or find the nearest Maltese embassy, high commission or consulate through the Ministry for Foreign Affairs list of representations.
Travel Document Tips
Make Copies
The UK Foreign Office advises keeping a copy of your passport somewhere safe. If a passport is lost or stolen, report it to the police and contact your embassy: the US Embassy in Malta lists +356 2561 4000 as its main and after-hours number, and British nationals can find the British High Commission through gov.uk.
Cash Declaration
Malta Customs says anyone entering, leaving or transiting Malta with €10,000 or more in cash, or the equivalent in other currencies, must declare it. Details are on the Malta Customs cash declaration page.
Duty-Free Allowances
Arriving from outside the EU, alcohol and tobacco for your own use are exempt from excise duty within quantity limits, which Malta Customs lists as including 200 cigarettes, 1 litre of spirits above 22% ABV and 16 litres of beer, as of November 2026. Travellers under 17 have no duty-free alcohol or tobacco allowance. Read the full list on the Malta Customs allowances page before relying on a figure. When arriving from most countries outside the EU, including the UK and US, you cannot bring meat, milk or products containing them into the EU, with limited exceptions such as powdered baby milk subject to quantity and packaging rules.
Travelling with Children
UK and US children need their own passport; EU children may use their own valid passport or national identity card. The US State Department says that if you travel with a child who is not your own, or who has a different surname, you may be asked for evidence of the relationship, such as a birth certificate or a letter of permission from the parent or guardian with their contact details. Check your airline's rules as well.
Ready to plan your trip?
Next, read the first-timer guide, then the transport page for buses, taxis and the Gozo ferry.