Quick answer: To study in Malta for more than 90 days, a Nepali student needs a National Long-Stay (D) visa before travelling, then a residence permit from Identità after arriving. Identità lists a processing time of 6 to 8 weeks; its student visa document list says to submit at least 9 weeks before your course starts, with a fee of €100 (standard) or €150 (extended). You need, among other documents, accommodation proof for your first 14 nights and funds of at least 75% of Malta’s national minimum wage for every month of study. No official body publishes a Malta student visa success rate for Nepali applicants, so treat any quoted “success rate” with caution.

By Intandem Scholars Pvt. Ltd., a registered education consultancy in Kathmandu (Licence No. 213/082/083). Facts below come from Identità, Malta’s official immigration authority, including its student national visa document list (version 2.1, 13 August 2025). Updated 5 October 2026.

What is the Malta student visa process from Nepal?

Nepali (non-EU) students follow a two-stage route for a course longer than 90 days:

  1. Stage 1: National Long-Stay (D) visa. You apply before you travel, with your acceptance letter from the Maltese institution, proof of funds, accommodation and insurance.
  2. Stage 2: Residence permit. After you arrive, you apply online for your residence permit through Identità’s Expatriates Unit Portal. It becomes your official ID for your stay and is renewed before it lapses.

Malta’s student residence permit framework applies to full-time courses at MQF Level 5 or higher at licensed institutions, so choose your course with that in mind (Identità: study residence permits).

How do you apply for the Malta D visa?

Identità describes two ways to apply (Identità: national long-stay visa):

  • Premium visa application process: you email Identità’s premium visa team with your enrolment letter, receive a unique token, upload your documents online and send your passport by courier using the shipping label provided.
  • Extended visa application process: you apply through a designated Visa Application Centre in selected countries.

We confirm which channel is open for your case before you pay any fee.

How much does a Malta student visa cost from Nepal?

Identità’s student national visa document list (version 2.1, 13 August 2025) gives the visa fee, paid by credit or debit card: €100 (standard) or €150 (extended) for applicants aged 12 and over, €50 for ages 6 to 11, free under 6. Separately, Identità’s long-stay visa page lists €300, “covering all associated fees”, for its premium visa application process (page version 2.0, 27 November 2023).

The visa fee is only a small part of your budget. You also pay the college’s application fee and tuition, the residence permit fee in Malta, insurance, accommodation and flights, and you must show sufficient funds. See the full breakdown in our cost of studying in Malta guide.

Which documents do you need for the Malta student visa?

Identità’s Central Visa Unit publishes a specific document list for student national visas (visas of more than 90 days; version 2.1, 13 August 2025). In short:

  • Visa application form, filled in and signed
  • Passport valid for 10 months, and one photo to ICAO standards
  • VFS appointment letter; the application must be submitted at least 9 weeks before your course starts
  • Enrolment letter from the school with the course details Identità lists (MQF level, ECTS, duration, contact hours and more)
  • Bank statement for the last 3 months with a recent bank certificate; funds of at least 75% of the national minimum wage for every month of study
  • Copy of the international bank card you will use in Malta (front and back)
  • Medical and travel insurance valid for Schengen, at least €30,000, covering at least 91 consecutive days from first entry (MQF Level 5+)
  • Full flight itinerary; your entry ticket can be at most two weeks before the course starts
  • Proof of accommodation for your first 14 nights in Malta, in your name
  • Extra documents for applicants under 18

All documents must be in English; translations must come from Identità’s list of authorised translators.

Every document must tell the same story: your course, your money and your plans should match across the whole file.

Malta student visa document checklist for Nepali students

This is the final checklist our team uses for Nepali students’ Malta D visa files. Items marked (Identità) are on Identità’s student national visa document list; the rest are the supporting documents a Nepali file usually needs.

Download the Malta student visa checklist (PDF, 2 pages)

1. Visa application documents

  • Fully filled in visa application form, signed by the applicant (Identità)
  • GDPR form, signed by the applicant
  • Passport with a validity of at least 10 months (Identità), plus your previous passport, if applicable
  • One passport photo to ICAO standards (Identità)
  • VFS appointment letter; submit the application at least 9 weeks before your course starts (Identità)
  • Visa fee paid by credit or debit card: €100 standard or €150 extended, for applicants aged 12 and over (Identità)

2. College documents

  • College enrolment letter (Identità)
  • College payment receipt

The enrolment letter should clearly state the institution name (as registered with MFHEA), the full course name (as listed on the MFHEA website), MQF level, number of ECTS, course duration in months and whether it is full time or part time, course hiatus periods (such as Easter and summer holidays), course hours per week including contact hours, and the address where you will attend lectures (Identità).

3. Financial documents

If the funds are in your own account:

  • Bank statement for the last 3 months (Identità)
  • Recent bank certificate / bank confirmation letter showing adequate funds (Identità)

If a sponsor’s account holds the funds, add:

  • Sponsor’s bank statement for the last 3 months (Identità)
  • Sponsor’s signed declaration letter / affidavit (Identità)
  • Copy of the sponsor’s ID card (front and back) or passport bio page (Identità)

The funds must amount to at least 75% of Malta’s national minimum wage for every month of study (Identità).

4. International bank card

  • Copy of the international bank card you will use to access funds in Malta, front and back (Identità)

5. Travel documents

  • Medical and travel insurance valid for the Schengen area, minimum €30,000 medical cover, covering at least 91 consecutive days from first entry into Schengen, valid for study purposes (Identità; this applies to MQF Level 5 and above). If the certificate does not show these details, add the table of benefits.
  • Full flight itinerary to Malta showing your name, flight date and all stops; the entry ticket can be at most two weeks before the course starts; if the course is shorter than six months, a return ticket is also required (Identità)

6. Accommodation

Proof of accommodation for your first 14 nights from arrival in Malta, in your name (Identità), as one of:

  • A letter from the college on its letterhead, signed and stamped, with your name, surname, passport number, the address and the duration of accommodation
  • A registered lease agreement signed by both parties, with the duration, address, your name and the rent
  • If a host gives you free accommodation: the host’s declaration signed and stamped by a lawyer or notary in Malta, a copy of the host’s ID card and, for a secondary address, proof of the host’s link to the residence
  • A hotel, short-term or vacation rental booking for at least 14 consecutive nights from your arrival

Identità’s general long-stay visa page still mentions accommodation for the “first month”; its student-specific list (version 2.1, August 2025) says 14 nights. A booking for a full month satisfies both.

7. Academic and supporting documents

  • Class 10 academic documents
  • Class 12 academic documents
  • Diploma or degree certificate and transcript, if applicable
  • Experience certificate, if applicable
  • Updated CV
  • IELTS or OET certificate, if available
  • MOI (Medium of Instruction) letter, if applicable
  • Attested copies of academic certificates, if your college or the visa centre asks for them

8. Applicants under 18

  • Birth certificate: original, legalised and translated into English (Identità)
  • Copy of parents’ passports (Identità)
  • Parents’ consent letter, original and translated into English (Identità)

All documents must be submitted in English; any translation must be done by a translator on Identità’s list of authorised translators (Identità). Print on A4, clearly, and have the full file reviewed before you submit: requirements can change.

How long does a Malta student visa take?

Identità states a processing time of 6 to 8 weeks for long-stay visas, and its student document list says the application must be submitted at least 9 weeks before your course starts. Add time for your college offer, your fee payment and preparing documents in Nepal. We recommend starting your file three to six months before your intended intake.

What is the Malta student visa success rate from Nepal in 2026?

We have not found an official, published success rate for Malta student (D) visas for Nepali applicants. If a consultancy quotes you a precise percentage, ask where the number comes from.

What actually decides your outcome is your own file: a genuine course choice at MQF Level 5 or higher, clear and traceable funds, consistent documents and a convincing study plan. To see anonymised outcomes from our own files, visit our office in Old Baneshwor, Kathmandu.

Five things in your own file to get right (points 1–4 come from Identità’s requirements above):

  1. The course — full-time, MQF Level 5 or higher, at a licensed institution.
  2. Funds — at least 75% of Malta’s national minimum wage for every month of study, with a traceable source.
  3. Accommodation — proof for at least your first 14 nights.
  4. Timing — submit at least 9 weeks before your course starts; Identità lists 6 to 8 weeks for processing.
  5. Consistency — names, dates and amounts must match across your passport, academic documents, bank papers and application.

What if your Malta visa is refused?

Identità states that if a long-stay visa is refused, you have the right to appeal within 15 days of the final decision to the Immigration Appeals Board. Read the refusal reasons carefully before you decide to appeal or reapply, because the same weak point will fail again if it is not fixed.

Frequently asked questions

What documents are required for a Malta student visa from Nepal?

Identità’s student national visa list asks for a signed application form, a passport valid for 10 months, an ICAO photo, a VFS appointment letter, the college enrolment letter, 3 months of bank statements with a bank certificate (funds of at least 75% of Malta’s national minimum wage per month of study), a copy of your international bank card, Schengen medical insurance (€30,000, 91 days), a flight itinerary and accommodation proof for your first 14 nights. Download our full checklist (PDF).

Can I get a Malta student visa without IELTS?

Identità’s student visa checklist does not list an English test. English is decided by your college at admission, and many Malta colleges consider an MOI letter. See Study in Malta without IELTS.

Can I work in Malta on a student visa?

Yes, up to 20 hours a week (Identità) once your residence permit is issued and you have an employment licence from Jobsplus. On full-time MQRIC-recognised courses at MQF Level 5 and above you can work from your first year. See our Malta destination guide.

When are the Malta intakes?

Many private colleges in Malta run intakes every 2 to 4 months; universities mainly start in October. Compare colleges in our Malta college directory.

Want your Malta visa file checked before you apply? Book a free profile assessment · WhatsApp: +977 9801025694

Intandem Scholars Pvt. Ltd. — Registered education consultancy, Licence No. 213/082/083, Battisputali Marg, Old Baneshwor, Kathmandu. This article is general information, not immigration advice.