Bank of Valletta cashiers will no longer accept cash and cheque deposits in a bid to minimise the number of customers who visit its branches.

Cash and cheques can be deposited through its ATMs and night safe facilities. Cheques can also be deposited through its express deposit service.

Those who do not have a bank card will be allowed to deposit cash (bank notes) through the branch cashier, however, they need to apply for their free BOV Cashlink Card so that future deposits can be processed through ATMs. 

Over the past few days concern has grown over long lines outside banks, with customers unable to stick to the health authorities' social distancing advice.

The COVID-19 spread has now seen the authorities call on some 118,000 vulnerable people and their housemates to go into lockdown.

BOV is therefore introducing new measures and urging people to stay safe at home.

As from Saturday, cheques marked as “only” can, until further notice, be deposited by a trusted third party of the person named as the beneficiary.

The beneficiary can instruct them to make the deposit directly into the beneficiary’s account or into the trusted person’s own bank account through an ATM.

In both cases, the beneficiary and trusted person need to sign the back of the cheque and write down the ID Card Number.

Meanwhile, all local external bank cheques will carry a six-day float instead of three. This means that funds from other banks’ cheques presented to the bank will be available after six working days.

Coins can no longer be deposited in the night safe and bulk deposits. Customers are being asked to place coins in specified amounts in large sealable coin bags provided by the bank.

Details on the number of coins to be placed in bags can be found here.