U.S. Ambassador Molly Bordonaro has announced today that Malta will join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.

At a joint press conference held today at Auberge de Castille with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, U.S. Ambassador Molly Bordonaro announced that Malta will join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program next week. Ambassador Bordonaro said that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which administers the program, had formally designated Malta as a Visa Waiver Program participant last week, and that Maltese citizens will be able to travel to the U.S. without a visa beginning December the 30th.

In her remarks, Ambassador Bordonaro emphasized the positive impact of Malta’s entry into the Visa Waiver Program for tourist, business, and family travelers. Ambassador Bordonaro also expressed appreciation to the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications for their close cooperation with U.S. officials as the two governments worked to bring Malta into the Visa Waiver Program. “The fact that Maltese citizens can travel to the U.S. without visa requirements is a strong expression of the close relationship between our two countries,” Ambassador Bordonaro added.

In order to travel to the United States under the visa waiver program, which now includes 35 countries, travelers must be in possession of a valid biometric passport, must be traveling to the U.S. for tourism or business for a period of no more than 90 days, and must obtain an approved electronic travel authorization, or ESTA, before traveling. Maltese citizens planning to travel to the U.S. in the near future can already apply for ESTA approval by following the ESTA link on the U.S. Embassy’s website, http://malta.usembassy.gov.

Malta’s entry into the Visa Waiver Program does not mean that visas will go away entirely. Maltese citizens who already hold a valid visa for the United States can continue to travel using that visa. In addition, persons who wish to travel to the U.S. for a period of more than 90 days or for a purpose other than tourism or business, such as to study or to work, will still need to apply for a visa at the U.S. Embassy.

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