# Documents Required for Malta Visa from India: 2026 Checklist > The VFS Malta checklist for 2026, sorted by profile: what every Indian applicant submits, which financial papers fit your job, and how to prove where you will stay. _Published: 2026-10-22 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1161_ ## TL;DR Every Malta applicant from India submits a signed form, a 3.5 x 4.5 cm white-background photo, current and old passports, EUR 30,000 Schengen insurance from a recognised Indian insurer, a cover letter, a return flight reservation and Aadhaar and PAN copies. Financial papers depend on whether you are employed, self-employed, sponsored or retired. ## Key takeaways - Your old passport is mandatory, along with copies of the biodata page, last page and previous Schengen stamps. - Insurance must cover at least EUR 30,000 and be bought from one of 16 Schengen-recognised insurers in India. - Employed applicants show a 3-month bank statement, 3 months' payslips, an employment contract, holiday approval and ITR acknowledgments for two years. - Staying with a host needs a 'Declaration of Proof' witnessed by a Maltese Public Notary. - Documents must not be printed back-to-back, and each application needs its own photocopies. **For a Malta short-stay visa, Indians need a signed application form, a 3.5 x 4.5 cm white-background photo, a passport issued within 10 years and valid 3 months after the stay, Schengen insurance of at least EUR 30,000, a cover letter, a return flight reservation, Aadhaar and PAN copies, and financial papers, per VFS Global's 2026 checklist.** ## Article This list follows VFS Global's Malta page for India and its Malta Tourism Checklist 2026, with long-stay rules from Identità, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. Applications are decided by the High Commission of Malta in New Delhi and lodged in person at VFS. Fees, timelines and centres are covered in our Malta visa guide for Indians. ### Which documents does every Malta applicant submit? These items apply whatever your purpose, whether tourism, business or a family visit. Submit originals with a photocopy of each. - Application form, fully filled in and signed. For a minor, both parents sign. - One recent colour photo, 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, white background. Do not staple it. - Current passport, valid at least 3 months after your intended stay and issued within the previous 10 years. The checklist asks for at least 3 blank pages; the VFS page text says at least two, so three is the safer number. - Old passport. VFS marks it as mandatory. - Copies of the passport biodata page, last page and previous Schengen stamps. - Overseas travel medical insurance valid in all Schengen countries for the entire trip, minimum EUR 30,000, bought only from one of the 16 Schengen-recognised insurance companies in India. - Cover letter stating the purpose, duration, accompanying persons, transport and accommodation. - Return or round-trip flight reservation, plus intra-Schengen transport if you visit several states. - Aadhaar card with a photocopy, and a copy of your PAN card. Two format rules catch people out: documents must not be printed back-to-back, and every application in a family group needs its own set of photocopies. ### Which financial papers match your profile? The 2026 tourism checklist splits proof of finances by profile. Pick the row that describes you; if two apply, carry both sets. Your profileWhat Malta's checklist asks forEmployedOriginal 3-month bank statement (stamped and signed), 3 months' payslips, employment contract, employer's holiday approval, ITR acknowledgment for the last two assessment yearsCompany owner or self-employed3-month bank statement, company registration including GST number, ITR acknowledgment for the last two years, business bank account statementSponsored3-month bank statement, proof of sponsorship, your own ITR acknowledgment for the last two yearsRetiredPension statements for the last three months and/or proof of regular incomeMinorNotarised parental consent and copies of the parents' passports or IDNotice what is not on the list. Form 16 is not named on any official Malta checklist; the tourism checklist asks for payslips and ITR acknowledgments instead. Salaried applicants who usually rely on Form 16 for other countries should make sure the ITR acknowledgments for both assessment years are in the file. ### How do you prove where you will stay in Malta? The tourism checklist accepts two kinds of accommodation proof, plus a separate document for your travel plan: - Hotel stay: a confirmed hotel booking. - Staying with someone: a 'Declaration of Proof' signed by your host and witnessed by a Maltese Public Notary, together with the host's ID, proof of residence and proof of income. An informal invitation letter is not the same thing. - Travel plans: a certificate from a travel agency confirming an organised trip, or another document showing your plans, such as a day-by-day itinerary. Your flight reservation, hotel dates, itinerary and cover letter should describe the same trip. If one says six nights and another says eight, the officer has a reason to ask why. ### What are the photo, insurance and biometrics rules? VFS captures your photograph and fingerprints at the centre as part of biometrics, but you still carry one printed photo to the specification above. Children below 1 year need not attend the appointment; submit two photographs for them instead. The insurance rule is stricter than many applicants expect. The policy must cover the entire trip, including arrival and departure dates, and must come from one of the 16 recognised insurers in India. A policy from any other company does not meet the checklist, even if the cover amount is right. ### What changes for a work permit or student visa? Long-stay (D) applications follow different lists. - Work permit, Extended service: a valid Approval in Principle (AIP) letter from Identity Malta, the original invitation letter and the original work permit letter. VFS will not accept the application without it. Bring your Aadhaar card with a photocopy. - Student national visa (courses over 90 days): Identità's checklist asks you to apply at least 9 weeks before the course starts, with a passport valid for 10 months, an enrolment letter from an MFHEA-registered institution, proof of fee payment, three months' bank statements and a recent bank certificate, EUR 30,000 study insurance and accommodation proof in your name for the first 14 nights. ### Before you submit: which mistakes cause trouble? - Leaving the old passport at home - Printing documents back-to-back or stapling the photo - Buying insurance from a company outside the recognised list - Sending questions to the High Commission: Malta asks that visa queries go to VFS, not the High Commission - Booking a paid, non-refundable ticket before the decision when a reservation is what the checklist asks for A complete file matters because Malta's refusal numbers are high. European Commission data shows 32.1% of Schengen applications lodged at Maltese consulates in India were not issued in 2025 (2,720 of 8,587). That describes all applications that year, not your own odds. The standard processing time is 15 days, and up to three weeks for states outside Delhi. The adult visa fee is INR 9,994 (EUR 90) and is not refunded on refusal. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares verifiable flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters that match each other for visa files. Packages run from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Is Form 16 accepted for a Malta visa? Form 16 is not named on any official Malta checklist. The tourism checklist asks salaried applicants for 3 months' payslips and ITR acknowledgments for the last two assessment years, so make sure those are in your file. #### Can a family member in Malta send an invitation letter instead of a hotel booking? Malta's tourism checklist asks for a 'Declaration of Proof' signed by the host and witnessed by a Maltese Public Notary, with the host's ID, proof of residence and income. A plain invitation letter does not match that requirement. #### Does my baby need to attend the Malta VFS appointment? No. Children below 1 year need not attend. Submit two photographs for the child instead, along with notarised parental consent and copies of the parents' passports or ID. #### How many blank pages does my passport need for Malta? The VFS checklist asks for at least 3 blank pages, while the VFS page text says at least two. Three blank pages satisfy both, and the passport must also be issued within the previous 10 years. ## FAQ ### Is Form 16 accepted for a Malta visa? Form 16 is not named on any official Malta checklist. The tourism checklist asks salaried applicants for 3 months' payslips and ITR acknowledgments for the last two assessment years, so make sure those are in your file. ### Can a family member in Malta send an invitation letter instead of a hotel booking? Malta's tourism checklist asks for a 'Declaration of Proof' signed by the host and witnessed by a Maltese Public Notary, with the host's ID, proof of residence and income. A plain invitation letter does not match that requirement. ### Does my baby need to attend the Malta VFS appointment? No. Children below 1 year need not attend. Submit two photographs for the child instead, along with notarised parental consent and copies of the parents' passports or ID. ### How many blank pages does my passport need for Malta? The VFS checklist asks for at least 3 blank pages, while the VFS page text says at least two. Three blank pages satisfy both, and the passport must also be issued within the previous 10 years. ## Sources 1. [VFS Malta India — Malta Tourism Checklist 2026](https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/malta/india/english/pdf/Tourism-new-2026.pdf) — VFS Global 2. [VFS Global — Apply for Visa to Malta in India](https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/malta/india/english/index.html) — VFS Global 3. [Identità Central Visa Unit - Documentation required for Student National Visa](https://identita.gov.mt/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/03a.-List-of-Required-Documents-Student_National_Visa.pdf) — Identità (Malta)