Some schools are refusing to accept the old ‘A’ ID card.

Hi Caroline,

yes, things can change very fast!

Getting back to your specific situation, as much as I can judge from the info given by you, you need to legalize and regularize your position and that of your children as fast as possible.

Until your own legal position is clear you will have a problem claiming EU rights for your children. But maybe you can negotiate with the school authorities that they accept receiving the necessary documents a bit later.

I wish you luck
Ricky

redmik wrote:

coxf0001 wrote:

This is it, the schools are not asking everyone for proof of residency, they are just asking the people who look like they don't.
The children should come first, educated whilst the evidence of residency is checked by the authoroties?

Agreed but it also appears that this has happened in a very small number of cases only and the reports have not been verified. (See my emails etc.)

Also as I wrote:

I know that there are many exceptions but when dealing with many ‘front line’ staff we also have to remember that they cannot make decisions only do what they have been told to do. It also gives some an opportunity to put their own prejudices into action, which they do and then they hide behind the ‘rules is rules’ mantra.

And that happens in the UK.

What I am trying to say is the same as Terry and George et al.
We are guests in another's country. They set the rules. And, they are very little different to anyone else, including Britain's.

Guests in another's country?

No, Non-Maltese EU citizens, exercising and enforcing their Freedom of Movement rights as decreed by the EU Treaties.

"Guests in another's country?

No, Non-Maltese EU citizens, exercising and enforcing their Freedom as decreed by the EU Treaties".

Provided of course that you comply with the law in that country or are you saying its OK to break the law in Malta?

Yes, we are guests and that is my fundamental attitude.

Not one of 'I'm here and I have rights and you'd better follow them'.

(Yet, make no mistake, I am no subservient man and I spent over 20 years helping others gain what was rightfully theirs.)

I have applied my philosophy wherever I have lived in the world. It is one of respect and recognition of that country's laws and culture.
There are ways and means and direct confrontation does not work.
Negotiation and compromise is the way.

Unless of course we are believing that the Empire lives on through the EU?

Malta and its people are wonderful though sometimes challenging but the challenges are what makes life interesting and provide opportunities for learning.

What disturbs me is the reporting of inequalities without verification and citing a few instances as the 'norm'.

Apparently I should have published the email I received in whole. I do not know why as the parts I did not publish here were not relevant to the discussion but.............as I have been asked.....

Hi Mick and Lynnder,
Thank you for contacting the "Up in Arms" action group.
Regarding the "school enrollment issue" we are currently investigating how many children this affects.  The immediate unconfirmed report is that due to procedure changes within the Department of Education  children not in receipt of the e-residency card will be asked to produce one and that the extended 'A' ID card is not being accepted as a means to enroll children at school.  It has however been verified in two instances to date, (two verified- six unverified)  that children already enrolled and attending school have been asked to produce this card in order for them to remain in school. 
Please bear with us whilst we take the time to verify with the Department of Education exactly what the procedures are, which should be done by tomorrow, and if there are any temporary solutions to this issue.
If you are experiencing problems enrolling your children in school please advise and we will do our level best to forward to you the accurate information you require and help you in any way we can.
It may also be of interest to you to join us on our Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/371466666251933/
Where a warm welcome awaits you.
Remember Malta is a beautiful Country to live and though yes, there are a few bureaucratic hurdles to cross, there is nothing that cannot be resolved through open, honest and polite discussion
If we can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.
sincerely

In some ways I hope its impacting hundreds of children not the odd one or two, as it will get resolved much quicker. Its not clear if its isolated schools, or all schools who are applying this

if its all schools it would suggest a central instruction would it not.

toonarmy9752 wrote:

if its all schools it would suggest a central instruction would it not.

Indeed - the fact that its not all foreigners children without eID card that are impacted, suggests it isn't a central instruction, but one (or more) headmasters acting on their own initiative.

i suspect its from the education dept and a central instruction..... and it ,may be impacting more now as they no longer issue the receipt - which is said to be acceptable. so the watchword will be that if you got kids to register for school ask for the application receipt - and do it personally if you can

toonarmy9752 wrote:

wasnt there a rule during WW2 that all jews had to be rounded up and gassed - ah well its the rules so thats what must happen. no questions no challenges and it must be right!!!!!! despite the geneva convention.

harsh analogy but nevertheless true.

Found this elsewhere: update: (verified by the Ministry of education)

New regulations for the enrollment of 'Foreigners' in schools, were issued LAST WEEK. The new guidelines stipulate that the new e-card is a necessary document for the enrollment of students. The old ID card is not acceptable. If you do not have the e-card as yet you must request a receipt from the relevant department to show that your documents have been accepted and that your card will be issued. If you have not yet received an appointment or have used the postal option you must contact the department and ask for a receipt to be issued. All children must be in receipt of a valid e-card by 2014.

Nice find - so if you have kids of school age, you really shouldn't apply by post.

Arnold Cassola, leader of AD / Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party, has just issued a statement about this latest illegality:

https://www.facebook.com/arnold.cassola … ion=stream

Arnold's statement is not entirely accurate
"Today, Maltese government schools are not accepting expatriate children enrolment if parents do not have a Maltese electronic ID card"

from redmik's post above, a receipt to show you have applied is sufficient, at least til the end of the year

i would agree GnG but how many new arrivals will actually know they should ask for it as its not publicised anywhere.... lets hope the schools advise appropriately.

I juts cant see that the will hit their own deadline... especially as they still havent uprated their resources despite massive problems in issuing permits.

aren't they issuing receipts to everyone again ? I thought thats what someone posted a couple of weeks ago

toonarmy9752 wrote:

I juts cant see that the will hit their own deadline... especially as they still havent uprated their resources despite massive problems in issuing permits.

naturally - its another final deadline, to be replaced by a final, final deadline, which at some point will become the "this time we mean it, deadline"

The problem is also that many have been following the advice given to ignore such 'illegalities' like e-residence cards and contuinue as if no one would bother. Whether A.Cassar complains about it or a sack of rice in China spills is about the same importance for those in need of a e-residence card for everyday life. All the rest who don't need it can sign one of the many petitions.

Now it is hitting back that the advice was not so good. After all, the change came 9 months ago.

By the way while researching something else I came across the fact that the UK also issues e-residence documents and take their time doing that! Up to 3 months.

EU citizens can apply (like Germany) but don't have too unless they have non-EU family members. Then they do have to apply to be allowed to stay in the UK.

So I think the talk about illegalities by certain posters is far stretched and I wonder if they themselves have the e-residence card or ,at least, applied for one.

Bottom line is that it seems almost certain that the ID cards with 'A' will not be extended another time after November 30 th. So if you would like to have cheap bus rides, the Gozo ferry for free and free schooling for resident school children you should get moving - now !

Cheers
Ricky (without e-residence card yet but with application receipt)

and 7 months waitng ricky as you were one of the first....hardly acceptable.

and NO GnG they are not issuing the temp receipt to everyone - only to those who demand it having given a valid reason for requesting it ie registering their children for school.

toonarmy9752 wrote:

and NO GnG they are not issuing the temp receipt to everyone - only to those who demand it having given a valid reason for requesting it ie registering their children for school.

ah, so you need to know to ask for it !

it would seem so - put it this way would you know about it (well maybe you would but the vast majority wouldnt - hence the need and use of this forum and others) if you were a new arrival - it and if so where would you have found out about it..

Hi Toon,

true , but I know very many know who applied with us and after us and have received their new cards.

That it would take longer in my case was clear for me as my partner is non-EU!

So , yes , 7 months is too long and I have taken action -)) Most others who started the process with us or after us have been issued with cards. I would not want to make my case an example - it may not be typical !

Cheers
Ricky

mine took about 3 months, my wife (non-EU) 5 months. However friends of ours had the reverse - non-EU 3 months, EU 5 months

i suspect of the ones who have the cards now - many are the ones who already had it - but i guess there are many many more who have now applied by post still havent heard from the dept..i did ask and the response was - "you have to realise there are hundreds that have not even been input to the system" hardly satisfying. and i think quite optimistic on their part....

Hi George,

but you are georgeingozo, I'm only ricky (in malta).

That probably makes a big difference !

Cheers
Ricky

They are processing quite a few - the day I picked up my card I queued for 40 minutes, and I'd say were issuing them every 1-2 minutes, so probably issued 200 that morning

ricky wrote:

Hi George,

but you are georgeingozo, I'm only ricky (in malta).

That probably makes a big difference !

Cheers
Ricky

I must have walked on the red carpet without noticing

i wonder if there are any official figures on the issues to date - and for the third time does anyone know anyone who applied by post that has actually got their permit
.

Hi George,

that would be around 1 thousand a week ! Even if they only issue half as many (500) per week you are still looking at 2000/month.

Considering the potential number of foreigners residing in Malta they must be getting their numbers together soon !

So even without your red carpet it seems they are working out the numbers.

My personal feeling is that those complaining at highest level are those that didn't even care to apply yet! But maybe I'm wrong - as usual-)))

Cheers
Ricky

toonarmy9752 wrote:

does anyone know anyone who applied by post that has actually got their permit
.

I don't, but when did they start allowing applications by post ?

a good few months ago for EU - i did ours in may but i deliberately didnt do it straight away for sure so its got to be 3-4 months then

even with your numbers ricky thats still some considerable months away from being up to date - assuming they havent lost the applications - sorry mislaid them

are they now printing them on site....

Hi toon,

my figures were based on the personal observations and calculations of George on one particular day.

Knowing Malta I deducted 50 % as efficiency in Malta normally can't be guaranteed on that level over a longer period of more than few days ( departments move site, employers call in sick, trade union meetings take place and the phone rings all the time and has to be answered (or not)).

Do you advise me to re-calculate my figures on the efficiency quota to  25 % or maybe even less ? Or maybe George was there on a bad day and the true number is higher than the original figure quoted by George?

Let's guess how many foreigners are interested in applying for e-residence? I think it will be less than 15.000 ....

Cheers
Ricky

No am not saying that Ricky am simply saying its still a long way off their deadline - they do seem intent in putting as many obstacles in the way as is humanly possible. when it should really be a simpler system than they have implemented and changed so many times. its not rocket science is it.

it may well be less than than 15000 id guess that so far its less than 6-7000 so far..... and the bulk of those will be the ones without problems and those who already had it. the rest well its their choice to do or not do so after all its not like theyre forced to do so are they......and the MHAS are on public record as saying "no enforcement measures are envisaged"

Article 8 - Administrative formalities for Union citizens - Directive 2004/38/EC:

‘….2. The deadline for registration may not be less than three months from the date of arrival. …’ 

Please see page 19:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/Lex … 123:en:PDF

welcome to chaotic malta

Hi Byron,

you avoided my question: Have you already received the e-residence card or applied for it yourself?

And, to be honest, Malta is exactly within the limit of 3 months! You don't have to apply before the 3 months are up but after 3 months you do . So that is within the EU legal limits.

I'm sure Malta will accomodate for new arrivals with school children who arrived after 1 st. July 2013 to avoid payment of school fees when the new school year starts.

Other EU countries do not require the 'e-residence' card application but have national laws governing registration that can be a lot more strict than what is enforced in Malta.

That includes the UK.

What is all the fuss about?

Cheers
Ricky

Byron49,

on another point with EU voting rights , I would question every application including my own as to whether the applicant has given up their residence and voting right in their former country of residence !

If you want to consider voting for the EU elections you have to give up your residence in any other EU country. You are not allowed to be entitled to vote in several EU countries at the same time.

How is that ensured? I'm not aware of being asked to prove that I gave up my voting rights and residency in any other EU country. That's a big can of worms ....

Cheers
Ricky

I assume that people who have already applied, either by post or in person will now experience further waiting times for their eresidence cards to be issued due to the amount of applications they will receive and need to rush through for parents of children needing to start school in a few weeks!

I think i read somewhere in the last few months that there was a move to remove your home countries voting rights once you had been away from your home country for 15yrs.......