Malta Reopens To Tourists From 40 U.S. States

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Last Updated 3 years ago

Malta has decided to reopen its borders to US travelers from 40 states from June 17th in a push to restart tourism. Unlike many other EU nations that have also decided to recently allow the U.S., Malta is not requiring visitors to be fully vaccinated.

Travelers from the U.S. will need evidence of a negative PCR test 72 hours before the date of departure to Malta.

Malta's government site states that those without a valid 72-hour PCR test will either have a swab test on arrival or a mandatory 14-day quarantine. However, most airlines will likely not even let passengers baord without proof of the test, so plan on having one to show at the boarding gate no matter what.

Malta started a traffic light list in recent months, aiming to restart travel from European nations. The nation was the first country to reach herd immunity from vaccination, yet despite this, Malta left the United States off its amber list last month. 

Now with the U.S. on the official Amber list, passengers from 40 states are welcome for non-essential purposes like tourism and leisure travel.

The States Allowed To Enter The U.S.

Travelers from the following states will be able to enter Malta from Thursday, July 17, 2021:

1. Washington
2. Oregon
3. Louisiana
4. Arizona
5. West Virginia 
6. Colorado
7. North Dakota
8. Indiana
9. Georgia
10. Texas
11. Pennsylvania
12. North Carolina
13. Tennessee
14. Iowa
15. Nebraska
16. Ohio
17. South Carolina
18. New Mexico
19. Florida
20. Virginia
21. Maine
22. South Dakota
23. Michigan
24. Illinois
25. Delaware
26. Wisconsin
27. Puerto Rico
28. Hawaii
29. New Jersey
30. Minnesota
31. Connecticut
32. Alaska
33. New Hampshire
34. Maryland
35. New York
36. Rhode Island
37. Washington, D.C., 
38. Massachusetts, 
39. Vermont
40. California

Unfortunately, the following states remain under Malta’s red list, where they would have to quarantine for 14-days in a safe ‘Green or Amber' corridor country before arriving in Malta:

Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming.

Possible safe corridor countries include Turkey, Croatia, and Greece. 

The CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, Johann Buttigieg, stated: “Malta looks forward to welcoming Americans, one of our strongest inbound markets.”

He also added that the easing of restrictions is critical for the country, which is now “breathing life again,” after being hit by restrictions on inbound travelers since March 2020. 

The COVID-19 Situation In Malta 

Throughout much of the pandemic, Malta has kept COVID19 out of the country. The country took fast measures on the border and also only had 2 deaths in the first two months of the pandemic. Malta has recorded 30,585 cases and 419 deaths since the pandemic began. 

Furthermore, the country had very low case numbers until it opened up for travel in the summer of 2020. Between October and March, the country averaged between 100-200 cases per day.

Nonetheless, the fast vaccination rate has meant cases have dropped to single digits and the country remains one of the world’s safest places during the pandemic. 

Malta’s Traffic Light System

Malta has a traffic light system for entry, with most countries on the amber or red list. Every visitor must complete a Public Health Travel Declaration and Passenger Locator Form and have a negative PCR test if travelers fly from amber list countries. 

Amber countries include the majority of Europe, including the United Kingdom, Spain, France, and Germany. In addition, non-European countries like Australia, Thailand, Canada, South Korea, and the U.A.E are also on the amber list. The U.S. will now join the list of non-European countries.

From June 17th, travelers can enter Malta if they have an official Maltese Vaccination Certificate. The Maltese Vaccination Certificate is currently the only vaccine certificate recognized in Malta, but if you have this vaccine certificate, you can avoid a PCR test or any quarantine requirements. The country is looking to allow vaccination certificates from the EU starting July 1st and from third-party countries shortly after.

This news gives American travelers even more options on summer vacations. After Europe finally opened to U.S. travelers after 15 months of closure, Malta is another gorgeous sun-drenched Mediterranean island that American tourists can add to the list of options. Europe is now considering allowing unvaccinated U.S. travelers to enter the continent.

Read More:

Covid-19 Travel Insurance – Everything You Need To Know

Countries Open For Vaccinated Travelers: The Complete List

Malta: First EU Nation To Reach Herd Immunity, Reopens Tourism

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