France Visa RequirementsFor Malta passport holders
France and Malta are both EU and Schengen members. Malta passport holders travel freely to France with no visa or border formalities.
Great news! Malta passport holders can enter France without a visa for tourism or business purposes.
No visa required. Malta national ID card sufficient. No Schengen border checks. EU freedom of movement applies for long-term stays.
France is part of the Schengen Area. Your stay counts toward the 90-day limit within any 180-day period for the entire Schengen zone. Learn more about Schengen rules →
Entry Requirements
Passport Validity
3 months beyond departure from Schengen
Blank Pages
2 blank pages required
Multiple Entry
Single entry only
Work Permitted
No - requires work visa
Required Documents
Valid Malta Passport or National ID
National ID card accepted within the EU.
Current Travel Situation
Malta to France: What You Need to Know
France and Malta have historical and cultural connections through the Knights of Malta (the Order of St. John, later the Sovereign Military Order of Malta), whose most famous Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette defended Malta against the Ottoman Siege of 1565. France is one of the Order's historical homelands, and Valette (French origin name "La Valette") gave his name to Malta's capital, Valletta. France is the world's most visited country with over 100 million annual visitors, offering Paris and its unsurpassed museum concentration, the Loire Valley, Provence, the French Riviera (the Cote d'Azur shares a similar Mediterranean character with Malta), the Alps, and Alsace.
How to Get There
Paris is about 2.5-3 hours by direct flight from Malta. Air France and Ryanair serve the route. Nice (French Riviera) is also served by direct flights from Malta. Paris Gare de Lyon connects to Marseille in 3 hours by TGV.
Money & Banking
France uses the euro (EUR). Paris is expensive: a cafe croisssant and coffee EUR 5-9, brasserie lunch EUR 15-25, hotel rooms from EUR 120-200/night. The French Riviera is similarly expensive in peak season. Provence and rural France are considerably more affordable.
Practical Tips
Paris (minimum 4 days): the Louvre (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo), the Eiffel Tower (book online, visit at dusk), the Musee d'Orsay (Impressionism), the Centre Pompidou (modern art), Notre-Dame Cathedral (reopened late 2024), and the Marais district for Jewish quarter and contemporary art galleries. The French Riviera: Nice, Monaco, Cannes, and Antibes share the Mediterranean character familiar to Maltese visitors. Provence: Avignon, Arles, and the Camargue. The Loire Valley chateaux are outstanding for a road trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Malta citizens need a visa for France?
No. France and Malta are both EU and Schengen members. No visa required.
What is the historical connection between Malta and France?
France has a profound historical connection to Malta through the Knights of St. John (the Hospitallers): most of the Grand Masters were French, the Order was organized into "Langues" (national divisions) with the French langues (Provence, Auvergne, France) being the most powerful. Napoleon Bonaparte captured Malta in 1798 (brief French occupation 1798-1800). Valletta's grid plan was drawn up by a French military engineer (Francesco Laparelli, though Italian, was working for the French Crown's ally, the Pope).
What is the best French city to combine with a visit to Malta?
Paris is the obvious answer for cultural depth. But Nice (French Riviera) shares a direct Mediterranean connection with Malta: similar climate, coastline, Italian-influenced cuisine, and proximity. A Malta-Nice combination makes geographic and cultural sense.
How do I get from Malta to Paris?
Direct flights from Malta to Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly take about 2.5-3 hours. Air France and Ryanair serve the route. Paris is also accessible from Rome by TGV (3.5 hours), making an Italy-France combination easy for Malta travelers.
What is French cuisine?
French cuisine was the first culinary tradition added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list (2010). Key concepts: terroir (taste of place), the mother sauces (bechamel, veloute, hollandaise, espagnole, tomato), the brigade de cuisine system, and the tradition of multiple courses. Regional specialties: Alsatian choucroute, Provencal bouillabaisse and ratatouille, Burgundian boeuf bourguignon, and Parisian steak frites. French cheese (1,200+ varieties) and wine are integral to the culture.
Is the Louvre worth a full day?
The Louvre (the world's largest and most visited museum, 480,000 works) easily fills 2 full days if you try to see everything. For one day, focus on priorities: the Mona Lisa (in the Salle des Etats, crowded), the Venus de Milo (Salle des Aphrodite), the Winged Victory of Samothrace (the staircase before Richelieu), Vermeer's The Lacemaker, and the Galerie d'Apollon. Arrive at opening time (9am) on a Wednesday or Friday when it is open until 9:45pm.