The agreement brings together Malta’s Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs (MFEA), Identità, the country’s identity management agency, and the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) under an enhanced framework of cooperation.
Representing the respective organisations, the JDI was signed by Mr. Christopher Cutajar on behalf of the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs, Col. Edric Zahra on behalf of Identità, Mr. Pierre Fenech on behalf of the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS), and Mr. Zubin Karkaria, Founder and CEO, VFS Global, on behalf of VFS Global.
The JDI was signed on the sidelines of the WTTC Global Summit in Malta, in the presence of Ms. Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, and other senior representatives from the participating organisations, including Mr. Ronald Mizzi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Infrastructure, Planning and Employment; Mr. Carlos Tabone, Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Tourism and Ministry for Arts, Culture and the National Heritage; Ms. Chirelle Sciberras, Director, Consular Services and Maltese Living Abroad; and Mr. Jiten Vyas, Chief Commercial Officer, VFS Global.
The signing underscores the strong alignment between Malta’s vision for tourism and mobility and VFS Global’s longstanding engagement with the global travel ecosystem. VFS Global shares a close relationship with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global travel and tourism private sector. Zubin Karkaria serves on WTTC’s Executive Committee, reflecting the company’s role in advancing discussions around secure, seamless and inclusive cross-border mobility. These themes featured prominently during this year’s Global Summit, including the Global Leadership Dialogue focused on redefining tourism success beyond traditional metrics.
The JDI builds on VFS Global’s existing partnership with the Government of Malta and Identità, which currently encompasses short stay & long stay visa services and skills assessment. Under the expanded scope of cooperation, the parties will now also collaborate on:
- Citizen and consular support services for Maltese nationals residing overseas, strengthening engagement with the Maltese diaspora in coordination with MFEA.
- Expanded skills assessment services, building on VFS Global’s existing collaboration with ITS. Previously focused on facilitating interviews for the hospitality and tourism sectors, the partnership will now extend to support talent requirements in other sectors.
- Facilitation of a skilled and verified workforce to support Malta’s evolving employment needs across key economic sectors, alongside collaboration on initiatives to position Malta as a preferred destination for international education.
The Government of Malta welcomed the expansion of its partnership with VFS Global, noting that the agreement strengthens the delivery of services for Maltese citizens while supporting the country’s evolving workforce requirements. By bringing together visa facilitation, identity services, citizen support and skills development under a unified framework, the collaboration will enhance support for Maltese communities worldwide and help address critical skills needs across key sectors. The expanded partnership reflects Malta’s commitment to providing modern, accessible and citizen-centric services.
Zubin Karkaria, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global, said: “Our partnership with the Government of Malta has evolved significantly since it began in 2008, and this MoU marks an important new chapter in that journey. The expansion of our collaboration into citizen services for Maltese nationals overseas and skills development across strategic sectors reflects the confidence placed in VFS Global as a trusted partner. We are proud to support Malta’s ambitions to strengthen global mobility, deepen engagement with its diaspora, and build a future-ready workforce.”
VFS Global has been a trusted partner of the Government of Malta since 2008 and currently provides visa services on its behalf in 73 countries through a network of 155 dedicated Visa Application Centres worldwide.
VFS Global’s role in the visa application process is limited to front-end administrative tasks only, which include collecting visa application forms and required documentation as per the checklist, and enrolling biometrics. VFS Global has no role in the decision-making process of granting or refusing a visa. The decision to grant or refuse a visa is the sole prerogative and sole responsibility of the concerned Embassy/ Identita`
Applicants are encouraged to obtain the latest information on visa requirements, fees, and available services through the official VFS Global website.
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