19 countries have been moved from Malta’s ‘dark-red’ to its ‘red’ list, meaning quarantine-free travel for those in possession of a valid vaccine certificate.

The updated ‘red’ list was published through a legal notice on Monday, and will be implemented on Thursday. The list now includes Bahrain, Gabon, Kuwait, Maldives, Bermuda, Rwanda, Russia, Mongolia, Cape Verde, Namibia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Myanmar, Malaysia, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, South Africa, Timor and India.

What does this mean?

Travellers from these countries are allowed to enter the country without undergoing a quarantine period, as long as they have acquired the obligatory vaccination certificate.

Currently, Malta recognises vaccine certificates deriving from the EU, the UK, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Canada, Australia, Serbia, Turkey, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey, Qatar, Albania, Egypt, and Lebanon. To be accepted as valid, both shots must be given to the certificate holder.

This notice comes after Malta’s quarantine regulations for travellers entering the county from ‘dark-red’ listed countries required they pay a fee of €1,400. After an abundance of complaints from members of the public that felt these quarantine regulations were unfair, requirements pertaining to visitors from ‘dark-red’ countries have also changed, and now allow people in possession of a residency permit or ID to quarantine at home if all residents within the household are fully vaccinated.