New I.D. card rules

Reply from MFA today

Reference is made to your email below

All ID cards issued to foreign nationals will expire at the end of March 2013 so you will need to apply for the new document. We are accepting applications with updated documentation in order to update our records. Kindly submit updated documents.

The categories under which one can apply have remained the same and are as follows:


Economic Self Sufficiency- CEA Form J

Study- CEA Form M

Employment/Self Employment- CEA Form A

Family Members - CEA Form F

Permanent Residence- CEA Form P


These forms can be downloaded from our web-site which is www.foreign.gov.mt,
click on ‘services’, then ‘residence’. The application needs to be submitted in person and all supporting documentation presented.


Each applicant must also fill up form ID 1A downloadable from the same site.

The old ID card has to be returned to this Department upon an application for the new residence document being made. If the card has been lost or stolen, the applicant needs to present us with a police report.


Please do not hesitate to let us know if you require any further information

Hi Terry,

many thanks for you information -))

Seems to be a clear thing !

I'll go along next week with all my documents and see how things work out !

If the queue is too long we can all meet for a coffee or cisk somewhere -))

Cheers
Ricky

Nice one - I wonder what we are supposed to use for ID in the time between handing over the old card and getting the new one - I'm thinking particularly of on the buses, and for Gozo residents, on the Gozo Channel ?

Given there could be 10-20,000 people applying in the next 10 weeks, will they have extended opening hours - won't be happy if have to make more than one trip from Gozo due to long queues

well sod it i aint doing it again.

i dont use the buses and i got me bills sorted

well we are going to wait and see, its bound to be a c**k up to start with.

Terry

Hi Terry,

I'll be there on Monday morning !

My partner is non-EU and we need to stay on top of things -)))

My papers are here waiting ! If there is the slightest problem I will network with my Maltese friends who are connected .... I won't accept any crap ....

I'll report back on Monday ...
Cheers
Ricky

good luck then son.....this is one puppy who aint putting up with this garbage

Thankyou toon for this information.

Good luck Ricky, please do update us on Monday, it will be interesting to read your experience.

I presume the email means that we have until the end of March to apply and that our present id cards and residency are valid until then?

When they say we have to use our originals and provide a copy to apply does that mean they will keep our passports and original documents and the copies until we go and pick up our new cards or do we just have to take the originals with us when we apply in person and leave them with the copies and the application forms?

I've been informed there is to be an application deadline of end June, and after that fines will be issued

another money making scam....

okay, thankyou George

Today I picked up my "Registration Certification" (or "Residence Documentation for a European Union National") from the Dept. for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs (in Melita Street) which I applied for beginning of December.

It says "Valid Until: ******"

I asked if I have to apply again in March because of the changed ID card matter and they negate that, only if I change my address I need to apply for an update.

Markus

Maybe you have the new version?  What does it look like?

Its a document little bit smaller than A5, printed double sided (cover and content), it stucks in a transparent plastic cover and can be folded in the middle.
Inside (page 2) Residence Document No., name and address, and on page 3 is a "vignette" with my picture (taken from ID card) above a hologram stamp "MT", the governmental emblem on the other side and at the bottom there is a code like in the passports.

Markus

mmm, sounds exactly like my residency certificate issued 2 years ago...what the hell is going on ?

and beginning of December I applied with the (old ?) CEA/21 Application Form for EU Nationals ...

I wonder if they are going to announce that everyone with a residency certificate will automatically get the new card after all without having to reapply ? I'm not sure if under EU law that legally they can make us reapply if we already have an undated residency certificate - we've surely fulfilled our legal obligations, and its not our fault if they change their system ?

Sounds similar to our residency certs from 4.5 years ago too - except ours dont have the photo.

doesnt the new applications form ask for the provision of photos....but they dont stipulate the size or type or what is accetable as a photo - or do they assume we will know what to provide.

i d say matm's cert is the old one under the old scheme, but maybe just maybe as it has a photo on it maybe they are ok


just a further wee note i am sure i read somewhere there was to be a charge for the new card of 21euros....anyone else heard or read this

my photo is in my residency certificate issued 2 years ago.

This all reinforces me into doing nothing for another month

Hello everyone
the info below are copied from the ministry of foreign affairs of Malta. I am a EU citizen with both Maltese ID card and certificate of residency. Please note that the Maltese ID cards ending in A are not valid anymore and it applies to both EU citizens and third country nationals. The new resident certificates will be our ID cards. Please also note that the address to apply is different. In Melita street we can only pick up the certificate when ready.


APPLICANTS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO CALL AT OUR OFFICE ONLY ON THE FOLLOWING DAYS:

MONDAY: THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS

TUESDAY: EU NATIONALS

WEDNESDAY: CLOSED

THURSDAY: THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS

FRIDAY: EU NATIONALS

The opening hours of the department are as follows: 0830hrs till 1130hrs


ONLY APPLICANTS WITH COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION WILL BE ACCEPTED.
1. Confirmation that a person enjoys FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT or 'EXEMPT PERSON' STATUS. (See explanatory leaflet CEA/L/6)

2. Issue of uniform residence permits to third country nationals who have been authorized to reside in Malta in accordance with existing legislation or policies. (See explanatory leaflet CEA/L/8)

3. Issue of residence documents to EU nationals who are exercising any of their Treaty Rights in Malta as workers, self-employed persons, economically self-sufficient persons or students (and to their family members). (See explanatory leaflet CEA/L/7)

4. Details of birth/marriage certificates form (CEA/L/27)

5. The following are the new forms to apply for an e-residence document:

Application for Residence Documentation submitted by an EU/EEA/Swiss National on the basis Employment/ Self Employment as laid down by the provisions of Free Movement of EU nationals and their Family Members Order (LN 191 of 2007) and/or Immigration Regulations (LN 205 of 2004) – Form A
Application for Residence Permit submitted by a non-EU National under the conditions of entry and residence of Third country nationals for the purpose of Highly Qualified Employment (Blue Card) – Form B
Application for Residence Permit submitted by a non-EU national on the basis Employment/ self- employment – Form C

Application for Residence Document submitted by ALL Nationals for the purpose of Exempt Person Status in accordance to Article 4 of the Immigration Act – Chapter 217 Laws of Malta - Form E


Application for Residence Documentation submitted by an EU/EEA/Swiss National on the basis of Family Members  as laid down by the provisions of Free Movement of EU nationals and their Family Members Order (LN 191 of 2007) and/or Immigration Regulations (LN 205 of 2004)  – Form F
Application for Residence Permit submitted by Family members of non-EU nationals -Form G
Application for a Residence permit submitted by non-EU National who are residing in Malta under International/Humanitarian protection – Form I
Application for Residence Documentation submitted by EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who are residing in Malta on the bases of Economic Self-Sufficiency in accordance to the Free Movement of EU nationals and their Family Members Order (LN 191 of 2007) and/or Immigration Regulations (LN 205 of 2004) – Form J
Application for Residence Permit submitted by a non-EU national on the basis Economic Self-sufficiency – Form K
Application for Residence Permit submitted by a non-EU national on the basis of the Long Term Residence (LN 278 of 2006) Third Country Nationals Regulations – Form L
Application for Residence Documentation submitted by an EU/EEA/Swiss National on the basis of study as laid down by the provisions of Free Movement of EU nationals and their Family Members Order (LN 191 of 2007) and/or Immigration Regulations (LN 205 of 2004)  – Form M
Application for Residence Permit submitted by a non-EU national on the basis of Study - Form N
Application for a residence permit submitted by non-EU nationals who does not fall under one of the above categories – Form O
Application for a Permanent Residence Certificate/Card submitted by EU/EEA nationals and their family members on the bases if the provisions of Free movement of EU Nationals and their Family Members Order (LN 191 of 2007) and/or Immigration Regulations (LN 205 of 2004) – Form P

Application for a residence permit submitted by ALL Nationals who are residing in Malta and are in possession of a certificate issued under the Residence Scheme Regulations (LN 428 of 2008) – Form S
Image Capture Application Form: Form ID 2

Electronic Identity Registration Form for non-Maltese Nationals - Form ID 1A

_______________________

If you have any complaints please contact us on citizenship@gov.mt

My ID card expired ages ago and I've not bothered to get down to Valletta to renew it. I am married to a Maltese and actually have a paper somewhere entitling me to Maltese citizenship (not bothered to get that sorted either). I guess the latter might be a quicker route to sorting things than the former as the whole new id system seems a bit convoluted. Or can I continue ignoring it all until some letter plops in the box?

Hmmm "doing whatever you want " seems to be the norm in Malta ....LOL

The Ministry has changed the link on their website (having widely publicised the old one..)

http://www.foreign.gov.mt/default.aspx?MDIS=552

new info is

APPLICANTS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO CALL AT OUR OFFICE ONLY ON THE FOLLOWING DAYS:

MONDAY: THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS
TUESDAY: EU NATIONALS
WEDNESDAY: CLOSED
THURSDAY: THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS
FRIDAY: EU NATIONALS

The opening hours of the department are as follows: 0830hrs till 1130hrs
ONLY APPLICANTS WITH COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION WILL BE ACCEPTED.

I think this is important in terms of handing over the id card..on application

A Maltese national is required to personally attend the Identity Card Office only once to apply for an identity card which is issued to him on the same day.

EU law stipulates that as regards non-national EU Citizens, ‘…the relevant national authority should issue you with a registration certificate - known as an e-Residence Card in Malta - stating your name and address and the date of registration, immediately after presentation of the required documents.’

Source: See page 18 of Freedom to move and live in Europe: A Guide to your rights as an EU citizen, published by the Directorate-General Justice European Commission:

http://ec.europa.eu/justice/policies/ci … nt_low.pdf

Some strange questions on these forms:

Form S asks for "country of residency prior to settlement in Malta " then asks "Intended country of next settlement"?

Form ID 1A asks at the bottom after filling in the form :
"Do you wish to apply for*** etc"
" Do you not wish to apply for etc"

Why would you fill in the form if you didnt wish to apply for it ?

Ah well it is Malta after all, so I think wait and see will be the way to go for us.
We both have valid ID cards and residency certificates so if they become invalid because of a change in the law, its the Governments responsability to ensure that we are fully informed of any changes that alter our status as residents.

Terry

i sure wonder if indeed they will do a mail shot to all id card holders indicating the new requirements - somehow i doubt it..they cant possible expect everyone to access the internet - or understand maltese tv..or indeed buy the local paper...and further what will they really do to chase those who dont and wont bother....after all there are thousands of them NOW - as is evident pre new e-residency.

I wouldn't hold out much hope of a mailshot to inform us all in advance with clear info on what's what. I discovered a couple of years back that the biz I run with my husband required some small biz licence (we're not a cafe, tourism service etc which do need licences) when we applied for some funds.  Apparently a law had come in 7 years earlier requiring all businesses to cough up each year this blessed licence fee. But we had not been informed at all, in writing or by mail. Nada! So we ended up paying a 7 yr back log fee! From that experience, I'd say nothing will plop in the letter box re ID cards!

couldnt agree more - sounds like another pantomime in the offing...well its just after christmas so only to be expected.

Still, no residency = no tax to pay

Terry

Tax liability and residency are different things. Live here 6 month in a calender year and you have to fill in a tax return whether resident or not.

Well, I went to Valletta today, clutching my "J" papers in my right hand and my cane in my left. Seeing the 60 meter long line outside!!! I returned straight home. I could not possibly wait and stand there for a few hours. Have emailed the department to see if I can mail the documents. If not I will try again in a couple of weeks.

I just hope I don't have any trouble--being the long-term partner of an EU citizen.  My current residence document wasn't supposed to expire until 2015.  What hell we went through to get the first one!--Ilene, author of The Diary of An American Expatriate

Oh I hope this is all sorted out, we have purposely booked our flights from South Africa in order to arrive two weeks before our container and of course the Residence Permit is a requirement for customs

looks like an 8 weeks wait to get the new permits.......a friend applied yesterday - didnt have an old id card...as never needed it and was never asked for one either in over 6 years.

am hoping that this delay is because he didnt have an existing card or res cert.......

Im just confused on 1 thing, I have a residence permit good for another 4 years so do I need to reapply completely, or just fill out the form F or the new ID card?


so right now I have forms "ID 1A" per "Each applicant must also fill up form ID 1A"

I also have my "form F" per the following
Application for Residence Documentation submitted by an EU/EEA/Swiss National on the basis of Family Members

of course marriage certs, ID cards, passortts, job contract,  proof of insurance etc...


Do I also need to have "form A" with me yet again?
Application for Residence Documentation submitted by an EU/EEA/Swiss National on the basis Employment/ Self Employment as laid down by the provisions of Free Movement of EU nationals and their Family Members Order (LN 191 of 2007) and/or Immigration Regulations (LN 205 of 2004)


this is my only issue 

you need to apply from scratch

Its certainly going to be interesting...

I work full time for a Maltese Company as does my wife
Both Hold ID Cards
Both Hold Residency Permits
Both have Social Security Numbers
Own our own property

So for all this in my thoughts we would be able to go and exchange all docs for the new ID Card.... Bet that wont happen though

Julian