Immigration documents in Malta
There are three most important documents related to immigration and residency in Malta:
Passport
A passport is an identity document that provides information about a specific person. In the context of immigration and residency, a passport proves that a person holds the citizenship of a certain country, Malta for example.
The passport of Malta is considered to be quite strong, requiring no visa to enter most of the countries. Where a visa-free entry is not available, its holder will usually receive a relevant authorisation upon arrival.
Residence permit document
The residence permit of Malta is a document that allows a person from outside Malta to reside in the country. An example of such a document would be the 'Karta tar-residenza'. It is usually either limited in validity length (temporary RP) or or provides an unlimited right to reside (permanent RP). As a document, most of the times it is a card similar to an ID-card or a driver's licence.
In Malta, there are 2 main types of residence permit documents with a number of possible variations, such as specialized documents for the family members of an original document holder.
Visa
The visa of Malta is a document that allows a person who is not a resident of Malta to enter the country. There are several types of visas, e.g. Airport Transit Visa (ATV), Short-stay visa (Type C), etc. They are usually distinguished by the purpose, for which the applicant wishes to enter the country. There 3 major types of visa in Malta.