Malta Student Visa Timeline: How Long It Really Takes

Why Malta Requires a D-Visa at All

Since 1 March 2024, all third-country nationals enrolled on courses lasting more than 90 days must obtain a National Long-Stay “D” Visa before travelling to Malta — even if their nationality is normally visa-waiver for short stays. The D-visa is separate from, and comes before, the e-Residence permit you apply for once you arrive.

The D-visa is issued by Malta’s Central Visa Unit (Identità). It is not the same as a Schengen visa; Malta is in Schengen, and the e-Residence permit you later receive does enable Schengen travel with your passport.

See the full Malta visa and costs overview for context on how the visa fits into the wider picture.

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The Full Timeline, Stage by Stage

Stage 1: University Application and Acceptance (months before the visa)

The D-visa requires an enrolment letter — you need an offer first. At the University of Malta (the most common route for African applicants):

• Non-EU visa applicants deadline (October intake): 1 July 2026, 14:00 — this is earlier than the general 22 July deadline for the same intake.
• English-test (SELT) submission deadline (non-EU, October intake): 1 July. IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge, Trinity ISE or UM’s own ISET must be submitted alongside the application.
• The UM’s online application portal is eSIMS (esims.um.edu.mt), open from the previous November.

If you are applying for Medicine at UM, the overseas qualifications deadline was 30 January 2026 for the October 2026 intake — substantially earlier.

Practical implication: if you want to start at UM in October 2026, your application and IELTS results must both be ready by 1 July. That means sitting IELTS by May–June 2026 at the latest to have results in time.

Stage 2: Assemble the D-Visa Documents

Once you have your acceptance letter and proof of tuition payment, you can compile the D-visa file. Identità’s Central Visa Unit checklist (v2.1, 13 August 2025) requires all of the following:

• Valid passport, minimum 10 months’ validity from the date of application
• Completed national long-stay visa application form
• Recent passport-size photos
• Enrolment letter from the institution, confirming the MFHEA-registered course name, start date, duration and that tuition has been paid
• Bank statement (last 3 months) and bank certificate confirming funds of at least 75% of the national minimum wage for every month of study — in 2026, this equals approximately €746/month (as of June 2026; volatile — re-check before paying). The statement must show funds available, not just the minimum
• Copy of an international bank card (Visa or Mastercard)
• Schengen-valid medical and travel insurance with minimum cover of €30,000, valid for at least 91 days from entry, covering the study purpose
• Confirmed return or onward flights
• Proof of 14 nights’ accommodation in Malta from arrival
• English-language test result or exemption documentation (see below)

If a sponsor (parent or guardian) is funding your stay, their three-month bank statement, a signed declaration and a copy of their ID are required in addition.

Stage 3: Submit the D-Visa — At Least 9 Weeks Before Your Course Starts

D-visa applications are submitted at a VFS or authorised External Service Provider in your country, not at the Maltese embassy directly.

Fee: €100 for applicants aged 12 and over (as of June 2026). A premium expedited appointment service costs approximately €300 extra (World Study Africa verified figures (26 June 2026)). There is no benefit to the premium service unless you genuinely need speed and have all documents ready; a rushed incomplete file risks rejection regardless.

Lead time: Identità’s checklist states you must submit at least 9 weeks before the course start date. For an October 2026 intake, that means submitting by approximately late July (9 × 7 days = 63 days before 1 October). In practice, once you have your 1 July acceptance from UM, you have roughly 4 weeks to submit — which is tight if you are missing any documents.

No official processing-time target is published for the D-visa. Allow the full 9-week window; earlier is safer. Do not book non-refundable flights or accommodation until you have the visa in hand.

Stage 4: English Language Requirement — Do Not Overlook This

The University of Malta does not grant an automatic English-test waiver to Nigerian, Ghanaian, Kenyan, Zimbabwean, Zambian or South African nationals (the exemption list covers named English-speaking countries; none of the six African origins are on it).

You will need one of the following:

Test	Bachelor’s minimum	Master’s/Doctoral minimum
IELTS Academic	6.0 overall (no component below 5.5)	6.5 overall (no component below 6.0)
TOEFL iBT	80	95
PTE Academic	65	71
UM ISET (on-campus)	Band 5	Band 6
Trinity ISE	Accepted	Accepted

Test results must be valid (IELTS and TOEFL: issued within 2 years of course start) and submitted by the 1 July deadline for non-EU October applicants.

Exceptions: UK GCE A-Level English (grade D or above), A-Level AS (grade E or above), GCSE English (grade 4/C or above), MATSEC English or IB English (band 4 or above) are accepted as waivers for any nationality. If you studied at a Cambridge-curriculum school in Zimbabwe, Zambia or Ghana, check whether your GCE/GCSE English qualifies.

Stage 5: Travel to Malta and Arrival Health Screening

Once the D-visa is in your passport, you can travel. On or shortly after arrival:

• TB chest X-ray: If you were born in or lived six or more months in a High or Very-High-Risk TB country — which covers most of sub-Saharan Africa — you must undergo a TB chest X-ray within 4 weeks of arriving in Malta. Bring an immunisation certificate. This is arranged through Maltese health authorities, not pre-departure.
• Keep your D-visa, acceptance letter and insurance documents accessible.

Malta does not require pre-arrival HIV, hepatitis or syphilis screening, unlike Cyprus.

Stage 6: Apply for the e-Residence Permit — Within 90 Days of Arrival

The e-Residence permit is your long-term permission to stay and study. It is applied for in person at the Expatriates Unit Portal (expatriates.identita.gov.mt), within your first 90 days in Malta.

Key requirements for the permit:

• You must be enrolled full-time at an MFHEA-licensed institution on an MQF Level 5+ course
• Bank statement (last 3 months) showing at least €950 for each month of stay, excluding tuition — substantially higher than the €746/month required for the D-visa. On a 9-month academic year, that is approximately €8,550 in accessible funds, on top of tuition paid
• Health insurance: UM, MCAST and ITS students are exempt from the private health-insurance requirement at this stage (they must still have the Schengen cover for the D-visa). Students at private institutions need a health insurance policy with minimum cover of €100,000 for the whole stay
• Biometrics (photo, fingerprints) are taken at the Identità office

Permit fee: €50 (as of June 2026).

Once issued, the biometric e-Residence card serves as your identity document and, with your passport, enables travel throughout the Schengen zone.

Stage 7: Work Rights Kick In After the Permit

You may work up to 20 hours per week only after the e-Residence permit is issued — not on the D-visa alone. Work is arranged via Jobsplus. The national minimum wage in Malta is €229.44/week (€5.74/hour) for adults aged 18+ in 2026 (DIER, as of April 2026; VOLATILE — re-check). At 20 hours per week, that is a maximum of approximately €4,588 gross over a 20-week semester — useful but not sufficient to cover living costs independently.

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Key Dates at a Glance (University of Malta, October 2026 Intake)

Milestone	Deadline
IELTS/TOEFL test sitting (to have results in time)	By ~May–June 2026
UM application deadline (non-EU visa applicants)	1 July 2026, 14:00
SELT submission to UM (non-EU)	1 July 2026
D-visa submission to VFS (≥9 weeks before course start)	By ~late July 2026
UM general application deadline	22 July 2026, 14:00
Arrive in Malta	On/before course start (Oct 2026)
TB chest X-ray (if required)	Within 4 weeks of arrival
e-Residence permit application	Within 90 days of arrival

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The Costs, Added Up

Fee	Amount (as of June 2026)
D-visa (standard)	€100
D-visa premium service (optional)	~€300 extra
e-Residence permit	€50
TB chest X-ray (Malta, if applicable)	Arranged in Malta; cost variable
Health insurance for D-visa (min €30,000 cover)	~€180–250/yr (Estimate)
Total minimum mandatory	~€150

These are government/permit fees only. Add VFS service charges, translation and notarisation of documents, travel to your local VFS centre, and IELTS registration (~USD 215–250 depending on country) to get your real preparation cost.

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Common Reasons Applications Are Delayed or Refused

• Missing SELT (English test not submitted or results expired)
• Insufficient proof of funds — the €746/month is the visa minimum, but having only the minimum can raise questions about genuine financial capability
• Enrolment letter from a non-MFHEA-licensed institution (private colleges must be on the register)
• Passport validity below 10 months at the time of application
• Incomplete insurance — the €30,000 minimum must be Schengen-valid and cover the specific study purpose
• TB X-ray not arranged within 4 weeks of arrival (affects permit issuance)

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How World Study Africa Helps

Our core service is free: we help you shortlist MFHEA-licensed programmes, build your document checklist and review your financial evidence before submission. We earn a commission from partner universities (15–25%); we never charge fees to students for visa support. For individual guidance on your D-visa file, reach our WhatsApp advisor.

For the full cost picture — tuition, living costs and funds you need to show — see the Malta costs overview and the detailed monthly budget post.

Check whether your nationality and intended level make you eligible for the MFA Malta scholarship or other funding via the eligibility checker.