Non-Immigrant Visas

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  Maltese citizens are now eligible to travel to the United States without a visa.  Please consult our information on the Visa Waiver Program  before deciding whether or not you should apply for a visa.  The Embassy will not issue a refund to any person who pays the non-refundable visa application fee and later decides to travel to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program. 

Applying for a Visa

Thank you for your interest in traveling to the United States. Please read these instructions carefully. Failure to properly prepare your visa application can result in delays.

All visa applicants, including children, must apply in person at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Floriana.

You are strongly encouraged to file your visa application a minimum of two weeks before your planned travel to the U.S. to allow sufficient time for processing. In most cases, applicants whose visas are approved may collect their passports 3-4 business days after the visa interview, but some cases require several weeks of additional processing.  

Depending on the type of visa requested, applicants may need to submit appropriate supporting documents (see categories of visas for additional documentation suggested). If documentary requirements are not met, the Embassy will not accept the application for processing. 

In all cases, the Consular Officer may request additional information or documentation as deemed necessary.

Applying For a Non-Immigrant Visa in Three Steps

Step 1:   Prepare the required documents. 

• A valid passport with at least two blank pages.  The passport must be valid for the duration of the intended stay in the U.S. 

• An ELECTRONIC VISA APPLICATON FORM (Form DS-156) duly filled out and signed.  The application form must be completed online, then printed out and presented at the time of application. Handwritten forms will not be accepted. You can access the form by clicking here: electronic visa application form.

• All male applicants between the age of 16 and 45 (inclusive) must also complete Supplemental Form DS-157. You can access the form in PDF format by clicking here: Form DS-157

• One 5 x 5 cm photo with a white background, taken within the last 6 months. Please note that your visa application will not be accepted for processing if the photo dimensions are not correct. To check photo requirements, click here. 

• Each applicant must present an original receipt of payment of the Machine Readable Visa fee - currently 91.70 Euros. This fee must be paid in advance at any Bank of Valletta branch in Malta and Gozo.  This fee application is non-refundable and cannot be reimbursed, even if your visa application is denied.

• If you have ever been issued a U.S. visa in the past, bring all passports that contain a U.S. visa.

• For non-Maltese and non-EU citizens residing in Malta, please present evidence of a valid freedom of movement stamp or residency permit for Malta. 

• Applicants for employment-based or exchange visitor nonimmigrant visas (including visa categories H, J, A-3, G-5, NATO-7, and B-1 personal or domestic servant applicants) should review information about Workplace Rights in the United States prior to their visa interview.

Note: Some nationalities (but not Maltese) are required to pay an additional visa issuance fee based on reciprocity between the United States and the country of nationality of the applicant. The visa issuance fee must be paid in cash at the Consular Section, in either U.S. dollars or Euros.

Step 2: Go to the Embassy for the interview, along with your required documents. The Consular Section is open to the public for visa services on Wednesday mornings from 8:00 am to 11:00 am, excluding U.S. and Maltese holidays.

Special Note:  Applicants are required to prove to the Consular Officer that they have strong ties to Malta that will compel them to return to Malta at the end of their temporary visit.

Strong ties differ from individual to individual. Some examples of ties can be a job, a house, a family, and/or a bank account. "Ties" are the various aspects of your life that bind you to your country of residence: your possessions, employment, social and family relationships.  You will be asked direct questions by the Consular Officer to evaluate your ties to Malta.  You may be asked by the Consular Officer for documents proving these ties.  Documents to verify these ties may include pay stubs, tax statements, property deeds, school transcripts, etc. 

During the visa interview the Consular Officer looks at each application individually and considers professional, social, cultural and other factors. In cases of younger applicants who may not have had an opportunity to form many ties, consular officers may look at the applicant's specific intentions, family situation, and long-range plans and prospects within his or her country of residence. Each case is examined individually and is accorded every consideration under U.S. law.

Step 3: Collect your passport from the Consular Section. In most cases, applicants whose visas are approved may collect their passports 3-4 business days after the visa interview (weekends and holidays not included).