Malta Family Reunification Visa (Long-Stay, Type D)

Special Instructions — Read Before Applying

These requirements apply to ALL Malta visa types. Violations mean your application will be rejected — read each one carefully.

• 1High Commission of Malta, New Delhi (NOT Embassy — Malta is a Commonwealth member) decides ALL India + Nepal + Maldives Short-Stay (C) applications via VFS. Bangladesh applicants route Short-Stay (C) through the Embassy of Italy in Dhaka — unique subcontinent quirk. Long-Stay D Visa decisions are made by the Central Visa Unit within Identità (Valley Road, Msida, MSD 9020 MALTA).
• 2INSURANCE WHITELIST (effective 1 January 2026): travel medical insurance for Malta Schengen visas in India is accepted ONLY from one of 16 approved Indian insurance companies on the Malta-approved list. Generic policies — even meeting EUR 30,000 coverage and Schengen-wide validity — will be refused at counter.
• 3EMPLOYMENT D VISA — APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE (AIP) MANDATORY: applicants must hold a valid AIP letter from Identità Malta BEFORE booking the VFS appointment. AIP must remain valid through the appointment date (typically 60-day validity). Without the ORIGINAL Identità work permit, VFS will refuse the file at counter. AIP fees paid at the application stage are non-refundable.
• 4FAMILY REUNIFICATION D VISA: requires a Family Reunification certificate issued by Identità's Expatriates Unit BEFORE booking the VFS appointment. Indian-side affidavits cannot substitute for this certificate.
• 5STUDENT D VISA — MFHEA ACCREDITATION: only institutions registered with Malta Further & Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) are eligible. The school enrolment letter must specify Institution Name (as registered with MFHEA), Full Course Name (as on MFHEA website), MQF level, ECTS credits, course duration in months, contact hours per week, and the address of lectures.
• 6SKILLS PASS for tourism/hospitality D-Employment workers: Skills Pass Part 1 + Part 2 completion certificates from the Institute of Tourism Studies are mandatory. Without them, tourism-sector Employment D Visa files are refused.
• 7STUDENT FUNDS RULE: bank statement of the last 3 months attached with a recent bank certificate must show funds equal to at least 75% of the Maltese national minimum wage for every month of study. If sponsored, sponsor's 3-month bank statement + signed declaration letter + sponsor's ID/passport bio-page are mandatory.
• 8AADHAAR CARD MANDATORY for Indian nationals residing in India — required on every visa category (original + photocopy at VFS).
• 95-DAY LIMIT for submission of missing documents via VFS — after that the file is refused. The High Commission reserves the right to request further documentation or a personal interview.
• 10Photo specification: 3.5cm × 4.5cm (35×45mm) in colour on white background, ICAO standards (face 70–80% of frame, 32–36mm chin to top of head), less than 6 months old, no edits/filters. PASTED (not stapled) on the form. Applicants' photos will be captured at VFS as part of biometrics, but one printed photo per specification must accompany the application.
• 11Travel medical insurance: EUR 30,000 minimum coverage, valid for ALL Schengen countries, covering accident / urgent medical / emergency hospital / repatriation. For Employment D, minimum 180 consecutive days. For Medical D (long-term), EUR 100,000 minimum.
• 12Indian passport must be issued within the last 10 years, with AT LEAST 3 BLANK PAGES (not 2 — Malta-specific), valid 3 months beyond intended Schengen departure (8 months for most D Visas / 10 months for Student D). Handwritten or non-machine-readable Indian passports issued after 01.04.2010 are not accepted.
• 13Apply at least 4 weeks before travel; 6 months ahead is the earliest the Schengen Code allows. Cochin, Lucknow, Nepal applications add 3 days transit to the High Commission; Maldives applications add 6 working days. Long-Stay D processing: 6–8 weeks minimum.
• 14All documents must be submitted in ENGLISH. Translations must be done by translators on the Identità-approved list at identita.gov.mt/public-registry-sec-page-translators-list — generic Indian translators are not accepted.
• 15Indian Income Tax Return acknowledgements: last 2 assessment years for Short-Stay (C) categories. Original bank statements (3 months, branch-manager stamped/signed) + employer letter + leave-approval letter where applicable.
• 16Modes of payment at VFS: cash, Visa, Mastercard, RuPay. Optional services — Courier ₹795, SMS ₹146, Premium Lounge ₹3,917, Courier + Assurance ₹1,040, Form Filling ₹3,182. All optional fees non-refundable.