Malta travel advice

Travel Summary

• There have been confirmed human cases of A (H1N1) - Swine Flu in Malta. You can check for updates on the situation, the number of cases andtheir location through the Maltese Ministry for Social Policy, Health, the Elderly and Community Care: http://www.sahha.gov.mt/pages.aspx and also in country by telephone: +(356) 2133 2235. /additonal information is available from the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit: http://www.health.gov.mt/dsu/index.htm. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at: www.who.int has further details. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on this website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at: http://www.dh.gov.uk.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public places, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• Around 450,000 British tourists visit Malta every year (Source: Ministry of Tourism). Most visits are trouble-free. The main type of incidents for which British nationals required consular assistance in Malta in 2008 were for replacing lost or stolen passports (75 cases); deaths, mainly from natural causes (43 cases); hospitalisations (25 cases); and arrests or detentions (19 cases). If you need to contact the emergency services in Malta call 112.
  
  
• We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public places, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

Crime against tourists is rare although robberies, handbag snatching, pickpocketing and theft from parked cars can occur. Visitors should safeguard passports, money and other valuables; for example by using hotel safety deposit boxes.

Scams

Foreign visitors and residents can be targeted by scam artists. These scams can pose great financial loss to victims. If you receive an e-mail purporting to be from HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) offering a tax refund on provision of your bank details you should make absolutely sure that it is not part of a scam.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Malta Country Profile

Local Travel

Road Travel

You can drive in Malta on your UK driving licence.

Caution should be exercised whilst driving as some roads are in a poor state of repair. Main arterial roads are in reasonable condition. You should keep to the speed limits. Local standards of driving are poor.

In 2007 there were 14 road deaths in Malta (source: Maltese DfT). This equates to 3.4 road deaths per 100,000 of population and compares to the UK average of 5.0 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2007.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Air Travel

The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in Malta. For more details about this see Airline Security.

Local laws and customs

Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Malta are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Travel Advice Relevant to You.

Entry requirements

Visas

British nationals do not require a visa to visit Malta.

If you intend to work in Malta then you must apply for a work permit.

Passports

You should ensure that your passport is valid for the duration of your visit.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. This does not apply to Malta.

Health

There have been confirmed human cases of A (H1N1) - Swine Flu in Malta. You can check for updates on the situation, the number of cases andtheir location through the Maltese Ministry for Social Policy, Health, the Elderly and Community Care: http://www.sahha.gov.mt/pages.aspx and also in country by telephone: +(356) 2133 2235. /additonal information is available from the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit: http://www.health.gov.mt/dsu/index.htm. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at: www.who.int has further details. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on this website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at: http://www.dh.gov.uk.

Hospital treatment, in-patient or out-patient, at the public (Government) facility of Mater Dei Hospital is free to British nationals and is of an acceptable standard. Alternative (private) treatment may incur considerable expense, which you may be unable to claim back from your insurance company.

The Form E111 is no longer valid. You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Malta nationals. It also does not cover you for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature. For more general information see EHIC.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that less than 200 adults aged 15 or over in Malta were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at less than 0.1% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Malta and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

General

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this is How We Can Help.

Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help.

Money

Since 15 June 2007 new legislation on the controls of cash entering or leaving the EU apply in all Member States. Any person entering or leaving the EU will have to declare the cash that they are carrying if this amounts to 10,000 euros or more; this includes cheques, travellers' cheques, money orders, etc. This will not apply to anyone travelling via the EU to a non-EU country, as long as the original journey started outside of the EU nor to those travelling within the EU. Malta adopted the Euro currency on 1 January 2008.