What to Do If Your Wallet or Phone Is Stolen in Malta

A completed theft can be reported at a police station or remotely. Replacement steps and fees depend on whether the missing document is a Maltese ID, passport or a particular type of residence card.

Situation	What to know
The theft is happening now or someone is in immediate danger	Call 112. For a completed incident with no immediate threat, use a police station or the remote-report service.
You cannot get to a police station	For a completed, non-emergency incident, book a callback through Servizz.gov. Have a Maltese ID card, residence permit or passport ready for identity verification.
Your stolen phone may have been unlocked or its passcode may be known	Use another trusted device to secure your primary email and Apple or Google account, then contact your bank to protect mobile banking and digital-wallet access. Also mark the phone as lost and contact your mobile operator.
A Maltese residence card was stolen	Check the procedure for your exact card category. Some Identità procedures require a local police report issued within three days, but fees and application steps differ.

Start with safety, then report the theft

If the theft is in progress, there is an immediate threat, or anyone is in immediate danger, call 112. If the incident is over and there is no immediate danger, the Malta Police Force says you can report it at any police station, regardless of where it happened.

For a completed, non-emergency incident, you can also book a callback through Servizz.gov instead of going to a station. The service says the officer takes the report remotely and you receive a police report number and digital copy. Have a Maltese ID card, residence permit or passport ready for identity verification. This service is not for an incident in progress or an immediate threat.

Be ready to tell the police what was taken, when and where you noticed it missing, and any details you have, such as a phone make, model, serial number or IMEI. Keep the report number and digital copy for your bank or insurer. If you are on Gozo, the police guidance allows reporting at any station; the remote-report option is also available for eligible incidents.

Block payment cards and your SIM promptly

Contact each bank or card issuer promptly using its official contact channel and ask it to block the missing card. Check recent transactions and report any you did not authorise as soon as possible. The Malta Financial Services Authority says to notify the bank straight away about a lost or stolen card; it also gives an outer limit of 13 months from the debit date for reporting unauthorised transactions. If the bank requests a police report, MFSA guidance says to provide it within seven days of the request. Do not wait for either deadline before contacting your bank.

Contact your mobile operator promptly to suspend the SIM or service and ask how to transfer your number to a replacement SIM. GO gives this advice to its own customers; if you use another operator, follow that provider’s lost-device process. Ask your provider whether it can block the handset using its IMEI. Google says a mobile provider can use an Android device’s IMEI to disable it, but handset-blocking arrangements are provider-specific.

If your phone had payment cards in a digital wallet, contact your bank as well as your operator. Apple says Lost Mode suspends payment cards and other services on applicable devices, but this does not block physical cards stolen from your wallet. Ask the bank how to secure mobile banking and digital-wallet access, especially if the phone may have been taken unlocked.

Secure your accounts if the phone may be accessible

Treat the risk as higher if the phone was unlocked when taken or the thief may know its passcode. From another trusted device, secure the email account used for password resets and the phone’s main Apple or Google account. Review recovery details and signed-in devices, change passwords if you suspect access, and contact your bank to secure mobile banking and digital-wallet access. Blocking the SIM or locking the phone alone may not protect accounts that were already open.

Apple’s stolen-device guidance says to mark an iPhone as lost through Find My or iCloud.com/find as quickly as possible. If Find My was not enabled beforehand, Apple says you cannot mark the device as lost or erase it remotely; change your Apple Account password and review account details instead. Do not remove the stolen phone from Find My, and do not try to retrieve it yourself if its location appears somewhere unfamiliar.

For Android, Google’s Find Hub can locate, mark as lost or erase a device, subject to the device’s settings, account and connectivity. Consider the consequences before erasing: Google says a factory reset permanently deletes data and the device will no longer be available in Find Hub. You can find the IMEI through Find Hub and ask your mobile provider whether it can disable the handset.

Be wary of messages or calls claiming your phone has been found or asking for a passcode, password or verification code. Apple warns that this information can be used in scams. Use official Apple, Google, bank and operator channels to secure accounts.

Replace the document that matches your status

For a stolen Maltese identity card, Identità requires a police report and Form ID10a for a replacement. Its current FAQ lists a €22 fee and says a temporary ID9 form is given while the replacement is pending. The FAQ also lists an urgent one-working-day option for €40. It lists an Identity Cards Unit office in Rabat, Gozo, as well as the Malta office; check the current appointment and office arrangements before travelling.

Residence-card steps depend on the card category. Identità’s current checklist says an EU national or eligible family member needs a valid local police report issued within three days of the loss or theft; it lists a €22 lost-card fee. For non-EU nationals and their family members, the checklist also calls for a local police report issued within three days and lists a €50 fee. Check the application route and document list for your exact residence basis rather than assuming one category’s rules apply to another.

A UK national or family member with a Malta residence card under the Withdrawal Agreement has a separate process. Identità says to report the loss to Maltese police immediately, obtain a local report and contact its Brexit Unit for instructions. Its current checklist lists a €22 fee for a lost or stolen Brexit card. Follow the Brexit Unit’s instructions rather than assuming the standard non-EU procedure applies.

For an adult Maltese passport holder whose valid passport was stolen, Identità requires an in-person application and an original Maltese police report; it says foreign police reports are not accepted for this process. Its passport page currently lists a normal fee of €70 from September through March or €80 from April through August, plus €15 if the lost passport was still valid. It lists a €160 urgent service with a four-working-hour turnaround. Confirm current fees and requirements with Identità before applying.

If you are visiting Malta and your passport was stolen

Get a Maltese police report and contact your country’s embassy or consulate about a replacement passport or emergency travel document. If your country has no representation in Malta, Identità has a separate process for adult foreign visitors. It requires an in-person application; for a stolen passport, bring the original police report. The process also calls for a flight itinerary and confirmation from the accredited representation abroad before the travel document is issued. Check with Identità about the exact requirements for your case.

Keep records for your bank and insurer

Keep the police report number and copy, a list of what was taken, any phone make, model or IMEI details, and confirmations from your bank and mobile operator. Ask your insurer what evidence and deadlines its policy requires; a police report records the incident, while claim requirements depend on the policy.

Questions people ask

Can I report a theft remotely in Malta?

Yes. Servizz.gov offers a booked callback for completed, non-emergency incidents. Have a Maltese ID card, residence permit or passport available for identity verification. Use 112 for an ongoing incident or immediate danger.

Should I erase my stolen phone straight away?

First mark it as lost or secure it through Find My or Find Hub if available. Erasing is permanent and may affect your ability to locate the device; Google says an erased Android device will no longer be available in Find Hub. If the phone may be accessible, also secure your email, Apple or Google account, and banking access.

Are there police or identity-card services on Gozo?

The Malta Police Force says a report can be filed at any police station, and completed non-emergency incidents may be reported remotely. Identità’s Maltese eID FAQ lists an office in Rabat, Gozo. Check current appointment and office arrangements before travelling, and verify that the service applies to your particular document.

Does a police report guarantee an insurance payment or recovery of stolen property?

No such guarantee is stated in the reporting guidance. Keep the report and ask your insurer what its policy requires; the report documents the incident, but claim conditions depend on the policy.

Sources

General information, not individual legal advice. Check your contract and current official rules before acting.

In immediate danger? Call 112. Otherwise, secure cards, accounts and your phone.