Malta

Regulations on entry, stay, residence, and treatment access for people living with HIV

The categories of restriction are:

  • No restrictions on entry or staying.

Restrictions on entry to Malta

We found no evidence of any official restrictions on entry to Malta based on HIV status.

According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Malta does not have any HIV-related restrictions on entry.

Restrictions on short-term stay in Malta

We found no evidence of any official restrictions on short-term stay in Malta based on HIV status.

The Immigration Act specifies there are no health restrictions on the right to establish in Malta.

According to Identitá, the official Maltese service responsible for citizens’ identity management and the implementation of migration processes, provides information on temporary residence permit requirements.

Restrictions on long-term stay in Malta

We found no evidence of any official restrictions on long-term stay in Malta based on HIV status.

Student and work visas require health screenings for period of more than three months. Requirements for Health Screening may be found here, but these focus mainly on TB and there is no mention of HIV.

The Health Screening for Renewal of Work Permit includes chest x-rays and blood tests for hepatitis and polio, and Form R1 – Application form for Health Screening for renewal of Work Permit includes chest x-rays and blood tests for hepatitis and polio.

Treatment access in Malta

The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in Malta. There is no evidence that non-nationals are restricted from accessing treatment in the same way as nationals.

The NGO HIV Malta reports that HIV medication for Maltese and EU Nationals living in Malta, who are HIV Positive is free.  Most healthcare services are offered at Mater Dei Hospital (MDH), known popularly as simply Mater Dei, located in Msida. EU Nationals who travel to Malta for a period that does not exceed three months should carry their European Health Insurance Card that gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 28 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, under the same conditions and at the same cost (free in the case of Malta) as people insured in that country. Personal importation of up to 3 months of medication for personal use should be ok, especially if it is accompanied by a physician’s prescription for the medication in the name of the traveler.

EU nationals staying in Malta for more than three months still qualify for free healthcare, but they would need to have an E121 form, which can be obtained in your home country. The form has got to be registered with the Malta Health Department Entitlement Unit, who will then issue a Certificate of Entitlement.

Full information for persons living with HIV who wish to come to Malta to settle permanently can be found in the specialised page here.

Access by undocumented migrants is not foreseen by any legal or administrative provision. According to the non-legally binding policy document: access to “free state medical care and services”. 

The HIV Justice Network's Global HIV Criminalisation Database

People living with HIV are criminalised in Malta. There are HIV-specific criminal laws in force which target alleged HIV ‘exposure’, non-disclosure, and/or transmission. We are aware of reported prosecutions under these or other laws.

UNAIDS Global AIDS monitoring data

This information about access to HIV services comes from UNAIDS https://lawsandpolicies.unaids.org/, a platform to view data on HIV-related laws and policies. This is information provided by national authorities and civil society and may contradict other sources.

Migrant populations

Laws/policies enable documented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens N/A
Laws/policies enable documented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) N/A
Laws/policies enable undocumented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens N/A
Laws/policies enable undocumented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) N/A
Migrants are able to access HIV services N/A

Refugees and asylum seekers

Laws/policies enable asylum seekers to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens N/A
Laws/policies enable asylum seekers to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) N/A
Laws/policies enable refugees to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens N/A
Laws/policies enable refugees to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) N/A

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This site focuses on information about HIV travel. Please also consult your own Foreign Office/Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, or the local consulate of the country you are visiting, to see what restrictions there are specifically for you as a citizen of your country, regardless of your HIV status.