Document checks at Malta airport: forged Irish passport leads to prison term

A 19-year-old Somali man has been jailed for six months in Malta after he was stopped at Malta International Airport travelling with a forged Irish passport. He admitted to possessing the fake document and was sentenced on 19 October 2026.

Key facts

• Sentence: six months in prison
• Charge admitted: possession of a fake passport
• Document involved: a forged Irish passport
• Where he was flagged: Malta International Airport
• Who: Talan Mouhyadin, 19, a Somali national who lives in Greece and has no fixed address in Malta

What happened?

Inspector Doriette Cuschieri told the court that authorities were alerted last Saturday to a suspicious passenger at Malta International Airport who was carrying a fake Irish passport. The man was then arrested.

Police said the man cooperated with them after his arrest. Because he admitted to possessing the forged document, he received what was described as the minimum prison sentence under the law.

What does this mean for travellers?

The case concerns a single arrest rather than any change to Malta's entry rules. It shows that passport checks at Malta International Airport can lead to criminal charges and a prison sentence if a travel document is found to be forged.

The source does not set out which authority detected the document, how the forgery was spotted, or whether any appeal has been filed.

No further hearings or follow-up dates were announced.