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A Malta visa from Dubai is a Schengen short stay visa for UAE residents whose passport needs one. You file at the Malta visa centre in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. The adult fee is AED 360, plus AED 120 service charge. The decision takes 15 days, up to 45. A Malta work permit is a different route and starts with a Malta employer.
Two different routes
People search for "Malta visa from Dubai" for two reasons. Some want a holiday, a family visit or a short business trip. Others want to work in Malta. These are not the same process.
- Short stay (type C): you apply, with VFS handling the file for the Consulate General of Malta.
- Long stay (type D): an employer in Malta applies first. The visa comes after the permit.
Take the right one. Starting a tourist file for a job in Malta is a common mistake, and the visa will not let you work.
Malta tourist and short stay visa
VFS lists these short stay categories for Malta: airport transit (A), business, tourist, visiting family and friends, sports and cultural, medical, study and official visit. Pick the one that fits.
Malta visa fees from Dubai
| Applicant | Visa fee | Service charge |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, 12 and over | AED 360 | AED 120 |
| Child 6 to 11 | AED 180 | AED 120 |
| Child under 6 | AED 0 | AED 120 |
| EU or EEA family member | AED 0 | AED 120 |
| Cape Verde citizens, adult | AED 270 | AED 120 |
Source: VFS Global, Malta visa information for the UAE, checked . The service charge is stated per application. We could not confirm from the page whether it is waived for the free categories, so ask when you book.
We found one Dubai agency that publishes a price for a Malta visa, so no agency range is shown here.
Where and when
Applications go to the Malta visa centres in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and the Consulate General of Malta decides. VFS says its consular area covers Dubai and the northern Emirates (Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Sharjah, Al Ain, Umm Al Quwain) and Abu Dhabi.
File no earlier than six months before travel, and at least 15 days before the trip. Decisions take 15 days as the standard and up to 45 where an extended review applies. If you travel in July or August, plan on the long side.
If Malta is only one stop, read Schengen visa from Dubai first. The country with the most nights is usually the one you apply to. For what happens at the counter, see Schengen visa appointment in Dubai.
Malta work permit and work visa from Dubai
This is the route behind searches like "malta work permit from dubai". Your side of it is smaller than people think.
- A Malta employer registers on the e-ID platform and applies online for a Single Permit. Identita Malta's Expatriates Unit handles it.
- You cannot submit the Single Permit application yourself. The applicant must be abroad, in the country of residence, or hold legal status in Malta. Living in the UAE fits the "still in the country of residence" wording.
- If the permit is approved, you receive an Approval in Principle letter.
- If you need a Schengen visa to enter, you present that letter with the visa application form at a Maltese Embassy or Consulate within 180 days of receiving it.
- The long stay D visa is issued, and you travel.
The EU immigration portal says the single permit is normally issued for a maximum of one year. VFS says the Consulate General of Malta aims to process long stay files within 30 calendar days. The pages we read give no fee for the Single Permit, so any figure you see on a "work permit from Dubai cost" page needs a source before you trust it.
VFS lists "working in Malta" under long stay categories. It also lists marry in Malta and family reunification.
Documents for a Malta visit visa
- Passport with validity beyond your stay and blank pages.
- UAE residence visa and Emirates ID.
- Completed form and photo.
- Travel insurance valid across Schengen.
- Flight reservation and hotel bookings or an invitation.
- Bank statements and employer letter.
Use the current VFS Malta checklist for the final list, because it changes.
Why Malta files get refused
- Bookings that do not cover the dates.
- Weak proof you will return to the UAE.
- Funds that do not match the length of stay.
- A work plan hidden inside a tourist file.
How it works with us
For a visit visa, send your passport copy, Emirates ID and trip dates on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. An adviser checks your nationality and gives one total price before you pay. We prepare the forms and bookings, check each page and book your Dubai or Abu Dhabi slot. You attend for fingerprints. For a work route, we check the permit stage with you but only your Malta employer can file the Single Permit. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. The Maltese authorities decide.
Visa fees are not returned by the authorities after a refusal. Before you pay, your adviser explains in writing what part of our total, if any, comes back if the visa is refused.
Official sources
- VFS Global, Malta visa information for the UAE: fees in AED, service charge, processing, filing window, centres, visa categories.
- Identita Malta, Single Permit eligibility: employer applies, applicant abroad, 180 days for the visa step.
- EU Immigration Portal, employed worker in Malta: employer steps and one year validity.
See also visas from Dubai and the UAE side of work in work visa Dubai.
