Guidance

Maltese eResidence card for UK nationals and their family members

Published 10 November 2020

Who needs a new eResidence card

UK nationals living in Malta by 31 December 2020 will be protected by the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement which protects the rights of citizens.

The new eResidence card provides proof of your rights under this Agreement. Your rights are lifelong to you and your family members, as long as you continue to meet the conditions stipulated in the Agreement and Maltese legislation implementing the Withdrawal Agreement.

If you already have a residency card

You must still obtain the new biometric eResidence card even if you are already a registered resident in Malta with a valid residency document.

If you are a permanent resident in Malta

Now that the UK has left the EU you will need to re-apply for your residency status in Malta. Your permanent residency card is not enough to protect your rights.

You need to apply for the new eResidence card from your local Identity Malta Agency office. As a permanent resident you will only need to provide originals and copies of your residency document and your passport.

If you don’t receive your letter from Identity Malta about how and when to get your new card, get in touch with Identity Malta on brexit.ima@gov.mt (Malta) or eresidence-brexit.mgoz@gov.mt (Gozo).

Your new eResidence card will state that you are a permanent resident.

Where to apply for your new eResidence card

If you are a registered resident, Identity Malta Agency will write to you with an appointment at your local Identity Malta office to apply for the card.

The letter will include an application form you will need to complete in person at your Identity Malta Agency at Valley Rd, Msida or St Francis Square, Victoria, Gozo. It also includes information on page 3, section A on what documents you need to take with you to your appointment.

If you have lived in Malta for 5 years you can apply for permanent residence status, and you need to submit the documents on page 3, Section B. You need to read the letter carefully and follow the instructions.

If you haven’t received an appointment letter from Identity Malta

If you have not received a letter from Identity Malta by the end of November you can call at Identity Malta (Brexit office) at Valley Road, Msida from the 23 November until 18 December from 2pm to 5pm and submit your application.

When you will receive your new card

At your appointment the Identity Malta Agency will check your documentation. If you need to provide further documents, they will let you know and give you time to return. If your documentation is complete you will be invited to return to collect your biometric card. Your current residency card remains valid until you receive your new card.

If you arrived in Malta before 31 December 2020 to settle here and have not yet registered

You should apply for the new eResidence card 90 days after you arrived in Malta. Contact Identity Malta Agency to book an appointment by email on brexit.ima@gov.mt. Check Identity Malta’s website and Facebook page for information on what documentation you will need to take to your appointment.

If you are housebound and cannot attend an appointment at an Identity Malta office

If you are unable to attend your appointment for medical reasons, someone can apply for your new card on your behalf. You should:

• fill in the Identity Malta ‘power of attorney’ form to allow someone to apply on your behalf. You also need to fill in the ‘Form ID 2’
• attach a passport photo (with white background) to the ‘ID 2’ form
• include a medical certificate showing you are housebound

Documents you must provide to apply for your new eResidence card

If you are a temporary resident in Malta (ie you have lived in Malta for less than 5 years)you need to bring to your appointment:

• an original UK passport and a copy of your UK passport biopage
• your current residency document and a copy
• if you are working, you’ll need to take evidence of your employment (such as a letter signed by your employer/declaration from Jobsplus)
• if you previously worked but are now unemployed and a jobseeker, you’ll need confirmation from Jobsplus
• if you are self-employed, you’ll need confirmation of your self-employed status from Jobsplus
• if you are retired or financially self-sufficient, you’ll need evidence of your income such as pension records or bank statements showing transactions in Malta
• if you are a student, you’ll need evidence of your enrolment in a course

If you live in Malta under the Residents Scheme Regulation

You need to apply for the new eResidence card by attending your local Identity Malta office. You will need to bring:

• your residence document
• a copy of your UK passport and original
• a certificate from the Commissioner of Inland Revenue, confirming you are still eligible in 2020.

It is advisable to contact the Commissioner of Inland Revenue in order that you obtain confirmation as to whether you would prejudice your status under the Residents Scheme Regulations and hence your special tax status.

If you are a non-EU national spouse of a UK national living in Malta

Non-EU national family members need to apply for the new eResidence card. You have to attend according to the letter you receive by post. You will need to bring:

• your current residency document
• a copy of your UK family member current residency card
• proof that you are accompanying your UK national in Malta

If you are a UK national living in Malta with a family member arriving after this year

People who are family members by 31 December 2020 can join their UK family member at any point in the future and have their rights covered by the Withdrawal Agreement. This includes spouses, durable or registered partners, dependent parents and grandparents, children and grandchildren.

They should apply for the new eResidence card from their local Identity Malta office. You can send an email to brexit.ima@gov.mt (Malta) or eresidence-brexit.mgoz@gov.mt (Gozo).

Rights under the Withdrawal Agreement for future children if you are a UK national living in Malta

Your future children, either born or adopted, are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement for as long as you are living in Malta. You can apply for an eResidence card from your local Identity Malta office on their behalf.

If you’ve been living in Malta for over 5 years and may be eligible for permanent residency status

You can apply for permanent residency status after the UK leaves the EU if you have been living in Malta for 5 years continuously. You will need to apply for the new eResidence card and, if you are successful, it will detail your permanent residency status.

To apply for permanent residency you need to provide:

• your original residency card and a copy
• your original passport and a copy of your passport biopage
• a letter detailing your date of arrival in Malta and any absences from Malta in the last 5 years.

You’ll need to provide proof that you’ve been living in Malta for the last 5 years. This could be work contracts, self-employment tax documents or Jobsplus forms, bank statements, rental contracts if you are retired or self-sufficient or, if you are a student, evidence of your enrolment in a course for the last 5 years. Contact Identity Malta for more information on what documents you need to provide.

If you have attended your new eResidence card appointment but haven’t received it yet The new eResidence cards will be issued towards the end of 2020. You will be invited to collect your biometric card from Identity Malta offices in Malta or Gozo.

Dual UK-Maltese nationals

Dual UK-Maltese nationals do not need to apply for the new card. Your residency rights in Malta flow from your Maltese nationality. You should apply for a Maltese Identity card if you are residing in Malta.

You do have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement through your UK nationality, such as the right to an uprated UK state pension now or in the future, if you are eligible. See the UK government’s Living in Malta page for more information.

Where to find more information on the new eResidence card

Check Identity Malta’s website for more information about how to apply for the new eResidence card. You can also:

• find information via Identity Malta’s Facebook page
• find latest advice for UK nationals living in Malta on the UK government’s Living in Malta page
• follow social media updates from the British High Commission in Malta.

Remember:

• even if you are registered, you need to re-register and obtain your new eResidence card to protect your rights in Malta under the Withdrawal Agreement
• always take along your original passport with you when applying