Nepali Passport Renewal Malta Suspended: 500 Applicants at Risk
Nepali Passport Renewal Malta
3rd November 2025, Kathmandu
The Nepali diaspora in Malta, estimated to be over 10,000 individuals, is currently facing a critical administrative crisis.
Nepali Passport Renewal Malta
The essential mobile passport renewal service, which relies on staff traveling from the Nepali Embassy in Spain, has been suspended for nearly a year.
This lengthy disruption has placed hundreds of Nepali residents in a precarious legal situation. The issue of Nepali Passport Renewal Malta has escalated into a major welfare concern, with around 500 applicants currently awaiting processing and approximately 50 passports already expired.
Causes Behind the Service Suspension
The service suspension is attributed to a confluence of internal and external factors impacting the government’s ability to manage its consular duties abroad:
- Diplomatic Vacancy: The Nepal government’s decision to recall its ambassador from Malta created a significant leadership void. This has contributed to the administrative inertia.
- Political Unrest: Uncertainties surrounding the recent GenZ movement protests in Nepal have impacted the functionality and staffing capacity of central government departments, including the Department of Passport.
- Staffing Shortages: The Nepali Embassy in Madrid (Spain), which concurrently accredits Malta, reportedly lacks sufficient personnel to dispatch a dedicated team to Malta for the mobile service camp.
While preparations for a service camp in December are reportedly underway, a concrete schedule and firm commitment remain unavailable, fueling anxiety within the community.
The Direct Impact on Nepali Residents
The expiration of passports creates immediate and severe legal risks for the Nepali workforce in Malta. A valid passport is non-negotiable for several crucial administrative and employment-related processes:
- Employment and Social Security: Employers require valid documentation, and social security benefits can be jeopardized by expired papers.
- Residency and Work Permits: Maltese authorities demand an active passport for the renewal of residency and work permits. An expired passport immediately puts a migrant worker’s legal status at risk, potentially leading to deportation.
- Banking and Administrative Processes: Even simple tasks, like opening bank accounts or undergoing essential administrative checks, become impossible without a valid travel document.
The crisis threatens the stability of thousands of Nepalis who are legally working and contributing to the Maltese economy.
NRNA Demands Immediate Government Coordination
Rams Khanal, President of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) Malta, has actively taken up the issue. He has publicly urged the Department of Passport in Kathmandu and the Nepali Embassy in Spain to urgently coordinate a solution. Khanal stressed that the Embassy in Spain cannot manage the consular demand from Malta alone.
The situation clearly requires the deployment of an experienced, dedicated team from Nepal to support the upcoming camp and clear the existing backlog of Nepali Passport Renewal Malta applications.
NRNA Malta insists that the government must provide clear communication and ensure that the December camp proceeds as planned and is adequately staffed. Immediate action and clear communication are absolutely essential to prevent the situation from worsening and resulting in severe legal consequences for the affected residents.
For more: Nepali Passport Renewal Malta
