New to the blog and to Malta!

I wish i was able to give you a more definitive answer but the answer is -it depends on what day of the week you go to the bank and whos working .
One day you will need a banking reference , the bank you currently have will charge you for this service but they would supply one .
another day  you will need to have your E-id card  and a letter of introduction from your employer or possibly a contract etc

Hi Martok78,

unless your non -EU wife receives Italian citizenship very soon ( within the 3 months time limit) you will have to apply for residency yourself so that she can profit from the Freedom of Movement Act.  Residency in Italy does not give a right to residency in Malta. Only to visit for up to 3 months. There is no thing as European residency.

You will have to apply for residency as soon as possible or part with either your car or your wife -))))

As a non-resident you will have problems opening a bank account.

Cheers
Ricky

Thanks for your advice Ricky! Unfortunately my wife won't become Italian before 7-9 months.
I guess I will evetually have to part with the car, she won't try to kill me ))

About the car... I have been sent a link to Maltese law on vehicle registration tax, and apparently there is a way to be exempt from paying it if you match some criteria. If it is useful I can post it.
If that is true, then it's great, otherwise I will have to bring the car back in Italy and see if I want to have a small Maltese one.

Re banks, spoke with a couple of banks today just to get a feel... HSBC seems would give me an account only if I provide my credit record dating back generations as well as a Maltese reaidency. ))
Sparekasse instead offered me a sort of pre-paid card/account for which I'd need only to provide my passport and an address in Malta.

Thanks again for your answers!

Marcello

Hi Marcello,

there is a lot of info on car tax exemption on the forum. You will have to 'match' all the criteria. One you are a resident ( you have to register yourself and apply for your wife because she is non-EU ) you are not allowed to drive a foreign plated car in Malta. So you either need the exemption or have to pay the tax.

The information and tips are already on the forum so there is no need to post it again.

Cheers
Ricky

Thanks again.
I will surely read through all what I find concerning the car exemption.
I have more questions related to this topic I will post them in the appropriate thread

Cheers
Marcello

ricky wrote:

you will have to apply for residency yourself so that she can profit from the Freedom of Movement Act.

Sorry... does this mean that my wife can apply for residency only once mine has been granted?

Thanks
Marcello

Hi Marcello,

yes,  you have to apply for your wife to receive residency as your family member through the Freedom of Movement Act (EU). You can register yourself and apply for your wife at the same time. Under this Regulation your non EU wife is entitled to residency.

If you yourself are not resident she does not have this 'Right' on her own. Then she would have to apply for temporary residency or residency through a work permit or studies and so on.

Cheers
Ricky

Thank you!
I hope you don't feel bombarded by my questions
When you say "register yourself", you mean apply for my residency, or I follow a different procedure compared to my wife's?
I have read here on the forum that to obtain residency it can take anything from 2 weeks to over 2 months... there won't be problems with my car and turistic stay?
Thank you
cheers
Marcello

Hi Marcello,

there is a difference.

As you are an EU citizen you have to register yourself as resident as soon as you consider resident , at the latest after 3 months. If you fulfil the requirements your registration has to be accepted. AS an EU citizen you don't have to apply , you just register -))

Your wife is non-EU and as such has the right as being your family member as you were both resident in Italy. She can travel as a resident of Italy within the EU for up to 3 months. Before the 3 months expire you have to apply for her here in Malta the same way you did it Italy. The rules are the same.

As your wife is non-EU the timeframe can be important so don't leave it until the last minute. One you become a resident you have 20 days to register your car as you are not allowed to drive a foreign-plated car in Malta once you have registered as resident.

Cheers
Ricky

You are an EU national and therefore you do not need to apply for residency.  You are automatically resident from Day 1.  You enjoy freedom of movement and the right to treatment equal to that of citizens of the host country anywhere within the EU from day one.  Your wife also enjoys this freedom of movement, being part of your family.

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=457http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/re … dex_en.htmhttp://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/ … 152_en.htm

There is a lot of confusion to do with this, and even the powers that be haven't a clue.  People are often told that they need an e-residence card which gives the impression that this is some kind of residence permit.  But it's not; it's just an acknowledgement of your REGISTRATION of residence in that country. 

Once you have been living in any EU country for 3 months, then you are meant to inform the authorities that you are there and they should AUTOMATICALLY, THERE AND THEN give you immediate acknowledgement of this.  This is the e-residence card but Malta should be giving these immediately an EU national registers their residence. 

So, if this means that you are experiencing problems with bank accounts, utility bills, internet and telephony accounts etc because you are told that you need an e-residence card, then these institutions are actually breaking EU law. If the e-residence card was issued immediately you informed the authorities of your intention to stay, then there would not be any problems with these institutions.  So I would firmly tell these institutions that this is in breach of EU law and that you will be informing the EU about this.  Unfortunately, even though Malta joined the EU ten years ago, front of office staff and even higher up, haven't a clue about how EU law affects their practices. 

I think the moral of the story is:  Know your rights under EU law because no one who should does!

I would also like to add that if you wanted you could register your residence before the 3 months are up.

it  will also take them ages to process ......

Thank you all very much for the info. I am now settling in the new home in Swatar. Still figuring things out... but I think I will register residence ASAP.
I would also be very happy to buy a Cisk or Kinnie to any of you who would not mind a meeting to be pestered by questions 

cisk ,,,,ewww
kinnie.....yeuck seriously why do people like this its like orange and coke mixed together and i can't stand it lol

robpw2 wrote:

cisk ,,,,ewww
kinnie.....yeuck seriously why do people like this its like orange and coke mixed together and i can't stand it lol

Well I have to admit Cisk is not my fave drink... Kinnie is ok though. Maybe because in Italy we have something called Chinotto which is very similar in taste.

im an ice tea man , im not a big alcohol drinker .. foreigners drink weird drinks lol

Thank you Johanna for your explanation. If things in Malta works the same as in italy, slamming law on the face of the worker will only place me in the bottom of their list 
I do, in fact have problems with bank accounts. A sparekasse employee suggested me to request a pre-paid card until I am officially resident.
And I foresee a lot of trouble when my wife and I will be looking for work.

My wife had issues also to travel to UK for leisure with me. After a long discussion at the London Stansted border control, they let her in, but they claimed she needed a family permit. This also was in total breach of EU regulations as far as I know... seems not all EU countries are happy with the free movement...

for bank accounts different employees have different views,
if you can get a letter of introduction from your employer plus a contract/notice of engagment then you can take this along with proof of address and passport and the bov in valletta will give you an account .. we didnt need a bank reference or anything.

Sorry to hear that, Marcello.  I think you should maybe join Class Action Against Arms, https://www.facebook.com/groups/371466666251933/

We discuss a range of issues like the ones you mention. 

Johanna MacRae wrote:

Sorry to hear that, Marcello.  I think you should maybe join Class Action Against Arms, https://www.facebook.com/groups/371466666251933/

We discuss a range of issues like the ones you mention. 

I would do that, if I could make myself join Facebook again... Maybe I will... If Malta changes my life as much as I expect.

Ladies and Gents, to sum up what you kindly brought to my attention:

Theoretically, it would be my right to consider myself (and my wife) as resident whenever I so decide. Local institutions, including Maltese government and public offices, do not follow up on EU directives.

This means, I must necessarily register myself as resident, choosing from one of the available options, which in my case would be self-sufficient I guess (I am self employed working mostly from home, but I also am looking for a job... depending what comes up). Apparently, I would have to prove that I can take care of healthcare too... so I assume I need a health insurance or something of the sort...? Although it makes no sense... as once I am resident I have right to public healthcare, don't I?

My wife must apply with me, or she must wait until I have received this e-residence, since she is Ukrainian??

I will need also to register my car obviously. As far as I understand after reading around here and in general on the internet, I should be able to exempt from paying the huge import/registration tax.

Do any of you know if there will be problems to register a car built with left-hand wheel? I am struggling enough driving on the left, I can't imagine sitting on the right!

Anyway, my offer for a drink is still up... maybe someone is bored one of the coming evenings or weekends??

Thank you a lot for the invaluable help I am getting on this forum!

Marcello

if your self suffiicient then no your not entitled to public healthcare and you need health insurance
if your self employed then you need to register to pay your tax and national insurance with your local ETC office (this is not the same as applying for residencey) you then will pay your ni contibutions meaning you will be entitled to the same healthcare as other residents and when you apply for residency you will fill out  FORM A .

you and your wife can apply together  for residency , (important note as a non eu citizen your wife must apply in person at the office in valletta,)