To study at a Maltese university for more than 90 days, a national of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or any other non-EU country needs two documents: a national D visa, obtained before travelling, and a study residence permit (e-Residence), applied for in Malta within the first 90 days. The visa application goes through a VFS Global visa centre no earlier than six months and no later than nine weeks before the course starts. Your bank statements must show at least 75% of the national minimum wage for every month of study, about $850 (€746) a month in 2026, on top of tuition. Processing takes at least four to six weeks, and the visa centre keeps your passport for that whole time.
This guide covers visas for bachelor's, master's and Foundation study at a university. Short language courses follow different rules and appear here only for comparison. For choosing an institution, see universities in Malta; for the university application itself, see applying to Maltese universities.
D visa vs e-Residence permit
Both are issued by Malta's identity and migration agency, Identità, but by different units at different stages.
| D visa | Study residence permit (e-Residence) | |
|---|---|---|
| Decided by | Identità's Central Visa Unit | Identità's Expatriates Unit |
| Where to apply | a VFS Global visa centre in your country or the nearest country with an operating centre | online on the Identità portal, then in person for biometrics |
| When | after unconditional admission, between 6 months and 9 weeks before the course | within 90 days of arrival, then every year |
| Validity | up to 365 days; sometimes issued for only 91 days | one academic year, renewed with academic progress |
| Funds | at least 75% of the minimum wage per month of study | UM quotes $1,130 (€994) per month of stay |
| Insurance | cover of at least $34,070 (€30,000), for at least 91 days on MQF 5+ programmes | cover of at least $113,550 (€100,000); UM, MCAST and ITS students are exempt |
| Fee | $110 (€100) or $170 (€150) under the Central Visa Unit checklist | $57 (€50) |
MQF is the Malta Qualifications Framework: a bachelor's degree is level 6, a master's level 7 and the University of Malta's Foundation programme level 4. The level affects insurance duration, how your stay is extended and whether you may work, so know it before you apply for the visa.
Which visa you need
- Course of up to 90 days. A short-stay Schengen C visa. It cannot be extended or converted into a Maltese residence permit.
- Course longer than 90 days. A national D visa. Since 1 March 2024 this also applies to third-country nationals who can normally enter Schengen visa-free.
- Bachelor's, master's or PhD (MQF level 5 and above). After the D visa you apply for a study residence permit under the higher-education rules, which allows part-time work and, after graduation, a job-search permit.
- UM Foundation (MQF level 4). Same visa, but visa insurance must cover your entire stay rather than 91 days, and a study permit at this level does not allow work.
If you already hold a valid D visa or residence permit from another Schengen country, you can enter Malta on it. For more than one semester of study you still need a Maltese residence permit.
Where Russian and other CIS nationals apply
Maltese student visas are processed through the "Extended Service": the applicant books an appointment at a VFS Global centre on the official portal visa.vfsglobal.com, selects the country of submission and the category "Long Term Extended Service — Student Visa", and pays the fee by card. If your country is not on the list, the University of Malta advises applying in the nearest country with a visa centre that accepts applications for Malta. The decision is made in Malta by Identità's Central Visa Unit, not by the visa centre. VFS Global has a separate page on Maltese visas for applicants in Russia that mentions a Moscow centre, regional centres and D-visa appointments; ask the university's International Office before booking whether the Extended Service student category is currently available there.
Two practical points:
- Tell your university as soon as you book. UM asks applicants to email visas@um.edu.mt with their name, passport number, nationality, country and location of the visa centre, and the booking reference, date and time. The International Office notifies the Central Visa Unit of each appointment in advance.
- Check the web address. Search results include many commercial sites with similar names. Book and pay only on visa.vfsglobal.com or through the link your university sends.
The EU measures Russian applicants often ask about concern short-stay Schengen visas. Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500 of 9 September 2022 fully suspended the EU–Russia visa facilitation agreement, and Commission Decision C(2025) 7552 of 6 November 2025 restricted multiple-entry C visas for Russian nationals applying in Russia. Malta issues the national D visa under its own rules, set out in the Central Visa Unit checklist.
Timeline for the visa
| Step | When | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Unconditional admission and first payment (UM's Course Assurance fee) | before booking the visa centre | institution |
| Visa Support Letter | after admission, via UM's International Office form | institution |
| Earliest submission | 6 months before the programme starts | UM |
| Recommended booking | by 31 July for October entry, by 31 October for February entry | UM |
| MCAST | at least 75 days before the course starts | college |
| Latest submission | 9 weeks before the course starts | Central Visa Unit |
| Processing | at least 4–6 weeks, longer if documents are missing | Central Visa Unit |
| Entry to Malta | no more than 2 weeks before the course starts | Central Visa Unit |
For October 2026 entry, UM accepted applications from candidates needing a visa until 1 July 2026. The real working window is narrow: admission in May–June, a visa appointment in June–July, a passport with the visa in August–September. Applicants who submit their university application on the last day usually run into the visa-centre queue.
Documents for the D visa
The list follows the Central Visa Unit checklist (version 2.1, dated 13 August 2025). Everything must be submitted in English, and translations must come from Identità's list of approved translators.
- Application form, completed digitally (not by hand) and signed.
- Passport valid for at least 10 months.
- Photo meeting ICAO standards.
- VFS appointment letter.
- Enrolment letter showing the institution name as registered with MFHEA, the full course title as listed on the MFHEA website, the MQF level, the ECTS total, the course length in months, full-time or part-time mode, holiday breaks, weekly hours including contact hours, and the teaching address. Proof of payment (receipt or invoice) goes with it.
- Bank statements for the last three months plus a recent bank certificate. A balance certificate alone is not accepted.
- Copy of an international bank card (Visa or Mastercard) linked to the account you will use in Malta.
- Health and travel insurance valid in Schengen, for study purposes, with at least $34,070 (€30,000) of cover. For MQF 5+ programmes it must cover at least 91 consecutive days from first entry; for level 4 and below, the whole stay. If the certificate does not show these terms, attach the table of benefits.
- Flight itinerary with all stops, arriving no more than two weeks before the course starts.
- Accommodation for the first 14 nights: a letter from the institution, a registered lease, a host declaration certified by a Maltese lawyer or notary, or a hotel booking of at least 14 nights.
- For minors: legalised and translated birth certificate, copies of the parents' passports and their consent letter.
If a sponsor such as a parent pays, add the sponsor's three-month bank statement, a signed sponsorship declaration and a copy of their passport. The card you will use in Malta must still be in the student's name, and its copy goes in the file.
How much money you need to show
The visa unit and the residence permit unit calculate the minimum differently, and neither figure is a realistic budget. Tuition cannot count towards these amounts: this is money for living.
| Stage | Rule | For 12 months in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| D visa, standard rule | 75% of the national minimum wage for each month of study | about $10,160 (€8,950) |
| D visa, alternative in UM's guidance, accommodation already paid | $20 (€18) per day of stay | about $7,460 (€6,570) |
| D visa, alternative in UM's guidance, accommodation not paid or booked only for 14 nights | $30 (€26) per day | about $10,780 (€9,490) |
| e-Residence after arrival | UM's residence permit guidance quotes $1,130 (€994) per month (its visa guidelines also mention $1,080 (€950)); Identità defines it as 60% of the national equivalised income threshold | about $13,550 (€11,930) |
Malta's national minimum wage in 2026 is $260 (€229.44) a week for full-time work. UM puts realistic living costs higher, at $1,540–1,850 (€1,360–1,630) a month in shared accommodation. A full first-year budget including tuition is in our guide to the cost of studying in Malta.
An account at a Russian bank is assessed like any other, with two conditions. You need an international card linked to that account, and for the residence permit a receipt from a Maltese ATM withdrawal as well. If your card does not work abroad, you cannot meet the access-to-funds requirement. Legal ways to transfer money and pay tuition are covered in our guide on how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.
Visa fees
The Central Visa Unit checklist sets the fee, payable by card, at $110 (€100) for an appointment within three weeks and $170 (€150) for a next-day appointment. The University of Malta's Extended Service guidelines describe the payment differently: $170 (€150) when booking online and a further $170 (€150) or equivalent at the visa centre. Budget up to $340 (€300) for the visa plus any VFS service charge. If you miss the appointment, the money is forfeited and you pay again.
After arrival: the study residence permit
All non-EU students at UM for at least one academic year apply for e-Residence within 90 days of arrival. The application is filed on the Identità portal (Form N.01 for a first permit, N.02 for renewal), followed by a biometrics appointment and later card collection.
You will need:
- copies of every passport page and proof of your arrival date;
- a three-month bank statement showing at least $1,130 (€994) per month of stay, signed and stamped by the bank, plus a Maltese ATM receipt and card copy for a foreign account;
- the university's enrolment confirmation (UM calls it an endorsement letter), with proof of tuition payment and more than 15 hours of tuition a week;
- housing papers: a notarised lease for the whole academic year, usually September to September, the Rental Declaration Form, a Lease Attestation Form signed by a lawyer or notary, and a Housing Authority approval letter; at Campus Hub, a hotel or a hostel, a covering letter and keeper's declaration replace part of these;
- private health insurance of at least $113,550 (€100,000) for the whole stay, unless you study at UM, MCAST or ITS;
- health screening at one of the private clinics on UM's list; if you were born in, or lived for six months or more in, a country on the high-risk tuberculosis lists, the chest X-ray must be done within four weeks of arrival;
- the $57 (€50) fee, paid online.
While the application is pending you remain in Malta lawfully, even if your D visa has expired. The permit is renewed every year with proof of academic progress, a new bank statement, insurance and a lease. If a student fails exams or attends poorly, Identità may refuse renewal.
The lease is exactly why UM advises first-year students to stay at Campus Hub: a private flat requires a registered lease and several certified forms, and gathering them delays the permit application.
Can you work on a student permit?
Full-time students on programmes at MQF level 5 or above may work up to 20 hours a week in total across all employers. The permit, an Employment Licence, is requested by the employer from the public employment service Jobsplus and is tied to that specific job. Starting work without it is illegal and can cost you your residence permit.
Identità's pages describe the start of this right in two ways. The Central Visa Unit page links it, for higher-education students, to the issue of the residence permit; the FAQ links it to the end of your first 90 days in Malta. The safer plan is a budget that assumes no earnings in the first three months. Courses below MQF 5 (language schools, Foundation) follow different rules: according to Identità, a student on a course longer than 90 days may work only after the first three months of study, for up to 20 hours a week and with a Jobsplus permit. These conditions can change, and Identità and Jobsplus decide each case. Self-employment and freelancing are not available to students.
After graduation. A graduate of an MQF 5+ programme who held a study residence permit may, once, obtain a permit to stay for up to nine months to look for work or start a business (Form N.03). You must apply before the study permit expires. This permit does not itself allow employment: an employer must obtain a single permit for you. It cannot be extended, and private insurance is required for the period, including for UM graduates.
Common mistakes that delay the visa
- Applying on a language-school letter instead of a university one. A course below MQF 5 follows different extension rules, and work on it is possible only from the fourth month with a Jobsplus permit.
- Bringing a balance certificate instead of statements. The visa unit wants three months of transactions and a recent bank certificate together.
- Showing a card that does not work abroad. The access-to-funds requirement will not be met.
- Buying low-cover travel insurance. The visa needs at least $34,070 (€30,000), and a private-university student needs $113,550 (€100,000) for the whole stay for the permit.
- Booking the visa centre in August. Processing takes four weeks or more, and you are without your passport all that time.
- Renting a flat without a registered lease. Without registration and a Housing Authority letter, the permit application will not be accepted.
- Missing the appeal deadline. If a permit is refused, the refusal letter states the deadline for appealing to the Immigration Appeals Board, typically around three working days.
FAQ
Yes. Since 1 March 2024 every third-country national studying for more than three months needs a national D visa, including those who can enter Schengen without a visa. The VFS submission process is the same as for Russian nationals.
Applications go through VFS Global visa centres, and you choose the country of submission on the official portal. VFS Global's page on Maltese visas for Russia mentions a Moscow centre and D-visa appointments. If Russia or the student category does not appear in the Extended Service list, the University of Malta advises applying in the nearest country with an operating centre. Email the university's International Office before booking and ask it to confirm the current option.
Under the Central Visa Unit checklist, $110 (€100) for a standard appointment and $170 (€150) for a next-day one. UM's Extended Service guidance quotes $170 (€150) at booking plus $170 (€150) at the visa centre. Insurance, translations and the $57 (€50) residence permit fee after arrival are separate.
No. A short-stay Schengen visa cannot be extended or converted into a Maltese residence permit. For study longer than 90 days you need a D visa from the start.
UM says at least four to six weeks from submission at the visa centre, and longer if documents are incomplete or wrong. The centre keeps your passport throughout, so avoid planning travel during that period.
Yes. You need the sponsor's three-month bank statement showing the required amount, their signed sponsorship declaration and a copy of their passport. For the residence permit, Identità also expects to see funds reaching the student's own account and proof they can be accessed in Malta.
A graduate of an MQF 5+ programme can, once, obtain a permit to stay for up to nine months to look for work. You may not work on it until an employer obtains a work permit for you.
Sources
- Identità Central Visa Unit: student D-visa checklist, version 2.1 of 13.08.2025 (PDF) — checked 29.09.2026
- Identità: courses exceeding 90 days, extension of stay, student employment — checked 29.09.2026
- Identità: study permit FAQ and Form N.01 (PDF) — checked 29.09.2026
- University of Malta: visa and e-Residence and Extended Service guidelines — checked 29.09.2026
- University of Malta: dates and deadlines, accommodation, living costs — checked 29.09.2026
- MCAST: fees for non-EU candidates — checked 29.09.2026
- Jobsplus: employing non-EU nationals — checked 29.09.2026
- DIER: national minimum wage 2026 — checked 29.09.2026
- VFS Global: Maltese visas for applicants in Russia — checked 29.09.2026
- Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500 and Commission decision on multiple-entry visas for Russian nationals — checked 29.09.2026
- ECB rate of 29.09.2026: €1 = $1.1355. Rounding step: $1 below $100, otherwise $10.
Checking visa and residence permit documents, calculating proof of funds and support with the visa-centre appointment are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The D visa is decided by Identità's Central Visa Unit, the residence permit by Identità's Expatriates Unit and the work permit by Jobsplus.
Next steps
- Applying to Maltese Universities: Routes After School and After a Degree, Documents, English and Deadlines
- Cost of Studying in Malta in 2026/27: University Fees, Living Costs and a First-Year Budget
- Universities in Malta for International Students: Which Institutions Exist and Where You Can Realistically Apply
- How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026
- Master's Degrees in Malta for International Students: Programmes, 2026/27 Fees, Entry Requirements and Deadlines
- University of Malta: Admission, Fees and Student Life for International Applicants
