Malta Tourist & Residency

You can stay for 90 days as a tourist - no visa required, if you stay more than 90 days you cease to be a tourist and are required to complete residence documentation and have health cover of some sort. Your EHIC ceases to be valid.

If you work here then you are not a tourist and have to register, again completing residence documentation and have health cover. Your EHIC ceases to be valid.

If you become resident here as above you also have to inform the tax office.

Ray

I'm quite sure Ray is right about all that, however, in reality it's hard to prove whether you are a tourist or not, i.e. you might be on holiday but still working online. Something I (unfortunately) often have to do, being self employed, I can't really tell my clients they need to wait until I'm back from my holidays. And you can be sure they'll call right on the first day of the holidays with an important project that can't wait...

I was in Malta for 3 months last summer - as a tourist - but obviously had to do work during this time. Had no problems whatsoever. I did obviously have health cover (Austrian EHIC), as I continued to pay my social security contributions (which are much higher in Austria than in Malta, btw., but that's another topic) - luckily, though, I didn't need the EHIC as I wasn't ill.

Thanks Ray, though are you sure I'd be subject to taxes as a tourist in this 90 day period? It would seem unlikely to me, though that is only my personal thinking/logic. My company is based and operates in the UK and pays UK corporation tax.

Whilst a tourist you would not have to pay tax but, as far as I know, if you work, even for an overseas company, you cease to be a tourist and would have to register and pay tax on money remitted to Malta (unless from capital). But if you have paid tax on that already in the UK you would be able to offset that against your liability here under the double taxation arrangement.

Ray

Exactly... I do some stuff online to ensure the business is running smoothly. I think I'll ask a malta tax advisor to reaffirm things. I'd actually like to visit Malta multiple times due to climate and proximity to the UK... so need to see howhat staying longer than 90 days can affect me. Maybe I can for 90 days and come back and then go again later that year.

F0xgl0ve wrote:

Whilst a tourist you would not have to pay tax but, as far as I know, if you work, even for an overseas company, you cease to be a tourist and would have to register and pay tax on money remitted to Malta (unless from capital). But if you have paid tax on that already in the UK you would be able to offset that against your liability here under the double taxation arrangement.

Ray

I would only remit capital to Malta so that shouldn't be an issue and I pay myself annually via dividends vs salary - thoughts?

Have a read of this if you haven't already.

https://www.gov.mt/en/life%20events/mov … malta.aspx

SimCityAT wrote:

Have a read of this if you haven't already.

https://www.gov.mt/en/life%20events/mov … malta.aspx

Hey SimCity,

That's an interesting read indeed, especially this sections:

"Tourist Visa
This allows you to legally live in Malta for 90 days. You can stay longer by either getting an extension from the police or by leaving and coming back again for 90 days. If you’re planning on living on the island long term, then you should look into becoming a permanent resident.

So if you’re planning on moving to Malta, you don’t need to apply for residency before moving. You can use your tourist visa while you sort things out and settle in and, in the meantime, apply for residency while you are in Malta"

So the question is, can I be taxed there while being a tourist... I'll try to find that out from a lawyer and update this thread accordingly