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Maltese visa resources

Processing times for a Malta visa application

Malta gives statutory limits and typical durations for its national visa and single-permit routes, published by Identità.

Official guidance Regularly updated

Important

This information is for general guidance only. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee your application will be approved.

Processing time on Malta's national routes depends on which channel you use. The single permit has a statutory limit set in subsidiary legislation, while the national long-stay (Type D) visa has its own review window at the Central Visa Unit. Timelines assume a complete application — missing documents restart the clock.

The figures below are drawn directly from Identità's official pages.

Single permit

  • Statutory maximum: four (4) months from submission of a complete application (Subsidiary Legislation 217.17)
  • Average in practice: closer to two (2) months, from the date all required documents are submitted

National long-stay (Type D) visa

  • Central Visa Unit review: around 4 weeks
  • Premium-visa process (courier route where no Maltese mission exists): usually 6 to 8 weeks end to end

Good to know

  • Renewal applications should be submitted up to 90 days before the current permit expires
  • An appeal against a visa refusal must be lodged within 15 days of the refusal notification

Next steps

  1. Check the documents you’ll needView documents
  2. How to applyStart here
  3. Choose your visaFind a visa

Official sources

For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.

Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.