Residency appliction response time frame

Hi,   My wife and I dropped off our residency application forms almost four weeks ago.  We haven't heard anything back yet and it's starting to stress us both out.  Does anyone know the time frame for this?

We wanted to get it sorted out the day we turned up at the office.  However the civil servant managing the line wouldn't let any EU people and their family members wait.  We had to get certified copies made at the bank of our documents, dropped them off, and then were told we'd get a registration certificate in the post.

Any information would be much appreciated!

Thanks for reading

Hello!
I dropped all my docs last week. I got told it takes between 6 and 8 weeks to get the id card.
Good luck!
Silvia

Does anyone know whether applicants will be notified only by postal mail or by email as well? I may have to move while my application is still being processed.

danex2 wrote:

Does anyone know whether applicants will be notified only by postal mail or by email as well? I may have to move while my application is still being processed.


They send a letter to your registered address so if you move make sure you notify the post office (simple, low cost form to fill in and it lasts for 6 or 12 months).
However the new EID also has your address printed on the front of the card, so you will have to get it changed!
Not sure what the procedure for that will be but I bet it will entail another wait as the new cards contain holograms for card security.

Terry

Thanks for the replies everyone.  That's made us both feel a bit better!  Also thank you for the information regarding a change of address during the application process as we'll be in the same boat as Danex2.  Good luck to everyone that's waiting like us! We'll keep our fingers crossed for you (as well as ourselves!)

Thanks again!

Quick question! I have a eResidency appointment in August and I wonder if I should post all the necessary docs or not, instead of waiting till August.
What would you guys reckon will be better, wait for the appointment or try to sort it by post? And to certify the copies, is it very expensive?

Thanks in advance!

Antonio

its free to get docs certified - just go to your bank that thats we did....why wait till august and then wait again - when you can do so by post - cuts the waiting time down - maybe.

We were there beginning of April and nothing yet.

toonarmy9752 wrote:

its free to get docs certified - just go to your bank that thats we did....why wait till august and then wait again - when you can do so by post - cuts the waiting time down - maybe.


Cheers toon! You're right, better do it sooner than later. I will probably do that, as soon as I have all the paperwork sorted. I am still waiting for an updated copy of my work contract and my wife too, she just started a new job but she did not sign her contract yet. But as soon as I have all that in hand, I might just go for it.

toonarmy9752 wrote:

its free to get docs certified - just go to your bank that thats we did....why wait till august and then wait again - when you can do so by post - cuts the waiting time down - maybe.


If you dont have a Maltese bank account where else can you get your docs certified?  Will a notary do it for you?  Will they make a charge?

a notary (probably chargeable) a pharmacist or anyone of "professional standing" head teacher, doctor, are examples.

Thanks toon :)

On application for or retrieval of your 'e-Residence Card' / New identity card - enrol on the European Parliament electoral register and vote to advance your EU civil rights to equal treatment.

Non-Maltese EU citizens living in Malta can now enrol and vote at the next European Parliament elections scheduled for May 2014.

You can enrol on the European Parliament electoral register at:

1) The Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs on application for or retrieval of your 'e-Residence Card' / New identity card.

Or

2) The Electoral Commission / Identity Card Office at Evans Building, Valletta or the Identity Card Office, Victoria, Gozo.
Non-Maltese EU voter enrolment form for the European Parliament electoral register:

http://www.electoral.gov.mt/getresource.aspx?id=83

Comparative scrutiny of the October 2010 European Union / Parliament and local council electoral registers discloses that ofthe 24, 899 non-Maltese EU citizens enrolled on the local council electoral registers, only 3,758 (15%) are enrolled on the European Parliament one.   

The disenfranchised 21,141 constitute over 6.5 % of the entire eligible European Parliament electorate in Malta.

Byron49 wrote:

Comparative scrutiny of the October 2010 European Union / Parliament and local council electoral registers discloses that ofthe 24, 899 non-Maltese EU citizens enrolled on the local council electoral registers, only 3,758 (15%) are enrolled on the European Parliament one.   

The disenfranchised 21,141 constitute over 6.5 % of the entire eligible European Parliament electorate in Malta.


That's probably because most people have no interest in the EU as a political entity and if given a vote on EU or common market
the majority would vote for the common market.

Terry

Re: That's probably because most people have no interest in the EU as a political entity and if given a vote on EU or common market
the majority would vote for the common market.

Terry

............................................................

It is also due to long-standing discriminatory institutional obstacles against the enrolment of non-Maltese EU citizens on the European Union / Parliament electoral register.

1) Apart from a brief period prior to the European Parliament elections in 2004, the Maltese Electoral Commission illegally denied non-Maltese EU citizens the right to enrol on the (Maltese) European Parliament Electoral Register until October 1, 2008.

gozonews.com/3424/the-electoral-office-discriminates-against-eu-residents-in-malta-and-gozo-ad/

In the same vein, shortly before the 2009 European Parliament elections, the Maltese authorities illegally deleted 966 non-Maltese EU electors from the European Parliament electoral register:

Sources: .maltatoday.com.mt/2009/05/06/t2.html#

maltatoday.com.mt/2009/04/26/t6.html

2) As regards the enrolment and voting rights of non-Maltese EU residents, the legality of the Identity Card and other Identity Documents Act Order 2012 - from which the recently introduced ‘e-Residence Card' derives - is already under EU institutional scrutiny:

europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2f%2fEP%2f%2fNONSGML%2bCOMPARL%2bPE-502.142%2b01%2bDOC%2bPDF%2bV0%2f%2fEN

3) Now is the time to enrol because unless non-Maltese EU citizens ensure that they are seen to assert themselves, politically, by voting in administrative committee, local council and European Parliament elections in Malta and Gozo, it is certain that systemic institutional discrimination will be a permanent feature of their daily lives in this place.

My problem is that I think that by voting for them you give the EU a stronger base to claim more powers. I did not vote for an EU government to be formed but I did vote for a common market, free trade etc.
If everyone does not vote the EU will slowly die a death but hopefully from its remains a trading entity will emerge.

That's my view.

Terry

Just an updated in case someone moved address and wants to redirect all mail from an old address to as new address. As i just did it today, one has to fill a form from the post office with the names and signatures from all people involved and there are 2 options: a 6 months redirection for free or a 12 months one but will cost 15€.

Hope it helps!

Antonio

i did mine a year ago and it was only 4.50e for one year has it
gone up?

Yes toon, I don't know how much it was before but they said it gone up.

Is anyone else still waiting?  It's about 10 weeks now for us.

yup hundreds (more like thousands) are still waiting - 9 weeks for us now and still no acknowledgement although I know they got it.- I fail to see why its taking so long to issue a simple plastic coated card. the official excuse is (and I have the mail from them) is that "they have hundreds still waiting to be keyed in" methinks theyre way off in the numbers.

Well,

we have now been waiting for 26 weeks ! That must be a record as we were one of the first. And we went there in person in January and got our application certificate then.

We complained once and received the information that our application is being processed ! -)))

Cheers
Ricky

Hmm Ricky and still waiting - what are they playing at? Plus its now got worse - postal applications for EU and no more issuing of the temp certificates.... so it looks like 6months or more of the higher utility bills for those people that are new to the island.. only one word for that!!!!!!

No temp certificates, no promise on timing. And the higher bills for utilities goes to the same pocket. And EU does nothing about it...

Thanks for the info everyone.  I guess it's just a case of holding out.

bh73 wrote:

Thanks for the info everyone.  I guess it's just a case of holding out.


whilst your pockets are emptied......into Maltas coffers

The way I see it, all this waiting is deliberately, coz why we're waiting for them to make a decision, Malta's economy it's growing so, no wonder they're not in a hurry. All this long waiting means more money from "non residents" to their pockets, higher bills rates, higher bus tickets, etc...it's a bit of a radical though but IMHO, that's what's all about, I don't see any other excuse!

And the offices are closed for a week in August while they move (again). No change there then!

mantonas wrote:

The way I see it, all this waiting is deliberately, coz why we're waiting for them to make a decision, Malta's economy it's growing so, no wonder they're not in a hurry. All this long waiting means more money from "non residents" to their pockets, higher bills rates, higher bus tickets, etc...it's a bit of a radical though but IMHO, that's what's all about, I don't see any other excuse!


i have to agree antonio

there is no excuse for this they have had years to organise it. Welcome to RIP OFF CENTRAL

Hi Guys !
Could somebody confirm whether you send your original documents or get them copied and certified and send instead ?
Also is the address.....
Director Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs
Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs
2nd floor,
3, Castille Place
Valletta

Huge thanks

Kate :)

Hi Kate,

Just the certified copies of your original documents will be enough. And the address you mentioned, it's the correct one too. You can confirm all this info, HERE

This is just part of the info provided on that page:

"If one is an EU/EEA/Swiss national or a family member of a EU/EE/Swiss national, one may send the application by post. The photograph and photocopy of the passport or foreign ID of EU nationals
must be authenticated by either one of the following:
- a public officer not below the grade of Principal or analogous grade,
- a police officer
- a professional person,
- a Minister for Religion or any other person of similar standing.
When an application is sent by post, original documentation need not be posted with the application
"

Cheerio,
Antonio

Hi, I'm sorry to trouble you all but has anyone got a contact number for the Deparmtent of Citizenship and Expatriot Affairs?  I've tried 2200 1830 but it doesn't seem to be working.  Cheers.

I think this is the week that they are moving so may not be answering the phone.

Terry

Ah, where are they moving to btw?  Thank you for the reply!

Hey guys
since I am new to all these and I am moving to Malta next week to start working there can I ask something?
I always thought this residence things will be done by my company.
but I guess I am wrong? so will I have to fill in all the documents and do it by myself?
and when can I do it? when I get my work contract or the SSN?
Thanks
Pantelis

bh73 wrote:

Ah, where are they moving to btw?  Thank you for the reply!


The old Evans building at the bottom end of Valleta, where the old ID cards came from.

Terry

Lobo81 wrote:

Hey guys
since I am new to all these and I am moving to Malta next week to start working there can I ask something?
I always thought this residence things will be done by my company.
but I guess I am wrong? so will I have to fill in all the documents and do it by myself?
and when can I do it? when I get my work contract or the SSN?
Thanks
Pantelis


Hi Pantelis

Unfortunately, you will have to apply for the residency yourself, the employer won't do it for you.

In regards to the Social Security Number, you can apply for it as soon as you get here, coz you will need it when starting.
To apply for the eResidency doc, you will have to get a job 1st or proof that you are self sufficient. When applying for the residence, they will ask you for your work contract, self-employed certificate or a proof that you earn enough money to support yourself.

Hope that helps!

Cheerio,
Antonio

thanks Antonio. it helps a lot. I already found a job in Malta. so as soon as I get my contract I ll start the application for residency :) by what I read it might take a while. guess Malta and Cyprus are very similar in how they run things government wise :)