Diplomatic passports

In total, some 500 diplomatic passports of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta are currently in circulation.

Diplomatic passports of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta are granted exclusively to the Grand Master and members of the Sovereign Council, to heads and members of its Diplomatic Missions (as well as their consort and minor children), to the Grand Priors and the Presidents of its National Associations. In addition to these, diplomatic passports are granted to high-level figures entrusted with special missions or to persons serving in senior positions within the Grand Magistry of the Order of Malta.

The validity of the passport is linked to the length of mandate and in any case ends at the conclusion of the term of office.

Service passports

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta also issues a second type of passport, the so-called Service passports. These are given to the Order of Malta’s humanitarian personnel and officials working in areas of danger. Around 50 of these passports are currently in use.

As from 2005, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta diplomatic and service passports include biometric features and are compliant with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.