Government issues travel legal notice, people not in possession of certificate will quarantine

The government has published the legal notice regarding travel to Malta, which comes into force on 14th July, slightly amending their original position.

Originally, the government said that from Wednesday only people with a recognised vaccine certificate will be allowed to travel to Malta. The only exceptions to the new rule will be for unvaccinated children between the ages of 5 and 12, who will need to present a negative PCR test, and children under the age of 5 who are exempt from this obligation. Children travelling to the country will need to be accompanied by an adult in possession of a recognised vaccination certificate.

On Tuesday evening, however, a slight variation was made. The legal notice issued by the government reads that persons who arrive in Malta from any of the countries listed in the notice, which includes EU countries and the UK, without being in possession of a vaccination certificate shall be required to submit themselves to a period of quarantine in terms of article 2(1) of the Period of Quarantine Order. This refers to a 14 day period of quarantine immediately upon arrival in Malta.

In addition, persons who cannot take the vaccine for medical reasons and persons between the ages of five (5) to eleven (11) years, both ages included, shall not be required to be in possession of a vaccination certificate upon their arrival in Malta from any of the countries listed, so long as upon their arrival in Malta they are in possession of a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Covid-19 test performed not longer than 72 hours before their arrival in Malta.

Lastly, persons who are resident in Malta and who prior to the entry into force of this order were already expected to return to Malta from any of the countries listed shall not be required to be in possession of a vaccination certificate upon their arrival in Malta, so long as upon their arrival in Malta they are in possession of a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Covid-19 test performed not longer than seventy-two (72) hours before their arrival in Malta.