Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has thanked his Maltese counterpart Chris Fearne after Malta decided to recognise all Israeli travel documents, including the Israeli Travel Document, known as the Teudat Ma’avar.
The Israeli Foreign Minister announced the decision on Wednesday after discussions with Minister Fearne, saying that the Maltese Foreign Minister had informed him of the change.
“This important step will enable all Israelis who wish to travel to beautiful Malta to do so,” Sa’ar said, while thanking Fearne for his efforts in making the decision possible.
Israeli citizens travelling with ordinary Israeli passports were already able to enter Malta visa-free. Israel is included in the EU’s list of countries whose nationals are exempt from a Schengen visa for short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
The change specifically affects Israelis travelling with a Teudat Ma’avar, an alternative Israeli travel document issued to citizens who, for various reasons, do not hold an ordinary national passport. These can include recent immigrants to Israel, Israelis living abroad and citizens who have repeatedly lost or damaged passports.
Until now, Malta was the only country in the Schengen area that did not recognise the Israeli Travel Document in Lieu of a National Passport for visa-free entry. According to IATA data cited in a January 2026 report, every other Schengen country already accepted the document for visa-free travel.
The visa exemption applies to short-term travel, including tourism, and does not in itself grant holders the right to work or reside in Malta.
Newsroom
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