Digital ID in Malta: e-ID card, account and EU wallet

In Malta you identify yourself online with the e-ID card, either through its authentication certificates and a card reader or through an e-ID virtual account, both handled by the national identity agency Identità. The national EU wallet is still at tender stage as of October 2026.

At a glance

Item	Status
National eID or ID card with eID function	Maltese e-ID card and e-residence documents with authentication and signature certificates (PIN A and PIN B)
Mobile or app solution	No dedicated national eID app confirmed in the sources we checked
Bank-based ID	Not the main route for government services
eIDAS notification and level	Scheme “Identità” for the e-ID card and e-residence documents notified; reported at high
EUDI wallet, October 2026	Tender issued by MDIA; partial availability expected by the deadline
Responsible body	Identità (e-ID cards); Malta Digital Innovation Authority (wallet)

The national system

Malta’s eID system is managed by Identità. The Maltese e-ID card and the e-residence documents for foreign residents carry a chip with two certificates, one for authentication and one for signing, protected by two PINs. Malta notified this scheme, called Identità, with the European Commission, which means connected services in other member states should accept it. The notification overviews report the high level of assurance, though one tracker lists a lower level for the wallet context, so treat the level for the wallet as open. For the meaning of the tiers, see levels of assurance.

How to get it and use it

You receive the e-ID card through the normal identity card process, with collection at Identità’s office. To use it online you can sign up for the e-ID virtual account: a subscription linked to the card. After approval an activation link arrives by email, typically within about six working days. Two routes then exist. You can use the certificates on the card with a card reader and enter the PINs, which Identità describes as the route for sensitive services such as online financial services or tender submissions. Or you can log in through the virtual account. Anyone with a valid Maltese e-ID card or residence card may apply, using the form that comes with the card application or separately through the Identity Cards Unit.

The EU wallet in Malta (October 2026)

The Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) issued a EUR 15.6 million tender for a compliant EU Digital Identity Wallet, covering software development, systems integration and the supporting trust ecosystem, with submissions due on 3 September 2026. Planned functions at launch are proving identity online and in person, age verification, storing documents such as a driving licence and electronic signatures. Reporting and independent trackers in 2026 expect Malta to deliver only partial availability by the end-2026 deadline, with identity and age verification first and further functions in later waves. Because no public wallet has been launched, the e-ID card and virtual account remain the working route. Our guide to the EU Digital Identity Wallet explains what the wallet will add.

Use abroad and by foreigners

Because the e-residence documents are part of the notified scheme, non-Maltese residents with those documents can use the same system. For foreign eIDs on Maltese services and Maltese eIDs on foreign services, coverage depends on what each service has connected; see cross-border eID. Close neighbours to compare are Italy and, in the wider Mediterranean, Greece.

Which method should you choose?

If you need government services online, the e-ID virtual account is the first thing to set up, because it turns the card into something you can actually use on the web without a reader every time. Use the card with a reader and both PINs for the sensitive services Identità describes, such as financial services and tender submissions. Residents who hold e-residence documents are covered by the same scheme, so they should not assume they are excluded. Because the wallet will arrive in stages, expect identity and age verification first and do not plan around other features before they are confirmed.

Privacy and security

Keep PIN A and PIN B secret and separate from the card, and avoid using the card on shared computers. Do not click activation links you did not request; the real link comes after you have applied to the Identity Cards Unit. The planned wallet is designed to share only the attributes a service needs, for example whether you are over 18.

Official sources: the European Commission page on Malta and Identità.