US embassy services in Malta: passports, voting and STEP

The US Embassy in Malta, in Ta' Qali National Park in Attard, is the only US consular post on the islands. For Americans who live in Malta, its American Citizen Services unit handles passports, reports of birth for children born in Malta, notarial services and support in emergencies. It also helps with voting. This guide covers each service with the fees and steps the embassy publishes.

How appointments work

The embassy's citizen services page says routine services are conducted by appointment using its electronic calendar. For emergencies, email [email protected]. For an emergency appointment on weekends or US or Maltese holidays, call (+356) 2561-4000. The embassy lists family death or illness, emergency medical treatment and a US court summons as examples of urgent cases.

Practical rules at the gate:

• Only people with an appointment are admitted, plus an interpreter, a physical assistant or an accompanying minor child.
• Large bags, backpacks, suitcases and baby carriages are not allowed, and there is no storage.
• The embassy strongly discourages bringing phones, laptops, smart watches and other electronics, which must be left at security.
• Bring government-issued photo ID.

Fees are paid in advance through Pay.gov, and you bring the printed receipt. Some fees can be paid at the embassy in US dollars or euros, or by card; the embassy notes there is no ATM on or near the premises.

Renewing an adult passport by mail

If you live in Malta or Gozo, you can renew an adult passport by mail with form DS-82 if all of these apply:

• you can send your most recent passport book with the application,
• you were at least 16 when it was issued,
• it was issued less than 15 years ago,
• it was valid for 10 years,
• it is in your current name, or you can document a name change,
• you live in, or have a mailing address in, Malta or Gozo.

The embassy's steps:

1. Complete and sign the DS-82, printed single-sided. Include your Social Security number if you have one.
2. Add one colour 2 x 2 inch photo on a white background, taken in the last six months, with no glasses or hat.
3. Include the passport you are renewing.
4. Add name-change documents if relevant, original plus one copy.
5. Pay the $130 fee on Pay.gov and include the printed confirmation.
6. Add a stamped, self-addressed envelope for a Malta or Gozo address. The embassy gives postage of 70 cents for one passport, doubled if you want the old passport back.
7. Mail it to: U.S. Embassy in Malta, American Citizen Services Unit, DS-82 Passport Renewal by Mail, Ta' Qali National Park, Attard, ATD 4000.

The embassy says processing takes about three weeks. You can also renew in person with the same documents by appointment.

First passports, children and lost passports

If you do not qualify for DS-82, you apply in person with form DS-11. The embassy's fee page lists $165 for an adult DS-11 and $135 for a child under 16. Passport cards cost $30 for adults and $15 for minors. Children under 16 normally need both parents present; if one cannot attend, the embassy points to form DS-3053, the statement of consent, and DS-5525 for special family circumstances. Lost or stolen passports are reported with DS-64 and replaced with a DS-11.

The embassy notes that passport services are not available on weekends or on Maltese or US holidays, and that travellers leaving within two weeks should look at its emergency passport section.

Children born in Malta: the CRBA

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) documents that a child born abroad acquired US citizenship at birth through a US citizen parent. The embassy's CRBA page says:

• applications must be made before the child's 18th birthday, and the embassy recommends applying soon after birth,
• the child must have been born in Malta, and you attend an in-person interview at the embassy in Attard,
• parents complete an eCRBA application through MyTravelGov, upload documents and pay at least three days before the interview,
• the child must attend, along with both parents where applicable,
• foreign-language documents need English translations.

The fee is $100, paid through the CRBA portal. You can apply for the child's first passport at the same appointment. A Social Security number can only be applied for after you receive the original CRBA. The Federal Benefits Unit at the US Embassy in Rome assists residents of Malta with Social Security matters.

Notarial services

The embassy provides notarial services by appointment for documents that must be used in the US, such as powers of attorney or affidavits. The fee is $50 per signed page. Bring the unsigned document and your ID, and sign in front of the consular officer.

Voting from Malta

The embassy's voting page advises completing a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) every year, through FVAP.gov, to register and request absentee ballots. Another embassy page recommends completing it each January and including your email address. Using the FPCA means your state sends your ballot at least 45 days before a federal general election.

How to return forms and ballots:

• Drop your FPCA at the embassy between 2 and 3 p.m. on business days, except US and Maltese holidays, and it is returned to your local election office free of charge. You can also mail it yourself.
• Many states let you receive your blank ballot by email, fax or download.
• Some states let you return the ballot electronically; others require paper.
• Paper ballots can be dropped at the embassy's Main Compound Access Control in postage-paid envelopes, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The embassy warns that mail through the embassy can take up to six weeks.

STEP

The State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program lets you enroll your stay so the embassy can send you safety alerts and contact you in an emergency. Enroll as a resident and keep it updated.

Keeping a US mailing address

The embassy does not hold mail for US citizens. Many residents still need a US address for banks, brokerages, state voting records and the IRS. A mail-forwarding service such as iPostal1 gives you a US street address and scans your mail. Before you use one, check whether your bank, state election office or insurer accepts that type of address.

Quick reference

• Emergencies: [email protected], (+356) 2561-4000 on weekends and holidays
• DS-82 renewal by mail: $130, about three weeks
• DS-11: $165 adult, $135 child
• CRBA: $100, before age 18
• Notarials: $50 per signed page
• FPCA: every January

Common questions

Can I renew my US passport by mail from Malta? Yes, if you meet the DS-82 criteria and live in or have a mailing address in Malta or Gozo. You mail the form, photo, old passport, Pay.gov receipt for $130 and a stamped return envelope to the embassy in Attard.

How do I register a child born in Malta as a US citizen? Apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad through eCRBA on MyTravelGov, pay the $100 fee, and attend an interview at the embassy with the child. Apply before the child turns 18.

How do I vote in US elections from Malta? Submit a Federal Post Card Application through FVAP.gov each year, ideally in January. You can drop it at the embassy between 2 and 3 p.m. on business days to be forwarded free.

How much does a US notarial service cost in Malta? The embassy charges $50 per signed page, by appointment.