Residency in Malta

Hi JohnchrisLiv

Welcome to Expat.com

Have a scroll down the page and you will see that the Residency topic has been covered a few times.

SimCityAT
Expat.com Expert Team

Hello Christine.  Coming from Wales to Gozo in 2013, I needed to obtain a Certificate of Entitlement to health care before I could proceed to becoming a Resident.  I did everything after arriving here and was guided by very helpful staff at the Ministry in Victoria, Gozo.  I had to obtain form S1 from the UK which affirmed that I was registered under the UK NHS.  My UK entitlement was then transferred to Malta, where I became registered under the Malta NHS system and entitled to the same treatment as Maltese nationals.  Government admin has changed a little since 2013, but the first port of call should be to the e-Residence Unit in the Ministry in Victoria.   You should be aware that transferring your entitlement renders you an "alien" to the UK NHS system.  Only you can decide if that's a "Bad Thing"....

JohnchrisLiv wrote:

My name is Christine my husband is John, we come from Central Scotland, we have been visiting Malta since 1999 and have recently spent a few months on Gozo relaxing and doing a lot of walking around the island.
We are hoping to return within the next year to spend a longer period of time, at least a year and will be looking for a long lease in any area of Gozo and would be grateful for any recommendations that anyone may have. Ideally a two/three bed as we have family/friends who will visit.
Any advice on the process of applying for residency would also be gratefully received. We have the paperwork but don't know if we can do this before we come back or if we have to wait until we are there.

If you are not in receipt of a UK state pension then health cover via the S1 route is not available to you and you will have to either apply for the RHA certificate (Reciprocal Health Agreement) or take out health insurance. RHA only gives you basic cover but is sufficient for your residence application.

You have to be here in the country to apply for your residency as they now take the photos etc. If in Gozo then it is very easy as there are not too many applicants and the office staff are very good.

If you are able to obtain cover via S1 then your NHS cover in the UK remains and the UK will also issue you an EHIC. (Not so with RHA)

All info is in the pinned posts at the top of the page and the topic has been covered 100's of times!

Ray

Thank you for that valuable bit of info Foxglove !
I can't remember how it was explained to me, but I was led to believe I was no longer qualified for free NHS treatment in the UK, apart from emergencies (covered by the EHIC scheme).

Also, the advice about the requirement of receiving State Pensions.  I've been a pensioner so long ! 

Daicymro wrote:

Thank you for that valuable bit of info Foxglove !
I can't remember how it was explained to me, but I was led to believe I was no longer qualified for free NHS treatment in the UK, apart from emergencies (covered by the EHIC scheme).

Also, the advice about the requirement of receiving State Pensions.  I've been a pensioner so long ! 

Contact the Overseas Healthcare Team at the DWP on 0191 218 1999 in the UK and request an S1 form, they will send you 2 copies which you take to the Health Entitlement Unit. They will send one back to UK for confirmation and retain one themselves, when approved you will receive a Certificate of Health Entitlement for Malta and you will also be able to start using NHS services again for cover in UK and even travel there specifically for treatment.
You can then also request a new UK issue EHIC to give you emergency cover in the EU (at the moment!)

This link gives you the necessary information:- http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcare … ction.aspx
(Click on the heading 'UK Pensioners' just above the video at the bottom of the page.)

Ray

Daicymro wrote:

Thank you for that valuable bit of info Foxglove !
I can't remember how it was explained to me, but I was led to believe I was no longer qualified for free NHS treatment in the UK, apart from emergencies (covered by the EHIC scheme).

Also, the advice about the requirement of receiving State Pensions.  I've been a pensioner so long ! 

Your UK issue EHIC was invalid as soon as you took up residence in Malta, unless you pay in to the Maltese Social Security system Malta will not issue you one either!
The S1 route will allow you to have a new EHIC from UK.

Ray

Hi  JohnchrisLiv

Regarding the long term lease. I got my 2 br flat in Xlendi via George Grech who works at an agency called Debrincat in St Francis Sq, Victoria. I pay 300 euros pm. He and his family are very nice people.
[email protected]

Good luck.