Moving the Malta in January 2017
Please can anyone tell me their experience of moving to Malta? I have to children aged 10 and 11 that I am hoping to go to school once got residency. They do not speak Maltese but I am going to have a few lesson before we go to give us a head start.
I'm so worried my children won't have a clue what is going on, I also can not afford private school.
I am currently claiming tax credits, does anyone know if I would be still untitled to this living in Malta, I'm guessing yes because I'm still within the EU?
I will be driving car over, would I need to re register it in Malta? How much is the tax and where would I find insurance lol .....
I have so many questions.... I'll leave you with those first x
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Can't help with tax credits and the answer to the car question I have answered in your other post.
Read through the different sections on the forum as most of your questions will have already been answered.
Terry
Tubseytel wrote:Hi rob. So are you saying I can only claim in the uk not in Malta. I should really call tax credits up and see where I stand. Is there anything in place of this being a resident in Malta?
I think Robs post is perfectly clear.
I'll call the appropriate people that could help.
Thanks for ur input to
Also driving through Europe in January is not a good idea as often areas are blocked with snow and can be dangerous!
Tubseytel wrote:Hi rob. So are you saying I can only claim in the uk not in Malta. I should really call tax credits up and see where I stand. Is there anything in place of this being a resident in Malta?
what i am saying is as soon as you cease to be resident in the uk you cease to get tax credits ...
the only reasons tax credits are available abroad are set out below
You may still qualify for tax credits if you go abroad for a short period, for example on holiday or for medical treatment.
Reason for leaving How long you can get tax credits for
Medical treatment for yourself, your partner or your child Up to 12 weeks
Death of your partner, a child or close relative of either you or your partner Up to 12 weeks
Any other reason, eg holidays or business Up to 8 weeks
if your planning on moving to malta then you will no longer qualify for tax credits and as there is no similar system here in malta you will need to be able to take that into consideration in terms of your finances
Tubseytel wrote:Hi rob. So are you saying I can only claim in the uk not in Malta. I should really call tax credits up and see where I stand. Is there anything in place of this being a resident in Malta?
As Rob said, you will not be able to get Tax Credits in Malta!
Ray
I've been here three weeks. Be prepared the red tape is a nightmare. There are only three ways to residency. Either you get a job and your employer will give you an ETC. certificate or you can be self employed but to do that you have to have the business set up because they want a so sail security number , a trading licence and a company VAT number. Or you can prove self sufficiency but you need either medical cover or if you've got a British passport you can get a certificate of entitlement to free healthcare. But you need to have at least 14000 euros in the bank
I drove and registering the car is worse. I still haven't been able to do it. You have to have ID and residency to do it.
You need to research. I did and despite having all the many documents I needed before I arrived I've still hit problems.
Go on the transport Malta website and read everything about registering a car. You can download all the forms and a valuation
Good luck. Sorry I know nothing about the schools but everyone here speaks English
Please take on board what Rob has infomred you about tax credits, it is no possible to claim here unless you are away temporarily and the you would need ro inform them and they do deduct accordingly . As its a nightmare with TC they will reassess your claim for credits and you also need to prove your movements in and out of the country. Personally I think its a lot of hassle and a beuracratic nightmare to pursue it ai would cut my losses with that one.
If hubby is a singer I am presuming he will be doing the circuits but he may find hes going to need a second job to maintain and income here to match the cost of living as rents are increasing and its not balancing out with thw rate of pay as it has done before.
I know many expat mums with children here and to be fair maltese is much harder to learn as an adult that it is in the school. Kids tend to pick it up from other maltese children and it becomes second naturw. If they are older then some of the tests will prove to be more difficult and maltese is compulsory for them to get into university here. They must qualify in maltese when they leave school.
Regarding the car are well the saga goes on!
If tou have not owned the vehicle for 2 yrs you will not be expempt for the VAT importation so be prepared for. ahefty amount to payout as soon as you hit the island off the ferry as you now have 24 hrs to register the vehicle and that gives you 20 days to get your plates sorted out. Of course as somoen has already pointed out you could wait until 14 weeks to get your ID status so its a very unfair system. There are penalties to this if you do not meet the requirements and that will be 30 euros a day fines for every day it ticks over. You really need ro be on the ball as processes are very slow here, lack of responses to call back and emails so unless you are on it you could be vulnerable.
On top of the VAT if you are not exempt you pay for your plates, VRT, tax and insurance admin cost and emissions testing and you can expect to pay 500 euro on top of the VAT.
You were able if you had an employment contract for 1 yr with a company able to get a temporary permit for the car but this is very rare and if your enlgish MOT or tax runs out in the meantime it s a reall pain in the ass to get sorted. Once you drive off the ferry it all kicks in now and they know that car in on the island, if anyone tells you you can drive it off and back on again its not correct. Tourists however have a maximum of 7 mths to drive on the island and then the vehicle must be removed if you dont you are classed. as resident and your car could be impounded if you do not register it.
The weather in January id dodgy to travel so tyres and headlights need to comply and also you must have GB stickers on the car and a breathalyser in the car, it is the law in france and italy not to drive without one. You will also need EU car insurance to travel and most will only do it for a short period whislt you are travelling some will cover you 90 days max.
Ferrys - crossings can be rough around that time of the year, I think I must have had the worse crossing last year and that was mid March! Ferrys close for maintenance for 2 weeks so they may run a skeleton or temp service ..roughly this is bewtween February and March ... you will need to look into all these things before considering the logistics of your move. Its also worth knowing if your ferry is cancelled because of the weather conditions then you will need to book accomodation and theres not much on offer in Porzallo.
Speak to someone who specialises in relocations to get the best advice. Pm me for some recommendations if you need more assistance.
Tolls...expensive so lots of change in Euros , it cost us shy of 1,600 to travel with 3 nights accomodation, tolls, food breaks and fuel.
roadtripper wrote:Hi and welcome.
Regarding the car are well the saga goes on!
If tou have not owned the vehicle for 2 yrs you will not be expempt for the VAT importation so be prepared for. ahefty amount to payout as soon as you hit the island off the ferry as you now have 24 hrs to register the vehicle and that gives you 20 days to get your plates sorted out. Of course as somoen has already pointed out you could wait until 14 weeks to get your ID status so its a very unfair system. There are penalties to this if you do not meet the requirements and that will be 30 euros a day fines for every day it ticks over. You really need ro be on the ball as processes are very slow here, lack of responses to call back and emails so unless you are on it you could be vulnerable.
On top of the VAT if you are not exempt you pay for your plates, VRT, tax and insurance admin cost and emissions testing and you can expect to pay 500 euro on top of the VAT.
You were able if you had an employment contract for 1 yr with a company able to get a temporary permit for the car but this is very rare and if your enlgish MOT or tax runs out in the meantime it s a reall pain in the ass to get sorted. Once you drive off the ferry it all kicks in now and they know that car in on the island, if anyone tells you you can drive it off and back on again its not correct. Tourists however have a maximum of 7 mths to drive on the island and then the vehicle must be removed if you dont you are classed. as resident and your car could be impounded if you do not register it.
The weather in January id dodgy to travel so tyres and headlights need to comply and also you must have GB stickers on the car and a breathalyser in the car, it is the law in france and italy not to drive without one. You will also need EU car insurance to travel and most will only do it for a short period whislt you are travelling some will cover you 90 days max.
.
The regulation regarding obtaining a sticker for an imported car ONLY applies to residents of Malta.
You are not a resident until you notify the Maltese authorities via the EID application form.
So you can arrive in Malta with a car and do not need to start the registration process until you apply for the EID.
It is NOT law in France to carry a breathalyser (this was never implemented) or in Italy as far as I am aware.
If the MOT runs out before you have time to start the registration process then TM will accept a VRT certificate. UK car tax can be renewed on line provided you have a current MOT and UK insurance.
Maltese insurance can be obtained using the vehicle VIN number whilst waiting for the registration process.
As I pointed out in a previous post VAT is NOT payable on pre registered cars imported to Malta, its a registration fee.
Terry
It's a difficult country despite being I the EU
You have to have an ID residency card and without it you can't do much so please research that before you bring your children here as you will see from my previous pits there are really only two ways to get it as a new arrival Get a job or have the money in the bank
From the AA
March 2012 - the French government confirmed that from 1 July 2012 drivers of all motor vehicles and motorcycles (excluding mopeds) must carry a breathalyser. The regulation will be enforced from 1 November 2012 and anyone stopped after that date who fails to produce a breathalyser when requested will receive an on the spot fine of €11.
October 2012 - the French government announced that the implementation of the sanction for drivers not carrying a breathalyser – a fine of €11 – has been postponed from 1 November 2012 to 1 March 2013.
January 2013 - the French government announced that the implementation of the sanction for drivers not carrying a breathalyser – a fine of €11 – has been postponed indefinitely.
So theoretically you are still required to carry a self-test breathalyser when driving in France but there is no current legislation demanding a fine for non-compliance.
john champion wrote:Hello again. I've read the various responses here and let me just say you cannot do anything in Malta without ID AND RESIDENCE CERTIFICATE. You can't get a bank account register a car sign up for TV internet or a phone. I suggest you consult the Malta residency and id website before you do anything else. I somehow despite my months of research got this wrong. There are no tax credits here either do forget that if you come.
It's a difficult country despite being I the EU
You have to have an ID residency card and without it you can't do much so please research that before you bring your children here as you will see from my previous pits there are really only two ways to get it as a new arrival Get a job or have the money in the bank
You can get a bank account, you can sign up for TV and Internet and you can get a phone without an eResidence card. We did all three and simply used our passport and supplied details of eResidence card when they arrived. No problems and no deposits needed!
Indeed GO still refer to our passport number rather than an ID number on all paperwork!
Ray
My partner went into BOV and had it setup after a 30 minute visit she had no ID but did come prepared with ETC confirmation, letter from employer, lease, etc. It was real easy.
I went into HSBC and it took about 3 hours - they open the account while you wait. Again I did not show up with empty hands I had AMPLE documentation proving my situation (which is quite complex tbf) but no problem without an ID.
The bottom line is they need to know you're here, actually here and not just a holiday maker, a ID is one way to get that information but not the only way. If you provide the rest they have no problem. It's all rather pragmatic.
BOV: You can call them and get an idea of what you have to bring. In my partners case it was passport, lease, letter from employer, ETC form. You show up at a branch and they take these things from you and spend weeks setting up your account. There's a to and fro if they need more information and it can be a slow process because all communications is done via correspondence. From then any changes like a change of address is equally nightmarish and slow - in fact my partner have been unable to change her address with BOV because they are crazy, we can only do that once our ID cards come. No ID card needed in our case to open the account, we work and are ETC registered.
HSBC: You call them for an appointment, they tell you what to bring. You show up on the day at 1 of 2 branches and spend hours there. During this time they do all the checking, ask all their questions, get any clarifications from you needed while you sit there. They get approval from a manager etc, and you walk out with a account number. Cards and such follows in post. From there changing address or even changing your form of primary authentication - am currently on my driver licence and not my passport for this - is a visit to a branch, it takes time but they get it done immediately while you are there and you have a chance to answer any questions. I changed my address without even a proof of address with them. No ID card needed in our case, we work and are ETC registered.
This is why HSBC can only give you appointments in some future time rather than a walk in service. But I have done both and trust me the HSBC approach is much better while it seems more painful to begin with. I have my entire life scanned and sat in dropbox. I thought I came prepared but my situation is complex and so I was able to from my phone just email the guy I was working with anything he needed on demand, no problems, they just worked through it asking whatever they need and once done it was done and dusted in a single sitting of 3 hours.
There's a 3rd option where you can get BOV accounts before even moving here, I did that, but for that you need to pay a professional accountant etc, this probably does not apply to you. The experience and the team you then have to deal with for the rest of your time with BOV is so bad that I am closing my BOV accounts as a result. Avoid this option.
The latter opened our account in 30 minutes with nothing more than passport and copy of lease.
As far as change of address, when we moved 2 years ago we changed our eResidence cards first and then just walked in to the branch with them and it was done there and then - 3 minutes!
Ray
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