Country topic
Visas in Malta
Malta is a Schengen country. Identità’s Central Visa Unit says a Schengen visa covers a stay of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, and the European Commission says non-EU nationals may stay up to 90 days in any 180. The Commission’s calculator says to count back 180 days from each day of your stay; the days count across all Schengen countries together. [V1] [V2] [V3] Identità publishes a list of third countries whose nationals do not need a visa; Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America are on it (a document uploaded in October 2023). Identità says visa-exempt nationals can visit for the first 90 days in every 180 without a visa, but need a Malta D-visa before travelling if they mean to stay more than 90 days. [V4] [V5]
What we found
The research, with its sources.
Research information, not advice. Rules change, so check the source before you act on one.
- Malta is a Schengen country. Identità’s Central Visa Unit says a Schengen visa covers a stay of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, and the European Commission says non-EU nationals may stay up to 90 days in any 180. The Commission’s calculator says to count back 180 days from each day of your stay; the days count across all Schengen countries together. [V1] [V2] [V3]
- Identità publishes a list of third countries whose nationals do not need a visa; Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America are on it (a document uploaded in October 2023). Identità says visa-exempt nationals can visit for the first 90 days in every 180 without a visa, but need a Malta D-visa before travelling if they mean to stay more than 90 days. [V4] [V5]
- A Malta D-visa is processed only by the Central Visa Unit at Identità, with an appointment booked through VFS Global. Identità says the process takes up to 8 weeks from the appointment, cannot be fast-tracked, may or may not include an interview, and that fees are non-refundable. A refusal can be appealed to the Immigration Appeals Board within 15 days. A VFS fee of about €150 may apply. [V5]
- The Entry/Exit System has been fully operational across all Schengen countries since 10 April 2026 and registers non-EU nationals on short stays. The European Commission says ETIAS, the travel authorisation, is scheduled to start in the last quarter of 2026, with the exact date to be announced. Check both before you travel. [V6]
- The Nomad Residence Permit, run by the Residency Malta Agency, is for non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals aged 18 or over who work remotely for an employer or company registered abroad, or as freelancers for clients abroad, under contract. They need a gross income of at least €42,000 a year, guaranteed for at least 5 months from the day of application. To be safe, show more than €43,000. [V7] [V8]
- The nomad permit costs €300 per person plus €100 for the residence card, with about 30 working days’ processing. It lasts one year and can be renewed three times, for at most four years, at the Agency’s discretion; renewal needs bank evidence of at least 5 months in Malta in the previous 12. It does not lead to permanent residence, and holders may not serve Maltese companies or individuals. Some nationalities are not eligible. [V7] [V8]
- Identità says beneficiaries of the Global Residence Programme, the Malta Permanent Residence Programme, the Malta Retirement Programme and citizenship acquisition can apply for a temporary residence permit on the basis of economic self-sufficiency. They need valid authorisation to reside already (a permit or visa); the fee is €100 and travel documents need 6 months’ validity. The page states no permanent step. [V9]
- The Malta Permanent Residence Programme grants permanent residence, with applications only through a licensed agent. It asks for capital assets of about €500,000 (of which about €150,000 financial) or about €650,000 (of which about €75,000 financial); to be safe, more than €660,000. It also asks for €60,000 in fees and a €37,000 contribution (€97,000, non-refundable), a property bought for €375,000 or rented for €14,000 a year for five years, a €2,000 donation and health insurance. [V10]
- The Malta Retirement Programme is a special tax status, not a residence right: a pension received in Malta of at least 75% of income, no age minimum, a qualifying home and the rest of the guidelines’ conditions (2020 text). From 1 January 2027 it becomes “retired pensioner status” under the Individual Tax Programme Rules, 2026, with 5-year terms and a minimum tax of €15,000 a year; neither text states a permanent step. [V11] [V12]
The Fernshore Index
How the Index grades visas, by passport.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Visa, United States passport
85 of 100Strong
Strong: the Nomad Residence Permit is open to US passport holders who work remotely for an employer or clients outside Malta, with no Maltese job offer. It lasts 1 year and can be renewed three times, up to 4 years in all (renewal needs at least 5 months living in Malta in the previous 12). The only age rule is that applicants are adults (18 or over), and there is no deposit or investment. The income test is a gross income of more than €42,000 a year (about US$47,100 at the ECB rate of 15 October 2026), guaranteed for at least 5 months. The fee is €300 per person plus €100 for the residence card. The permit does not cover work for Maltese companies or clients, and it needs a rental or purchase agreement and health insurance.
Source: Nomad Residence Permit: eligibility and FAQs; Nomad Residence Permit: FAQs. Checked 16 October 2026.
Visa, Canada passport
Unknown
Research for Canadian passports is being checked
Visa, Australia passport
Unknown
Research for Australian passports is being checked
Visa, New Zealand passport
Unknown
Research for New Zealand passports is being checked
The country
More on Malta.
Topics
More about Malta.
Questions about Visas in Malta.
How long can I stay in Malta without a visa?
Identità lists Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States as visa-exempt, for the first 90 days in every 180. The European Commission says to count back 180 days from each day of your stay, across all Schengen countries together. A longer stay needs a D-visa or a permit.
Do I need a visa to stay in Malta longer than 90 days?
Yes, even if you are visa-exempt: Identità says to apply for a Malta D-visa before travelling. It is processed by the Central Visa Unit, through a VFS Global appointment, and takes up to 8 weeks. Fees are non-refundable and a refusal can be appealed within 15 days.
What does the Malta Nomad Residence Permit require?
Remote work for an employer or clients abroad, under contract, and a minimum gross yearly income, guaranteed for 5 months from applying. To be safe, show more than €43,000. The fee is €300 per person plus €100 for the card. It lasts a year and renews up to four years in all.
Which Malta programmes lead to permanent residence?
The Permanent Residence Programme does: €97,000 in non-refundable payments, qualifying capital assets, and a property bought or rented, through a licensed agent. The nomad permit does not lead to permanent residence, and the retirement programme and Identità’s self-sufficiency permit state no permanent step.
What are the EES and ETIAS, and do they affect a trip to Malta?
The EES, which registers non-EU short-stay visitors at the border, has run across all Schengen countries since 10 April 2026. The European Commission says ETIAS, a travel authorisation, is scheduled for the last quarter of 2026 with the date to be announced. Neither replaces a D-visa or permit for a longer stay.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [K1] Nomad Residence Permit: eligibility and FAQs, Residency Malta Agency (nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt). Checked 15 October 2026. Eligibility page (updated 23 September 2026) and FAQs (version 14.1, updated 17 April 2026), read on 15 October 2026. Open to non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals aged 18 or over who work remotely for an employer registered abroad, for a foreign company they own a share of, or as freelancers for clients abroad; not for people serving Maltese companies or clients. Minimum gross income EUR 42,000 a year (EUR 32,400 for applications before 1 April 2024), guaranteed for at least 5 months from the day of application. Fee EUR 300 per person plus EUR 100 for the residence card; about 30 working days. The permit lasts 1 year and may be renewed three times, for a stay of at most 4 years, at the Agency's discretion; renewal needs at least 5 months' residence in Malta in the previous 12. Nationals of some countries (including Russia, Belarus, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela) are not eligible. The permit does not lead to permanent residence in the Agency's text.
- [K3] Nomad Residence Permit: FAQs, Residency Malta Agency (nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt). Checked 16 October 2026. FAQs version 14.1 (last updated 17 April 2026), read on 16 October 2026. Eligible: 18 or over, able to work remotely, and a non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss national; applicants from Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen and Venezuela, and from Russia and Belarus, are currently not eligible (the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are not on the list). Employed by an employer registered abroad, a partner or shareholder of a company registered abroad, or a freelancer with contracts with clients established abroad; anyone providing services to Malta-based companies or individuals is ineligible. Minimum gross yearly income EUR 42,000, guaranteed for at least 5 months from the day of application. Application fee EUR 300 per person and EUR 100 for the residence card. The permit is valid for 1 year and may be renewed three times, for a maximum of 4 years, at the Agency's discretion. The FAQs list no deposit or investment, only the fees above.
- [V1] Central Visa Unit: Schengen Visa, Identità (Government of Malta). Checked 16 October 2026. Says a Schengen visa covers a stay of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, and lists Malta among the Schengen States.
- [V2] Visa policy, European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs. Checked 16 October 2026. Says non-EU nationals who need a visa may visit the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and that nationals of the countries in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 do not need a visa.
- [V3] Short-stay calculator (page dated 27 October 2025), European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V4] List of third countries whose nationals are exempted from holding a visa when crossing the external borders, Identità (Government of Malta), Central Visa Unit. Checked 16 October 2026. Document uploaded to the Identità site in October 2023; lists Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America.
- [V5] Visa: frequently asked questions, Identità (Government of Malta). Checked 16 October 2026. Visa-exempt nationals may visit the Schengen area for the first 90 days in every 180 without a visa; a visit of more than 90 days needs a Malta D-visa even for visa-exempt nationals; D-visas are processed by the Central Visa Unit, taking up to 8 weeks from the VFS appointment; fees are non-refundable.
- [V6] Main differences between the EES and ETIAS (news item of 28 April 2026), European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V7] Nomad Residence Permit: eligibility and FAQs, Residency Malta Agency (nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt). Checked 15 October 2026. Eligibility page (updated 23 September 2026) and FAQs (version 14.1, updated 17 April 2026), read on 15 October 2026. Open to non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals aged 18 or over who work remotely for an employer registered abroad, for a foreign company they own a share of, or as freelancers for clients abroad; not for people serving Maltese companies or clients. Minimum gross income EUR 42,000 a year (EUR 32,400 for applications before 1 April 2024), guaranteed for at least 5 months from the day of application. Fee EUR 300 per person plus EUR 100 for the residence card; about 30 working days. The permit lasts 1 year and may be renewed three times, for a stay of at most 4 years, at the Agency's discretion; renewal needs at least 5 months' residence in Malta in the previous 12. Nationals of some countries (including Russia, Belarus, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela) are not eligible. The permit does not lead to permanent residence in the Agency's text.
- [V8] Nomad Residence Permit: FAQs (version 14.1, updated 17 April 2026), Residency Malta Agency (nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt). Checked 16 October 2026. Read on 16 October 2026. Dependants, fees, renewals, health insurance, tax, work and card pages of the Agency's FAQs.
- [V9] Non-Employment Permits: Economic Self-Sufficient, Identità (Expatriates Unit, Government of Malta). Checked 15 October 2026. Read on 15 October 2026. Beneficiaries of the Global Residence Programme, the Malta Permanent Residence Programme and the Malta Retirement Programme can apply for a temporary residence permit on the basis of economic self-sufficiency (fee EUR 100 for new and renewal applications). The page describes a temporary permit and states no permanent residence step.
- [V10] Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP), Residency Malta Agency (residencymalta.gov.mt). Checked 15 October 2026. Page modified 12 August 2026, read on 15 October 2026. For non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals; grants permanent residence. Capital assets of at least EUR 500,000 (of which EUR 150,000 financial) or EUR 650,000 (of which EUR 75,000 financial); non-refundable administrative fee EUR 60,000 and Government contribution EUR 37,000 (EUR 97,000 together); a property bought for at least EUR 375,000 or rented for at least EUR 14,000 a year, kept at least five years; a EUR 2,000 donation to a local NGO; health insurance; applications only through a licensed agent.
- [V11] Malta Retirement Programme Guidelines, version 4.0 (2020), Commissioner for Revenue (now Commissioner for Tax and Customs), Malta. Checked 15 October 2026. cfr.gov.mt refused automated access (HTTP 403), so the guidelines (16 pages) were read from an Internet Archive copy (the nearest capture to 2025; the Archive's catalogue lists one of 6 August 2024). Under LN 317 of 2012: a special tax status for people whose pension, received in Malta, is at least 75% of chargeable income; no age minimum; property owned (EUR 275,000, or EUR 220,000 in Gozo or the south) or rented (EUR 9,600 a year, EUR 8,750 in Gozo or the south) as principal residence; 15% tax on foreign income received in Malta, minimum tax EUR 7,500 plus EUR 500 per dependant; administrative fee EUR 2,500; no right to employment in Malta beyond a non-executive board post. It is a tax status, not a permanent residence right.
- [V12] Individual Tax Programme Rules, 2026 (L.N. 195 of 2026), Government of Malta, Legislation Malta (legislation.mt). Checked 15 October 2026. The official text (PDF) read on 15 October 2026. In force 1 January 2027; special tax status in four categories including 'retired pensioner status'; status lasts 5 years and may be renewed for further 5-year periods (renewal fee EUR 2,500); application fee EUR 8,500; 15% on foreign income received in Malta; minimum tax EUR 15,000 a year for retired pensioners (EUR 35,000 for global and EU, EEA, Swiss residents); a qualifying property is one bought for at least EUR 700,000 or rented for at least EUR 14,000 a year; a retired pensioner's pension must be at least 75% of chargeable income, received in Malta. Status granted, or applications received, up to 31 December 2026 continue until 31 December 2031.