This page was updated on 26 May 2022.
Table of Contents
Is Malta open for visitors?
Yes. Malta is now fully open for visitors. However, the travellers will be required to undergo some Covid-19 restrictions and requirements before entering Malta.
Is Malta open to international tourism?
Yes. Malta is open to international tourism, and tourists from any country can travel to Malta, provided they are in possession of a Vaccination Certificate; or a Covid-19 Recovery Certificate; or a PCR test negative certificate taken at least 72 hours prior to arrival in Malta.
Please note that effective 6 June 2022, travellers aged 12 years and over are permitted to travel to Malta without undergoing quarantine in accordance with the Standards for the Validity of Vaccine Certificates, Recovery Certificates and Test Certificates for the purpose of Travel to Malta and are subject to the provision of proof of either of the required documents mentioned above.
Exemptions
The provisions of this order shall not apply to:
- Children under the age of six (6) years travelling from any country to Malta.
- Travellers travelling from any country to Malta on:
- cargo flights, ferry flights, humanitarian flights and repatriation flights; or
- cargo ships, including container ships or ro-rovessels, carrying goods and essential commodities, or on tankers loaded with essential fuels.
Please note that the Superintendent of Public Health may provide further exemptions from the provisions of this order, by notice in the Gazette or by protocols issued for this purpose, where, in the opinion of the Superintendent of Public Health, the travel of certain visitors or goods or for certain services, as is deemed to be necessary or essential.
Visit https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/health-promotion/covid-19 for more information.
What are Malta’s vaccine requirements?
Vaccination is not mandatory for entry into Malta. However, presenting a Proof of COVID-19 vaccination on a valid vaccine certificate recognized by the Superintendent of Public Health is one of the options for required documents besides a negative PCR test certificate or a Covid-19 recovery certificate, which can be presented for being eligible to enter Malta.
A valid vaccine certificate is where at least 14 days and no more than 270 days have passed after the last scheduled dose of the primary vaccination series was administered. After 270 days, vaccination certificates must include a booster dose.
Please note that for people under 18 years of age, vaccination certificates with a full primary schedule have no expiry date.
Following are the types of Vaccine certificates accepted in Malta:
- EU Digital COVID certificate (EUDCC)
- Vaccine certificates that have been recognised as equivalent to the EU Digital COVID certificate based on EU equivalence decisions issued by the European Commission.
- Vaccine certificates as listed in the Government Gazette by Superintendent of Public Health.
Please visit the Travel to Malta website to get a full list of the types of Vaccine Certificates accepted in Malta.
Malta-approved vaccines are as follows:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- Novovax
- Janssen (Johnson & Johnson)
- Oxford/AstraZeneca
Source: Malaysia – COVID19 Vaccine Tracker (trackvaccines.org)
What are Malta’s entry requirements?
Documents required
Travellers from any country can enter Malta, provided they are in possession of any one of the following documents:
- A valid Covid-19 Vaccination Certificate that meets the following requirements:
- At least 14 days and no more than 270 days have passed after the last scheduled dose of the primary vaccination series was administered.
- After 270 days, vaccination certificates must include a booster dose.
- For travellers under 18 years of age, vaccination certificates with a full primary schedule have no expiry date.
or,
- A Covid-19 Recovery Certificate that meets the following requirements:
- The certificate must indicate that no less than 14 days and no more than 180 days have passed since the date of the first positive test. Only the following certificates are currently being accepted:
- EU Digital COVID certificate of recovery.
- The Digital Covid certificate that has been recognised as equivalent to the EU Digital COVID certificate based on EU equivalence decisions issued by the European Commission.
- Test Certificate of a positive PCR test received not less than 14 days and not more than 180 days prior to travel together with valid proof of a negative PCR test obtained no more than 72 hours before arrival in Malta.
- The certificate must indicate that no less than 14 days and no more than 180 days have passed since the date of the first positive test. Only the following certificates are currently being accepted:
or;
- A PCR test negative certificate taken at least 72 hours prior to arrival in Malta, or a negative Rapid Antigen test obtained no more than 24 hours before arrival. Please note that RAT tests are applicable to only those featured in the common list established on the basis of Council Recommendation and which is carried out by health professionals or by skilled testing personnel, provided it is in the format of the EU Digital COVID certificate.
Please note that children under the age of six (6) travelling from any country are not required to submit the documentation outlined above for travel purposes. Effective 6 June 2022, children under the age of 12 travelling from any country are not required to submit the documentation outlined above for travel purposes.
Quarantine requirements
Travellers aged six (6) years and above, travelling from any country, who are not in possession of a recognised vaccination, recovery or test certificate as per applicable Standards for the Validity of Vaccine Certificates, Recovery Certificates and Test Certificates for the purpose of Travel to Malta, are required to undergo a quarantine period of ten (10) days. The date of arrival is day zero in terms of quarantine duration.
Effective 6 June 2022, persons aged 12 years and over who are not in possession of a recognised vaccination, recovery or test certificate as per applicable Standards for the Validity of Vaccine Certificates, Recovery Certificates and Test Certificates for the purpose of Travel to Malta, are required to undergo a quarantine period of ten (10) days. The date of arrival is day zero in terms of quarantine duration.
Moreover, a person who arrived in Malta and is subject to quarantine may travel out of Malta prior to the end of their quarantine period, provided they have a negative PCR test carried out within the 72 hours prior to travel and provided they travel directly from the quarantine address to the airport/seaport. They will need to notify the quarantine team via email at [email protected].
Please note that any individuals in quarantine who experience possible COVID-19 symptoms are required to contact the 111 COVID-19 helpline or +35621324086 from a foreign number for a swab test.
COVID-19 testing requirements for passengers who are subject to quarantine
In general, no COVID-19 test is required for release from quarantine at the end of the the10-day quarantine period in the case of persons travelling to Malta. However, Maltese public health authorities may require individuals in quarantine to be tested at their discretion.
Additionally, early release from quarantine is effective for 7 days from the date of swab provided that the traveller tests negative for an official swab test (carried out by a health professional) on the seventh (7th) day of quarantine.
Please note that Self-tests cannot be used for early release. The day of arrival in Malta is considered to be Day 0 (zero) for quarantine purposes.
If a negative or ‘non-reactive’ result is obtained on day seven (7) the contact may leave quarantine as of 00.01 hours on the eighth (8th) day. However, If the test result is positive or ‘reactive’ then the individual must undergo a period of isolation in line with the standards of isolation of 10 days with the date of positive result as day zero (0).
Please visit the Travel to Malta website for more information.
Exit requirements for residents of Malta
There are no specific exit requirements for residents or citizens travelling from Malta. However, the authorities recommend following the given guidelines before travelling out of the country:
- Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 if you are within the eligible age group.
- Ensuring you are in good general health and have the necessary prescriptions, certificates, vaccinations, and supply of medications for your trip.
- Make sure to check the safety information, entry requirements, public health measures and guidelines of your destination and transit countries by checking with reputable sources such as the World Health Organization website, and/or the EU website, your travel agent, or an official website in your destination country.
- When selecting accommodation, choose a location which is not in a busy area but close enough to landmarks/places of interest to reduce your reliance on public transport.
- Check with your airline regarding COVID-19 mitigation measures, procedures, luggage policy, seating arrangements and also what protective face covering is expected during your trip.
- Consider purchasing travel insurance cover for your trip. Check what level of cover your policy includes particularly in relation to possible flight cancellations and the extent of COVID-related health care coverage.
- Always remember to carry a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for each member of your household when travelling to a European country.
- Ensure you have the necessary documents (valid passport, visa etc.) and essentials (including sufficient masks and sanitiser for your trip).
- Complete your health/travel declaration and passenger locator forms where applicable and check up-to-date travel health recommendations for your destination.
Please refer to the Travel to Malta website’s detailed Covid-19 guideline for outgoing travellers for more information.
