I can only give you the benefit of my own personal experience . I brought my car in March which I had shared with my daughter for two years with me and although I had been driving it for two yrs the log book was still in her name and I only changed it a month before arriving. To keep the car here was 1,773 euro in Vat and by the time I had paid for the plates, admin , Jevic, car insurance tax and everything else it was going to cost over E 2,500 . It wasnt worth iit.
I had a meeting with one of the main guys at Transport Malta.
Here is what I was officially permitted to do and was legal and all above board
Drive the car for 6 mths as a 'tourist' and to do this you must keep your GB sticker on the car. You actually get allowed 7 mths but the car must go off the island by that point.
You can not become a resident and file for an ID card in that time as once you file for residency you must register the car. Without the Id card you can still apply for your social security number, tax and banking regardless but it becomes a faf without an employment contract.
If you are coming for employment then all you need is proof of your employment contract and go to the offices with every bit of paperwork, keep the car taxed and insured in the Uk at all times, and give them your employment contract and 35 euros, they will give you a temporary permit for your car for 1 year ( by that point you have achieved 1 yr and 7 mths with the car in the country)
At the end of the 7mths I didnt have any proof that my car had come into Malta on the ferry as we had discarded the tickets ( your meant to keep them) even though I had proof of this digitally it wasnt enough for them so they suggested I take the car off the island for a few days , go visit Sicily and re enter, keep the documents of entry and return with all paperwork and money for permit. Done within 3 hrs.
If you want to ship it over or return it then I would highly recommend you use a company based here and in England called Trotters Independent traders Malta. They offer a really good price to import / export your car for you with as little fuss as possible. For mine it was £650.
To get European insurance in Uk for 365 days of the year... Asdas 5* policys are the only ones that will cover you. For me it was less than £300 for the year on fully comp on an 09 plate including breakdown in europe.
The only issue I have come up against is the Mot as this has to be done in the uk so it will be due next year before the permit expires .....Im still trying to figure out if theres a way round that one!
It really isnt as hard as people make out it is. I have to say though once you make that road trip with the car , your here to stay because its not something I would want to do again. Good luck with the journey!
