Malta has released the official list of countries whose nationals are exempt from holding a visa when crossing its external borders. The list, published by the Maltese government, covers approximately 60 countries across North America, South America, Asia, Oceania, Europe, and a few African nations.
Only Two African Countries Make the List
Mauritius and Seychelles, both island nations in the Indian Ocean, are the only African countries whose passport holders can enter Malta without a visa. Trinidad and Tobago, a Caribbean nation with African heritage ties, also appears on the list. Other African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt are absent, meaning their nationals must apply for a visa before travelling to Malta.
Full List of Visa-Free Countries for Malta
According to the Malta Government website, the complete list of exempted countries is as follows:
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei Darussalam
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- North Macedonia
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Holy See (Vatican City State)
- Honduras
- Israel
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United States of America
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
Malta’s Schengen Membership and Visa Rules
Malta is a member of the European Union and part of the Schengen Area. This means that a Schengen visa also grants access to Malta under standard Schengen rules. However, the countries listed above enjoy direct visa-free entry regardless of Schengen arrangements.
Public Reaction and Online Interest
An official post sharing the full list sparked interest online, with many travellers checking whether their country made the cut. The list includes a mix of developed nations and small island states, but the absence of most African countries has drawn attention.
According to the original report by Legit.ng, Malta previously granted visa-free access to citizens of several countries across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. The list included Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, and three Caribbean nations. The current list is more restrictive for African passport holders.
