Malta has announced Brits over 12 years of age will only be allowed into the country if they have proof they have been fully vaccinated.
Children under 12 who are accompanied by fully vaccinated adults will also be accepted. Children over five years of age must present a negative PCR test carried out 72 hours before arrival, while under-fives don’t need a test.
However, those aged 12 and over must be fully vaccinated.
This rules out Malta – the only newly added green-list destination that’s not also on the UK Government’s ‘green watch’ list – as a viable holiday option for families with older children.
The new rules are effective from Wednesday.
An update on the Visit Malta website today confirms: “As from 30 June, only fully vaccinated persons can travel to Malta from the United Kingdom.
“Currently, only the Maltese vaccination certificate is a valid certificate accepted by the Maltese Authorities. As from 1 July, the UK (2 dose certificate) and the EU digital COVID vaccine certificate will be accepted as well.
“Children aged 5-11 can travel if they accompany their vaccinated parents/legal guardian provided they provide a negative nasopharyngeal PCR test carried out within 72 hours before arrival in Malta. Children under 5 do not need a test, while those aged 12+ can only travel with a full vaccination certificate.”
It adds: “A Maltese resident or citizen not in possession of an accepted vaccine certificate can proceed to Malta only after seeking pre-authorization from [email protected], who would request a pre-departure PCR, 14 days quarantine, and PCRs during the period of quarantine.”
The Maltese Government said the ‘decision was taken on the basis of an epidemiological study of the situation of variant cases reported in the United Kingdom’.
Malta was one of 14 countries added to the UK green travel list, which was updated on Thursday night, and the only one that is not also on the ‘green watch’ list.
Green watch list destinations are those that the Government is watching closely and which could move to amber at short notice.
The new green list comes into effect at 4am on 30 June.
Read the update here.
