--- title: "Is it safe to send a photo of your ID card in Malta?" description: "Check requests for Maltese ID card, residence card and passport copies, limit disclosure and find local help if someone misuses your identity." canonical: "https://dokus.app/en-mt/is-it-safe-to-send-a-picture-of-your-id/" lang: "en-MT" category: "Safety" reviewed: "2026-10-21" app_store: "https://apps.apple.com/mt/app/dokus-private-id-wallet/id6781915709" translations: en: "https://dokus.app/is-it-safe-to-send-a-picture-of-your-id/" en-IE: "https://dokus.app/en-ie/is-it-safe-to-send-a-picture-of-your-id/" en-NZ: "https://dokus.app/en-nz/is-it-safe-to-send-a-picture-of-your-id/" en-SG: "https://dokus.app/en-sg/is-it-safe-to-send-a-picture-of-your-id/" en-MT: "https://dokus.app/en-mt/is-it-safe-to-send-a-picture-of-your-id/" en-GB: "https://dokus.app/en-gb/is-it-safe-to-send-a-picture-of-your-id/" en-CA: "https://dokus.app/en-ca/is-it-safe-to-send-a-picture-of-your-id/" en-AU: "https://dokus.app/en-au/is-it-safe-to-send-a-picture-of-your-id/" en-IN: "https://dokus.app/en-in/is-it-safe-to-share-aadhaar-photo/" pt-BR: "https://dokus.app/pt/e-seguro-mandar-foto-do-rg/" pt-PT: "https://dokus.app/pt-pt/enviar-copia-cartao-cidadao-seguranca/" es: "https://dokus.app/es/es-seguro-enviar-foto-del-dni/" es-AR: "https://dokus.app/es-ar/es-seguro-enviar-foto-dni/" es-CL: "https://dokus.app/es-cl/enviar-foto-carnet-seguro/" es-MX: "https://dokus.app/es-mx/enviar-foto-ine-seguridad/" es-CO: "https://dokus.app/es-co/es-seguro-enviar-foto-de-la-cedula/" fr: "https://dokus.app/fr/envoyer-photo-carte-identite/" de: "https://dokus.app/de/personalausweis-foto-sicher-versenden/" de-AT: "https://dokus.app/de-at/ausweiskopie-sicher-verschicken-oesterreich/" de-CH: "https://dokus.app/de-ch/id-pass-kopie-sicher-versenden-schweiz/" nl: "https://dokus.app/nl/foto-identiteitsbewijs-veilig-versturen/" it: "https://dokus.app/it/inviare-foto-documento-identita-rischi/" id: "https://dokus.app/id/cek-ktp-dipakai-pinjol/" ms: "https://dokus.app/ms/selamatkah-hantar-gambar-ic/" pl: "https://dokus.app/pl/czy-bezpiecznie-wyslac-zdjecie-dowodu/" tr: "https://dokus.app/tr/kimlik-fotokopisi-ile-neler-yapilabilir/" vi: "https://dokus.app/vi/lo-anh-cccd-co-sao-khong/" he: "https://dokus.app/he/%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%97%D7%AA-%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%9D-%D7%AA%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%93%D7%AA-%D7%96%D7%94%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%91%D7%91%D7%98%D7%97%D7%94/" ar: "https://dokus.app/ar/%D8%A5%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%A3%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86/" hi: "https://dokus.app/hi/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1-%E0%A4%AB%E0%A4%BC%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%8B-%E0%A4%AD%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4/" ja: "https://dokus.app/ja/%E8%BA%AB%E5%88%86%E8%A8%BC-%E5%86%99%E7%9C%9F%E9%80%81%E4%BF%A1-%E5%AE%89%E5%85%A8%E5%AF%BE%E7%AD%96/" ko: "https://dokus.app/ko/%EC%8B%A0%EB%B6%84%EC%A6%9D-%EC%82%AC%EC%A7%84-%EB%B3%B4%EB%82%B4%EB%8F%84-%EB%90%A0%EA%B9%8C/" th: "https://dokus.app/th/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B9%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%99-%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%A0%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A1/" zh-Hans: "https://dokus.app/zh/%E8%BA%AB%E4%BB%BD%E8%AF%81%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87-%E5%8F%91%E9%80%81%E5%AE%89%E5%85%A8/" zh-Hant: "https://dokus.app/zh-tw/%E8%BA%AB%E5%88%86%E8%AD%89%E5%BD%B1%E6%9C%AC-%E7%94%A8%E9%80%94-%E5%AE%89%E5%85%A8/" zh-HK: "https://dokus.app/zh-hk/%E5%82%B3%E9%80%81%E8%BA%AB%E4%BB%BD%E8%AD%89%E5%89%AF%E6%9C%AC-%E5%AE%89%E5%85%A8%E5%97%8E/" --- # Is it safe to send a photo of your ID card in Malta? Send a photo of your ID card, residence card or passport only after verifying the recipient and understanding why a copy is necessary. In Malta, ask for the purpose, legal basis, retention period and recipients of your personal data before submitting the file through a confirmed channel. ## Verify the organisation, then the reason for the copy A request may concern a Maltese ID card, a residence document or a passport. These are different credentials, so confirm which one the service accepts before sharing more than necessary. A recognisable logo, a Maltese number or familiarity with your details is not proof of identity. Find the organisation's website independently and confirm the request through its published contact. For a rental, job or booking, establish that the property, employer or provider exists and that the person asking is authorised to act for it. Avoid sending a bundle of documents to someone whose role you cannot confirm. The [Information and Data Protection Commissioner explains your right to be informed](https://idpc.org.mt/for-individuals/your-rights/). A controller should explain the purpose and legal basis, how long it will retain the information or how that period is decided, who receives it and relevant overseas transfers. Read the privacy notice, then ask about any gaps. | Situation | What to establish before sending | |---|---| | Bank or regulated service onboarding | Which identity check applies, which document it accepts and whether its own portal is the required route. | | Rental or employment paperwork | The verified recipient, the stage of the process and why a full image is needed instead of sighting the original or recording fewer details. | | Accommodation check-in | What identity details are needed and whether a copy is necessary. Do not assume every hotel request has the same legal basis or retention rule. | | Identità application | Follow the instructions for the specific application on Identità's official site; an edited PDF is not a replacement identity card. | | Unexpected caller claiming to be police | End the call and check independently. Do not provide a new document image or make a payment under pressure. | Malta's [MITA-NCC awareness guidance](https://ncc-mita.gov.mt/security-tips/think-twice-about-phone-calls/) describes police impersonation calls that pressure people into urgent payments. The same pause and independent verification matter when a caller asks for personal documents. ## Make a limited sharing copy 1. Ask whether seeing the original or using an existing official verification process is sufficient. If a copy is required, confirm the sides, pages and fields that must remain readable. 2. Use the organisation's confirmed submission channel, opening it yourself. If it asks for email, check the full address through a trusted contact. Avoid a public sharing link for an identity file. 3. If modifications are accepted, [hide unnecessary information](https://dokus.app/en-mt/redact-maltese-id-eresidence/), including repeated details and machine-readable lines where relevant, then [add a recipient, purpose and date watermark](https://dokus.app/en-mt/watermark-maltese-id-eresidence/). For example: "Acme Lettings Malta, tenancy application, 21 October 2026". 4. Inspect the exported copy, and send only that file. Keep the original protected. Do not include passwords, e-ID credentials or one-time codes in the message. 5. Record the recipient and purpose and ask about deletion when the process ends. Remove surplus working copies from downloads and chats. A watermark can make the intended use visible, but it can be removed or bypassed and does not prevent identity fraud. A recipient may reject redaction or marking where a complete document is required. Confirm acceptance first, rather than obscuring fields needed for the actual check. Keep your original ID document in Dokus on iPhone and prepare a separate copy for an explained request. 4.8 out of 5 stars [Free on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/mt/app/dokus-private-id-wallet/id6781915709) ## What can happen to a shared image? Someone may use visible information to attempt impersonation, create convincing follow-up scams or support fraudulent applications. That does not mean an image will pass every identity check. A genuine business can also expose copies through an insecure mailbox, an unnecessary forwarding chain or a data breach. Converting an image into a PDF makes it easier to submit, not safer to disclose. If the verified recipient requires one file, [combine the agreed document images into a PDF](https://dokus.app/en-mt/maltese-id-eresidence-pdf/). Do not add unrelated documents or use a filename containing your complete ID number. ## If you already sent it to the wrong person Stop sending further information. Save messages, sender details, links and payment records. Contact your bank promptly if money, banking details or account access are involved. [Malta Police accepts reports at any police station and offers a remote reporting route](https://pulizija.gov.mt/en/crime/); fraud and cybercrime reports are referred to the relevant specialised sections. Contact the issuer of an exposed document for advice about the actual circumstances. If a Maltese ID card has physically been lost or stolen, [Identità says to file a police report](https://identita.gov.mt/frequently-asked-questions/maltese-eid-cards/) and present it when applying at the Identity Cards Unit. A photo shared with someone is different from a missing card, so describe it accurately rather than reporting a loss that did not happen. If an identifiable organisation is holding or disclosing your data improperly, ask its data protection contact what happened and request an appropriate remedy. The IDPC explains access, correction, erasure and complaint rights. Erasure has conditions and exceptions, including legal retention duties; a request is not a guarantee that every copy can be recalled. Dokus organises originals and copies for sharing. It cannot validate a requester, revoke a sent attachment or issue official ID cards, residence documents or passports. ## Common questions ### Is it safe to send a Maltese ID card photo on WhatsApp? First confirm the recipient and the purpose. Encryption does not stop the recipient keeping, forwarding or backing up the image. Ask for the organisation's verified submission process and its retention arrangements before deciding to send a copy. ### Can I cover my ID number before sending a copy? Only if the recipient accepts an edited copy and does not need the number for the check. Ask which fields are required and check both sides and repeated information. Some applications require an unmodified document. ### Does a residence card need the same treatment as an ID card? Both can reveal personal information and should be shared carefully, but the required document and fields depend on the service. Confirm whether it needs proof of identity, residence or another status instead of sending every credential you have. ### Must a business delete my copy immediately when I ask? Not necessarily. Erasure rights have conditions and exceptions, and some records may need to be kept for legal obligations. Ask for the purpose and retention basis, and raise unresolved data protection concerns with the IDPC. ### Do I need a replacement ID card because I sent a photo? A disclosed image and a physically lost or stolen card are different situations. Contact Identità for advice on your case. Its lost-card procedure requires a police report, so do not report a physical loss that did not occur. ## Sources Reviewed on 21 October 2026 - [Your rights (Information and Data Protection Commissioner)](https://idpc.org.mt/for-individuals/your-rights/) - [Think twice about phone calls (MITA-NCC)](https://ncc-mita.gov.mt/security-tips/think-twice-about-phone-calls/) - [Crime reporting (Malta Police)](https://pulizija.gov.mt/en/crime/) - [Maltese eID cards: frequently asked questions (Identità)](https://identita.gov.mt/frequently-asked-questions/maltese-eid-cards/)