Applying for a Malta Long-stay Student Visa (D-Visa)

All Third Country Nationals (TCNs) who are planning to study at the University of Malta (UM) for at least one semester must apply for a long-stay D-Visa.  If you are here for only one semester of studies but you were issued a 91-day D-Visa (which does not cover the entire duration of your studies) you should seek to extend your visa in good time at the Central Visa Unit, Malta.  The International Office will guide you on the visa extension application procedure and will issue a visa extension letter to support your request. 

If you are going to study at UM for at least one academic year, but you are issued a 91-day D-Visa, you will be guided by the International Office to apply for a Maltese residence permit. The residence permit is renewable every year upon submission of a new application.

Long-stay Student Visa (D-Visa) Application Procedure: Malta Visa Extended Service

All Third Country Nationals are required to apply for a Long-Stay D-Visa through the Visa Extended Service. Please refer to our guidelines [PDF] to familiarise yourself with the Visa Extended Service application procedure. As from 1^st March 2024, all TCNs, even those hailing from countries with whom there is a 90-day visa waiver, are required to apply for a visa if their stay is for more than 3 months.

TCNs who already hold a valid long-stay D-Visa or Schengen residence permit issued by another member state do not need a visa to enter Malta. Visa holders are allowed to travel freely through the Schengen Area as per their validity dates. It is imperative that they adhere to their purpose of stay inside of the Schengen.

We advise you to get in touch with us to start off your visa process as soon as you receive your unconditional letter of acceptance. It is also important to familiarise yourself with the residence permit requirements before your departure since you will need to prepare and bring along certain original documents which might be difficult to obtain after your departure (eg Bank statements).

Visa Support Letter

Applicants requiring a Visa Support Letter are to complete this form.

General Information

National Visa:

A D-type Visa is a national visa which is issued for a period exceeding 90 days, but no longer than 365 days, and is issued in accordance with national rules.

We would like to remind you that when planning your journey to Malta, you need to plan your itinerary ahead. Since there may not be direct flights from your country of residence to Malta, you will have to stop over in another country on your way to Malta. In this case, you are advised to check with the relevant embassy in your country of residence, whether you require an entry/transit visa.

Following your arrival in Malta you shall be guided and assisted by the International Office to apply for a residence permit (please refer to section e-Residence Permit for non-EU/EEA nationals) which would be valid for a period of one year of study and is renewed every year subject to your academic progression.

You are advised to visit the section on pre-arrival information. Ensure that important documents are packed in your hand luggage. You might be requested to present these important documents before you board your flight to Malta. You may also be asked to present them to the immigration authorities in the transit country, or upon arrival in Malta.

For further information or assistance, please contact the International Office.

Applying for a Schengen C-type Visa

TCNs who wish to travel to Malta for a short-term period (i.e., not exceeding a 90-day stay) and require an entry visa, may refer to the Visa Representation Agreements in the absence of a Maltese Representative Office in your country of residence. However, students must keep in mind that Short-Stay visas cannot be extended or converted to a Maltese residence permit.

Visa Support Letter

Applicants requiring a Visa Support Letter are to complete this form.

General Information

Schengen Visa:

The Austrian, French, German Italian, Spanish and other European representatives may issue short-term visas valid up to 90 days. A Schengen C-type Visa is an authorisation issued by a Schengen State with a view to:

• transit through or an intended stay in the territory of the Schengen states of a duration of no more than 90 days in any 180 days period (“short stay visa”)
• transit through the international transit areas of airports of the Schengen States (“airport transit visa”)
  
  

For further information or assistance, please contact the International Office.

If you are an EU/EEA student who will be studying at the UM for at least two semesters we highly recommend that you apply for a residence permit within the first 3 months (90 days) of your arrival in Malta. To renew your permit you are to follow the same procedure as outlined below. All documents should be in English.

There are two steps you must follow in order to apply.

Step 1

You must first prepare the following documents:

• Application Form for Residence Documentation - Form M
  
• GDPR Form
• Original and copy of passport or Foreign ID card (Bio data page only)
• Proof of sufficient financial means of subsistence
• Endorsement letter 

The endorsement letter is a document which confirms your UM enrolment and progression on your course. To apply for an endorsement letter please fill out one of the below forms. The International Office will send the endorsement letter to the student via email. The endorsement letter will reflect your personal details inputted in your eSIMS portal.  

Please ensure that your personal details are updated on eSIMS and correspond with the information you provide in this form. If you are a new student, please enrol before you request the endorsement letter.

Erasmus, Exchange or Transfer visiting students
Full-time students (including Erasmus Mundus students)

If you are a TCN student holding a residence permit issued by a Schengen member state and intend to reside in Malta to pursue course studies, within the current validity of your Schengen residence permit card, you will be allowed to reside in Malta without applying for a Residence Card, following the successful completion of requisite checks and due diligence processes employed by the competent authorities. You are required to send the below listed documents to noneu.identita@gov.mt and inform the Expatriates Unit of your intention to reside in Malta.

You need to prepare and send the following documents:

• Copy of Passport
• Copy of Schengen residence card
• Lease agreement/ accommodation letter and housing authority approval letter
• Health Insurance
• Acceptance letter
• Endorsement letters issues by the International Office
• Bank Statement showing transactions of last 2-3 months
• Bank Card and a corresponding ATM receipt
• Sponsorship letter & sponsor ID (if applicable)

For more detailed information on the above requirements, please refer to the non-EU section

All non-EU/EEA students who will be studying at the UM for at least one semester are required to apply for a residence permit within the first 3 months (90 days) of their arrival in Malta. To renew their permit, students must follow the same procedure as outlined below. All documents should be in English.

There are two steps you must follow in order to apply.

Step 1

You need to prepare the following documents:

• Original and copy of passport (All passport pages are to be photocopied).
• Proof of date of arrival in Malta (e-ticket, in the absence of the Malta Police Immigration Stamp on the passport) 
• A copy of your current Maltese residence permit (applicable only for returning students).
• Proof of sufficient financial means of subsistence:

A bank statement or money transfer receipts, showing transactions of the past three months. The statement should show a balance of a minimum of 854 Euro for each month of stay in Malta, or its equivalent in foreign currency. A bank certificate showing solely your bank balance is not acceptable.

When you apply for a permit renewal you are required to resubmit a new bank statement showing the same amount as above. 

Foreign and original bank statements must be signed, stamped and dated by the bank manager. 

When foreign bank statements are presented, the applicant must provide an ATM withdrawal / Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) receipt to show that the bank account is accessible in Malta. 

Additionally, submit a photocopy of the front side of the credit/debit card with the same bank account number that corresponds to the account number on the bank statement you are presenting. 

In the case of local bank statements only original copies are accepted. Bank balances are only accepted in Euro. If the bank account is held in another currency, the applicant must show the equivalent amount in Euro. (An Internet currency conversion in English will do).    

• Proof of Sponsorship (if applicable)

If a student is sponsored, an official sponsorship letter is required. Financial dependence may be from any of the following: a parent, next of kin, spouse, employer, or educational institution.  The sponsorship letter should include the details of the sponsor, the duration of the sponsorship and what it covers. 

The sponsored student is still required to fulfil the above requirement - i.e. to prove their receipt of funds either by a bank statement or by locally issued cheques (if applicable).

The sponsored student is required to attach copies of the sponsor’s identification (ID or Passport), together with the above-mentioned declaration letter.

• Original and copy of the rental agreement, showing the name of the applicant, date of expiry and a copy of the Rental Declaration Form  completed by the applicant and the owner of the property. In cases where students are renting property from non-Maltese nationals, a document proving ownership (of the leased property) is required. This document has to be provided by the tenant. 
• A Housing Authority approval letter. The tenant must request this letter from the landlord when signing the rental agreement. If you decide to reside at any of these student Residential Complexes: Campus Hub (Msida), NSTS Campus Residence (Msida) and Sprach Residence (Pembroke), the Housing Authority approval letter is waved.  
• Original and copy of comprehensive health insurance (the policy should cover in-patient and day care hospital expenses, and also medical evacuation and repatriation) showing name and surname of policy holder and coverage period.
• Application Fee € 27.50 (pay online)
• Health Screening Procedure - Chest X-Ray – Students who are nationals of the following World Health Organization (WHO) WHO list of countries  have to present a health test conducted in Malta within 15 days of their arrival. The list will be revised again by WHO in 2025. This is non-applicable to returning students. Students who are nationals of countries that are not on the WHO list are exempted from taking the Chest X-Ray. Students who are in possession of a European residence permit are also exempted from taking this test.
  
  
• The endorsement letter issued by the International Office.

The endorsement letter is a document which confirms your UM enrolment and progression on your course. To apply for an endorsement letter please fill out one of the below forms. The International Office will send the endorsement letter to the student via email.

The endorsement letter will reflect your personal details inputted in your eSIMS portal.  

Please ensure that your personal details are updated on eSIMS and correspond with the information you provide in this form. If you are a new student, please enrol before you request the endorsement letter.

Erasmus, Exchange or Transfer visiting students
Full-time students (including Erasmus Mundus students)
Interns

Step 2 

You must then upload your documents and submit your online application through here. 

Under the section - Educational Establishment Details - fill in the details as shown below:

Name of Educational Establishment: University of Malta

Contact Person: International Office

Property Name / No.:  Administration Building, Room 220

Street Name: Tal Qroqq

Locality: L-Imsida

Telephone No.: 23403182

Mobile No.: 23403182

Email Address: international@um.edu.mt

Institution License Number: Not applicable

Course Title: Type course title eg. B.A in History and Geography 

MQF Level: If you are following a course of studies leading to:

Bachelor degree - MQF Level 6
Master degree - MQF Level 7
Doctorate/PhD - MQF Level 8

Certificate in Foundation Studies - MQF Level 4
Doctor of Medicine and Surgery - MQF Level 7

If you are following a course of studies that is not indicated above, you may find your course MQF Level through the course overview.

Duration From _ to _: Type start and end date of course

E-residence permit applications for part-time courses will not be considered if the tuition hours are less than 15 hours per week. 

For further information, please contact the International Office.