India, Maldives & Russia among 19 countries added to Malta’s quarantine-free travel list

A total of 19 countries have been added to Malta’s ‘red list’ of countries for travel.

As per an updated legal notice published on Monday, travel to Malta from Bahrain, Gabon, Kuwait, Maldives, Bermuda, Rwanda, Russia, Mongolia, Cape Verde, Namibia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Malaysia, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, South Africa, Timor and India is now allowed.

This means travellers who possess a locally recognised vaccine certificate coming into Malta from countries on the red list, such as those listed above, can avoid quarantine.

Currently, Malta’s authorities recognise vaccine certificates of Malta, the EU, the UK, the UAE, the USA, Serbia, Turkey, Jersey and Guernsey, Gibraltar, Qatar, Albania, Egypt, Australia, Lebanon and Canada.

Malta does not recognise COVID recovery certificates, and only recognises certificates when both jabs have been taken of recognised vaccines, such as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Being placed on the red list of countries effectively permits travel, as the next level below, known as the ‘dark red’ list bans travel except when gaining authorisation by Malta’s health authorities.

Those coming from dark red countries had to quarantine at a designated hotel for €1,400, a move that was widely criticised. Recently, it was announced that Maltese residents coming from dark red countries would be permitted to self-isolate in their own residence under certain conditions.

Check out the full, updated list of countries Malta has categorised into a traffic light system for travel here.