MaltaVisits and short stays

Malta visa for visiting family and friends

Schengen visa (type C) for visiting family and friends

In short

To stay with relatives or friends in Malta for up to 90 days you need a Schengen C visa in the family and friends category if your nationality is visa-required. The key extra document is a Declaration of Proof from your host, legalised or notarised in Malta, with a copy of the host’s Maltese ID card or residence permit. Fees and the application procedure are the same as for tourism.

checked 24 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Validity
As shown on the visa sticker
Fee
€90€90 from age 12, €45 for children aged 6 to under 12, free under 6; family members of EU citizens exercising free movement pay nothing. A visa application centre adds its own service fee; fees are not refunded after a refusal.
Processing time
Normally within 15 calendar days; up to 45 days in individual cases
Work
No
Family
Spouses and children of EU citizens use the separate fee-free category for family members of EU/EEA or Swiss nationals
Where to apply
The Maltese embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or the visa application centre it uses

Who this category is for

Use this category when the main reason for the trip is to see a family member or friend living in Malta, whether or not you stay at their home. If your relative is an EU citizen exercising free movement and you are their spouse, registered partner, child under 21 or dependent parent, your application is handled in the separate category for family members of EU citizens, where the visa fee is zero and only any service fee applies. A Maltese citizen living in Malta who has not used EU free movement does not create that right.

The Declaration of Proof

Your host completes the Declaration of Proof form published with the visa checklist and has it legalised or notarised by a lawyer or notary in Malta. Attach a copy of the host’s Maltese ID card, Maltese passport or residence permit. The same form is used by the Central Visa Unit for long-stay visits, so a correctly certified original matters: unsigned or uncertified copies are a common reason for delay.

Everything else follows the tourism list: flight reservation, travel medical insurance for the whole stay, your own bank statements and employment documents, or a sponsor undertaking if you have no income.

Required documents

Identity

  • Original passport valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, with two blank pages, plus a copy of the data page and all used pages
  • Fully completed and signed application form with e-mail, mobile and work phone numbers
  • One colour biometric photo, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, taken within the last 6 months, white or light background
  • Copy of your national ID card; if you apply outside your country of nationality, proof of legal residence there

Travel

  • Round-trip flight reservation

Money

  • Recent bank statements showing sufficient means for the stay

Work

  • Employees: signed employer letter on letterhead (position, start date, leave dates) and recent payslips

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance covering at least €30,000 for the whole stay in the Schengen area (life insurance is not accepted)

Other

  • Declaration of Proof signed by your host and legalised or notarised by a lawyer or notary in Malta
  • Copy of the host’s Maltese ID card, passport or residence permit

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Money

  • Applicants without income: signed undertaking from a sponsor with travel dates, the sponsor’s ID copy and proof of their income

Work

  • Business owners and self-employed: proof of company registration and activity; students: certificate of enrolment

Family

  • Minors: consent from both parents if they are not applying, with ID copies or a birth certificate

Other

  • Signed and dated cover letter in English explaining anything particular about your trip

Who pays for the trip

Even when your host offers accommodation, the authorities expect to see how the journey and daily costs are covered. Show your own recent bank history; if a parent or relative pays, add their signed undertaking stating the travel dates and proof of their income. A host in Malta who pays should state this in the Declaration of Proof.

Fees

€90 from age 12, €45 for ages 6 to under 12, free under 6, plus any service fee of the visa application centre; nothing is refunded. Family members of EU citizens in the free-movement category pay no visa fee.

Timing and longer visits

Apply between six months and 15 days before travel; decisions normally take up to 15 days and at most 45. A visit cannot be extended beyond 90 days in 180 on this visa. If you plan to live with a family member who holds a Maltese residence permit, you need family reunification, which must be applied for while you are still outside Malta.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Ask your host in Malta to complete the Declaration of Proof and have it certified by a lawyer or notary there; get the original sent to you.
  2. Book an appointment with the Maltese mission responsible for your place of residence or its visa application centre.
  3. Prepare the form, photo, flight reservation, insurance, bank statements and employment documents from the family and friends checklist.
  4. Lodge in person, give biometrics and pay the €90 visa fee plus any service fee.
  5. Collect the passport once the decision has been made.

Frequently asked questions

Does my host in Malta need to be a Maltese citizen?

No. The host can also be a foreign resident; you then attach a copy of their Maltese residence permit with the Declaration of Proof.

Can a notary in my country certify the Declaration of Proof?

The checklist asks for a declaration certified by a lawyer or notary in Malta, so the host should have it done there.

My spouse is an EU citizen living in Malta. Do I pay the €90?

If your spouse exercises EU free movement, the Schengen visa is free and you pay at most the service fee of the visa application centre.

Can I stay longer than 90 days with my family?

Not on a Schengen visa. Living with a family member who holds a Maltese permit requires a family reunification application made before you travel.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Malta

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: D visa: up to 365 days from first entry into Schengen; higher-education students then hold a residence permit for the course

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Temporary permit for a defined period of over 6 months; generally renewed every year
  • Skilled worker visa Maximum stay: First permit 1 year; renewals for up to 3 years
  • EU Blue Card Maximum stay: First card 2 years (or contract plus 3 months if shorter); renewals up to 3 years
  • Digital nomad visa Maximum stay: 1 year, renewable three times for a maximum of 4 years

Family

Residence

Faster processing

Protection

Malta visa guide