Malta
Malta is in the Schengen area: visa-free days are shared with every other Schengen country, 90 in any 180.
Checked November 7, 2026 against the sources listed below.
Short stays
| Passport | Entry | How long | Before you go | Longer stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | No visa | 90 days in any 180 days, shared across Schengen | ETIAS not yet required: the European Commission states it is not in operation, no applications are collected and no launch date has been set (fee will be EUR 20 once operational). EES biometric registration (facial image and fingerprints) is taken at the first Schengen external-border crossing; EES has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. No action needed before travel. | No extension |
| Canada | No visa | 90 days in any 180 days, shared across Schengen | ETIAS not yet required: the European Commission states it is not in operation, no applications are collected and no launch date has been set (fee will be EUR 20 once operational). EES biometric registration (facial image and fingerprints) is taken at the first Schengen external-border crossing; EES has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. No action needed before travel. | No extension |
| United Kingdom Unconfirmed | No visa | 90 days in any 180 days, shared across Schengen | ETIAS not yet required: the European Commission states it is not in operation, no applications are collected and no launch date has been set (fee will be EUR 20 once operational). EES biometric registration (facial image and fingerprints) is taken at the first Schengen external-border crossing; EES has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. No action needed before travel. | No extension |
| EU country Unconfirmed | Free movement | No limit | None (ETIAS and EES do not apply to EU citizens). | Not time-limited in the 90/180 sense; stays over 3 months are generally subject to national residence registration (not confirmed from a fetched source). |
| Australia Unconfirmed | No visa | 90 days in any 180 days, shared across Schengen | ETIAS not yet required: the European Commission states it is not in operation, no applications are collected and no launch date has been set (fee will be EUR 20 once operational). EES biometric registration (facial image and fingerprints) is taken at the first Schengen external-border crossing; EES has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. No action needed before travel. | No extension |
Digital nomad visa
Nomad Residence Permit
| Length | 1 year (from issue of the residence card) |
|---|---|
| Renewal | Renewable. Renewable three times, up to 4 years in total, at Residency Malta's discretion; apply 2–3 months before expiry and show at least 5 months' residence in Malta in the previous 12 months. After non-renewal, a fresh application is possible 12 months after expiry (earlier stays count toward the 4-year cap). |
| Income | €42,000 a year Gross annual income of the main applicant (applicants who applied before 1 April 2024 keep EUR 32,400) |
| Where to apply | online (Residency Malta portal), from abroad or from within Malta |
| Who can apply | Third-country nationals only (not EU, EEA or Swiss) |
| Taxes | MTCA guidelines (Mar 2026): income from authorised remote work is not taxed for the first 12 months, then taxed at a flat 10% (option to be taxed from the start); the permit does not by itself confer Maltese tax residency. |
Sources: Residency Malta Agency, Residency Malta Agency, Residency Malta Agency, Residency Malta Agency, Malta Tax and Customs Administration (MTCA)
What we couldn't confirm
- ETIAS: the European Commission gives no launch date (no applications collected as of the check date). Some official national pages (e.g., government.nl) still say 'last quarter of 2026'; trade press (Newland Chase, Sep 2026, non-official) reports a likely slip to 2027. Re-check before publishing.
- UK and Australian visa-exempt status could not be fetched from an official source in this session (the EU Annex II list of Regulation 2018/1806 and UK/Australian travel-advice pages were not reachable). Entries for GB and AU are therefore marked low confidence, although they follow the shared Schengen rule.
- EU free movement was not confirmed from a fetched official page (Your Europe was not reachable); the EU entry relies on official sources showing the EES and 90/180 rule apply only to non-EU nationals, so it is marked low confidence.
- General Schengen short-stay extension rules (exceptional/force-majeure extensions) were not confirmed from an official source; 'extendable: no' reflects that no routine extension was found for visa-exempt visitors.
Sources
- European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs
- New Entry/Exit System went live on 12 October 2025, European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs
- Visa policy (Schengen), European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs
- Visa information (US citizens: up to 90 days in any 180-day period in Czechia/Schengen Area), Embassy of the Czech Republic / Consulate General in Los Angeles (Czech MFA)
- Schengen: EES flexibility lapses as ETIAS launch appears likely to move to 2027 (9 Sep 2026), Newland Chase (unofficial, used only to corroborate)
- Travel advice and advisories: Malta — Entry and exit requirements, Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca)
- Nomad Residence Permit, Residency Malta Agency
- Nomad Residence Permit — Eligibility, Residency Malta Agency
- Nomad Residence Permit — FAQs, Residency Malta Agency
- Permit renewals, Residency Malta Agency
- Guidelines on the Nomad Residence Permits (Income Tax) Rules (12 March 2026), Malta Tax and Customs Administration (MTCA)
- EU's Entry/Exit System progressively starts operations on 12 October 2025, European Commission Representation in Malta
Thinking of staying in Malta longer?
FlagSeek's free Big Picture looks at your budget, work, health needs and priorities, and shows where longer stays might fit. It also helps Advisor tailor its answers to you.