Bare minimum
€480
process costs
- D visa: €180
- VFS service: €100
- 6-month insurance: €200
The rule changed in March 2024: long courses now require a visa before you fly. What to prepare, what it costs, and the real timelines.
Courses up to 12 weeks: no visa for most LatAm passports (Schengen entry). Courses of 15+ weeks: a national D visa is mandatory before travelling, applied for via VFS Global about 45 days ahead, with €26/day funds and Schengen insurance. In force since March 2024.
15+ wks
requires a prior D visa
~45 days
application lead time
≈ €280
fees (visa + VFS)
€26/day
required funds
Section 1 · How it works
Until 2024 you could land in Malta as a tourist and regularise a long course in-country. That ended in March 2024: students on courses of 15 weeks or more now apply for the national D visa before travelling, through VFS Global. Plenty of agencies and old videos still teach the old flow; following that advice means being sent home.
Short courses stay simple: up to 12 weeks, most LatAm passports enter visa-free under Schengen rules and study as visitors (no work rights). Venezuelans need a Schengen visa even for tourism.
| Situation | Visa needed? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism / course up to 12 weeks | No | Schengen entry, up to 90 days. No work rights. |
| 15+ week course | Prior D visa | Applied for at home via VFS Global, before travelling. In force since March 2024. |
| On arrival | eResidence card | The residence card is what keeps you legal beyond 90 days. |
| Work | After 3 months | Only after the first 3 months of study, with a Jobsplus licence. |
| Spouse and children | Own visa | Not automatic: every dependant needs their own process. |
Section 2 · Process costs
The costs of the process itself, excluding course and living costs (those live in the cost guide). Three profiles, from the bare minimum to a comfortable run.
Bare minimum
€480
process costs
Typical
€680
process costs
Comfortable
€900
process costs
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💡 Add the eResidence card fee on arrival (paid in Malta) and, if you do not live near a VFS centre, the trip for biometrics. Part of the process can be handled remotely.
Section 3 · Proof of funds
Reference amount
€4,700
= €26 × ~180 days
≈ €783 per month
The rule is per day of stay: €26/day (or €18/day if accommodation is already paid). For 6 months, about €4,700; for 9 months, about €7,100. The proof goes into the D visa dossier.
How to prove it: statements covering the last 3 to 6 months + a bank letter + a copy of the account's international card, all translated into English. The activity must look consistent; a large last-minute deposit draws attention.
A refusal-avoiding tip: prepaying your accommodation drops the requirement to €18/day and removes one concern for the officer reviewing the dossier.
Section 4 · Step by step
Only ELT Council schools count. The acceptance letter with course and dates is the heart of the dossier.
Minimum €30,000 cover for the whole period. Between €200 and €500 for 6 months.
3 to 6 months of statements + bank letter + international card, translated. €26/day of stay (€18 with accommodation paid).
Biometrics and dossier submission. If you do not live near a VFS centre, part of the process can be done remotely.
Processing takes weeks. A flexible ticket, or buying after approval, avoids losses if anything slips.
Visa in the passport, school letter, insurance, funds and address. Maltese immigration checks it on arrival.
It keeps you legal beyond 90 days and, after the first 3 months of study, unlocks the Jobsplus work licence.
Section 5 · Comparison
Opposite processes: Malta requires the visa before you fly; Ireland sorts everything on arrival. Malta pays it back with Schengen; Ireland, with simplicity.
| Criterion | 🇲🇹 Malta | 🇮🇪 Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Visa before travelling | Yes, for 15+ weeks | No (most LatAm passports) |
| Where the process happens | At home (VFS) + eResidence there | On arrival (IRP registration) |
| Fees | ~€280 (D visa + VFS) + permit | €300 (IRP) |
| Timing | Apply ~45 days before flying | Register within 90 days of arrival |
| Schengen mobility | Yes: 90/180 days across the bloc | No (Ireland is outside Schengen) |
"I almost fell for the 'sort it out there' advice from a 2022 video. I checked the official site: visa before travelling since 2024. I did biometrics at the São Paulo VFS and the visa came through in 5 weeks."
Thiago, 26 · São Paulo → St Julian's · 7 months
Illustrative testimonial based on real accounts. Verified student reviews appear on each school's page.
Next step
The whole dossier hinges on a letter from an ELT Council licensed school with 15+ hours a week of lessons. We filter those automatically.
Section 6 · FAQ
These answers ship as FAQ schema (JSON-LD) so they can surface in Google AI Overviews.
Typical processing runs 4 to 8 weeks from biometrics at VFS. Hence the advice to book ~45 days ahead of departure, and not to buy an inflexible ticket before approval.
Do not fly to Malta without the approved visa. Entering as a tourist while planning to study 15+ weeks is exactly the flow that stopped existing in March 2024; immigration can refuse entry.
The three classics: inconsistent funds (large last-minute deposit, incomplete statements), insufficient insurance (below €30,000 or not covering the period) and a school letter with wrong details. An organised, consistent dossier passes.
You can, carefully: the visa and residence permit are tied to the enrolment you presented. Moving to another licensed school must be reported and may require a permit update. Do not drop the course without regularising.
Yes. With the D visa and the eResidence card you move around the Schengen area as a tourist, up to 90 days in any 180-day period. A weekend in Rome or Barcelona is part of the Malta package.
Renewing the residence permit is possible while you remain enrolled full-time on an eligible course, with proven attendance. What you cannot do is enter on a short stay and "stretch": a different purpose requires a new process.
Sources:
Trust caveats: