Malta set to recognise all Israeli travel documents

Updated at 5pm with Foreign Ministry replies

Malta will now recognise the Teudat Ma'avar, an Israeli travel document, following completion of interministerial procedures, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson has confirmed with MaltaToday.

"Following completion of the established interministerial procedures applicable to the recognition of foreign travel documents, the Teudat Ma'avar (Israeli Travel Document in lieu of National Passport/Provisional Passport) will now be recognised," a Foreign Ministry spokesperson told MaltaToday.

Earlier on Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on X that Malta had decided to recognise Israeli travel documents. "This important step will enable all Israelis who wish to travel to beautiful Malta to do so," Sa'ar said, highlighting that Israel warmly welcomes this decision.

The foreign ministry spokesperson said this will bring Malta into line with the rest of the Schengen area, all of whose member states already accept this document for short-stay business and tourism travel. 

They highlighted that Israeli citizens have, until now, been able to travel to Malta by other means, including a standard passport or via other Schengen countries. It is important to note that this recognition process applies only to this particular travel document and does not extend to other Israeli travel documents.

Until now, Israelis travelling without a standard passport, using the Teudat Ma'avar, an alternative Israeli travel document, could not enter Malta on that document alone.

It is commonly held by new immigrants during their first year in Israel, before they become eligible for a full passport, by Israeli citizens whose primary residence is outside Israel, and by those who have lost or damaged a passport or had one stolen.

MaltaToday had also asked the ministry, given ongoing concerns over the actions of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, whether this was an opportune time to normalise relations with Israel, and whether Fearne raised these concerns with Sa'ar during their discussion. 

The ministry did not reply to these questions.

The West Bank has seen a marked rise in settler violence over the past year. The UN's human rights office has described the increase as reaching record levels, with nearly 700 Palestinians displaced by settler attacks in the first four months of 2026 alone. 

In May, the UK, France, Germany and six other Western governments issued a joint statement warning that continued settlement expansion breaches international law, while the EU has since sanctioned several settler-linked individuals and organisations over their role in the violence.

The recognition brings Malta in line with the rest of the Schengen area on this point and means Israeli holders of the Teudat Ma'avar can now enter Malta on the same basis as those travelling with a full passport.

The Teudat Ma'avar, or Provisional Passport, is issued by Israel's Ministry of Interior to citizens and residents who don't qualify for a standard national passport, the Darkon. 

According to PRADO, Malta was the only Schengen country that did not accept the Teudat Ma'avar as valid ID at its borders, preventing holders from entry regardless of visa status