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Visiting Malta? Brand new passenger requirements
Are you currently excitedly planning your trip to the sunny Maltese Islands? As it stands, we have incredibly low COVID-19 case rates and are in the process of relaxing certain restrictive measures, so we definitely can’t blame you if you’ve chosen Malta as your holiday destination for 2021. That being said, before packing your bags and applying your sun lotion, we would definitely recommend that you make sure you’re on top of all the rules and regulations associated with travelling to our sunny islands.
Namely, travellers to Malta, as of tomorrow the 1 of Juin, will not be allowed to board their flights if they do not present a negative COVID-19 PCR test or vaccination certificate.
The rule came into force over the last couple of days and is also applicable to Maltese and residents of Malta returning to the islands. It should be noted that children under the age of five are exempt from the requirements.
Is the rule applicable to all modes of travel?
Simply put, yes. Any person travelling to Malta, whether by air or sea, will have to present, upon arrival in Malta, a passenger locator form, a negative COVID-19 test, taken not later than 72 hours prior to entering the country, or a valid inoculation certificate, showing that you have taken all your vaccine doses.
The rules also make it absolutely clear that passengers will be denied boarding if they fail to present the above so make sure that you’ve got everything you need, to avoid disappointment.
Are all vaccines deemed to be valid?
Not exactly, no. the legal notice makes it clear that the vaccine certificate must conform with standards approved by the public health authorities in Malta. It’s only valid for the vaccines that have been approved for use in Malta. These include Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
What happens if the required documents are not presented?
If the required documentation is not presented, visitors will be subjected to a PCR test and mandatory quarantine, which will be designated by the Public Health Superintendent. The costs of the test, as well as the mandatory quarantine, will have to be paid by the individual.
In the case of residents, they can choose where they would like to quarantine, as long as it is deemed to be acceptable by the health authorities. Knowing all the latest information, rules and regulations will allow for your trip to our beautiful country to be as seamless and hassle-free as possible.
See you soon!
