Witnesses can report crimes too. The online callback service is for non-emergency incidents that have already happened. Specific procedures apply to missing people, domestic violence and road collisions.
| Situation | What to know |
|---|---|
| Someone is in immediate danger, or an incident is happening now | Call 112. Do not use the routine remote-report callback for an emergency or an incident in progress. |
| A non-emergency incident has already happened | Report it at any police station, or request an officer’s callback through the remote-report service. |
| Someone is missing | Report at the nearest police station; you do not have to wait 24 hours. Call 112 if the person is in immediate danger, is a young child or is vulnerable to harm. |
| A road traffic collision has happened | For a front-to-rear collision, complete the Front To Rear Form at the scene. For other collision types, the police list the L.E.S.A. line, 21320202. Call 112 for immediate danger. |
If there is immediate danger, call 112
Call 112 if someone is in immediate danger, a situation could become heated or violent very soon, or urgent help is needed. For police attention that is not an emergency, the Malta Police Force lists 21224001. Its guidance lists textphone 79770112 for people with hearing or speech impairments.
The online callback service is for non-emergency incidents that have already happened, are not in progress and pose no immediate threat to life or property. If any of those conditions do not apply, call 112 instead.
Report in person or request a callback
You can report a crime at any police station, regardless of where it happened. You do not have to be the victim: the Malta Police Force says witnesses can report too.
For a non-emergency report remotely, submit a callback request, choose a contact method and an available timeslot, then give the details to the officer who contacts you. Have a Maltese ID card, residence permit or passport ready for identity verification; the service does not state eligibility rules for every nationality or residence status. Supporting photos or documents may be requested.
The remote-report service says the report is entered in the National Police System and you receive a Police Report Number and digital copy. The Malta Police Force also offers a separate anonymous online reporting tool for information someone has seen or heard. It describes anonymous submissions as leads it will investigate and act on, but does not establish whether a tip is a formal complaint or promise an individual update. Use the formal reporting routes above when you need to make a police report; never use the anonymous tool instead of calling 112 in an emergency.
Use the specific route for sensitive or urgent cases
For domestic or gender-based violence, call 112 if someone is at immediate risk. For a non-emergency, the police say you can seek help at any police station and be accompanied to a specialist hub, or report directly to one of their dedicated hubs. The police page says these hubs operate 24/7 and lists locations in Santa Lucia, Mtarfa and Gozo.
If someone is missing, report it at the nearest police station; there is no need to wait 24 hours. Call 112 if the person is in immediate danger, is a young child or is vulnerable to harm.
For a front-to-rear collision, the police direct people involved to complete the Front To Rear Form at the scene. For other collision types, the police page lists the L.E.S.A. collision-report line, 21320202. It says to call police if someone is in danger or seriously injured, a serious offence is suspected, or the collision creates a dangerous road blockage; call 112 for immediate danger.
Ask about language assistance and keep your report details
If you are a victim making a formal complaint about a criminal offence and do not understand or speak Maltese or English, the Victims of Crime Act provides for making the complaint in a language you understand, with necessary interpretation. On request, a translation of the written acknowledgement into a language you understand is free. This provision concerns a victim’s formal complaint, not every report or anonymous tip.
When a victim makes a formal complaint about a criminal offence, the Act provides for a written acknowledgement stating the basic elements of the offence. Keep that acknowledgement and any Police Report Number or digital copy you receive. The number and digital copy are specified for the remote-report service; do not assume every type of report produces the same documents.
Questions people ask
Can I report a crime I witnessed?
Yes. The Malta Police Force says witnesses as well as victims can report a crime, at any police station regardless of where it occurred.
Is an anonymous tip the same as a formal police report?
The police describe anonymous submissions as leads they will investigate and act on, but their public information does not say whether a tip counts as a formal complaint. Use a police station or the remote-report service for a formal report.
Sources
- Malta Police Force — Emergency Services (112)
- Malta Police Force — Crime
- Servizz.gov.mt — File a Remote Police Report
- Malta Police Force — Home
- Malta Police Force — Domestic Violence
- Malta Police Force — Missing Persons
- Malta Police Force — Road Traffic Incidents
- Legislation Malta — Victims of Crime Act, Cap. 539
General information, not individual immigration or legal advice. Confirm your own status and current requirements with the relevant authority.