EU Citizens e-residency process & Health Care info.

Hi everyone,

I apologize if this has already been covered but after searching I couldn't find anything.

I am moving to Malta for a new job and need to get a social security number. I plan on staying in an airbnb or hotel for the first couple of weeks while I find an apartment so would I still be able to get the social security number without a permanent address as my job will probably begin before finding an apartment?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Hello all.

Hoping someone could clarify a couple of things for me regarding economic self sufficiency route:

I am from the UK, planning to apply under economic self sufficiency.

1. I read somewhere that you have to spend a minimum of 2 months in Malta before applying under the economic self sufficiency route - is this correct?
'Update 2018: The applicant must spend at least two months in Malta before qualifying for the self-sufficient status.'

2. For the health insurance, I popped into Middlesea Mapfre and they informed me for economic self sufficiency I need health insurance that covers in patient cover. Searches online show that you need in & out patient cover - which is correct? All of the information I have found states you need 'comprehensive health insurance' - confusing

Thanks for reading

Welcome to the Forum, are you going to be working or are you retired?

Hi, I am neither working nor retired.
Planning to stay here for approx. 1 year.

If you are not working and paying national insurance or retired you need private  healthcare, you have to show proof that you have been living here and for self sufficiency by showing bank or credit card
statements for at least two months.

Got it, thanks for clarifying for me

tim55555 wrote:

Hi, I am neither working nor retired.
Planning to stay here for approx. 1 year.

If you are only going to be staying for one year it might be easier to just use the Reciprocal Health Agreement which gives basic health cover. It is sufficient for eResidence application and all you need is your passport to apply. Info in Pinned Post at beginning of forum.

HI, I have been in Malta for 3 years. When I arrived I was  not of pensionable age or working so I applied for my eID card under self sufficiency with an entitlement form form St Lukes for health as I am a British Citizen.
I then found a job and worked for just over 2 years paying tax and social security. I have not worked now since last July. Mater Dei has changed it's rules recently and my eID or passport are no longer acceptable so I went to St Lukes to apply for the RHA card but they refused to give it to me because I now receive a state pension in the UK. My pension does not come to Malta it takes care of my family responsibilities in the UK so my status here is the same as when I arrived 3 years ago. However I am told by St Lukes that I now need and S1 form but upon investigation in the UK when I was there in December this form transfers my full healthcare form the UK to Malta, something I do not want as I have not emigrated here. It also transfers my pension and tax but again I need my pension to stay in the UK. Do you know why I cannot have the RHA card just for basic healthcare like I was getting before I was paid the pension. If I ever got a long term illness I would return to the UK anyway. It doesn't make much sense to me at all.

johnny1126 wrote:

HI, I have been in Malta for 3 years. When I arrived I was  not of pensionable age or working so I applied for my eID card under self sufficiency with an entitlement form form St Lukes for health as I am a British Citizen.
I then found a job and worked for just over 2 years paying tax and social security. I have not worked now since last July. Mater Dei has changed it's rules recently and my eID or passport are no longer acceptable so I went to St Lukes to apply for the RHA card but they refused to give it to me because I now receive a state pension in the UK. My pension does not come to Malta it takes care of my family responsibilities in the UK so my status here is the same as when I arrived 3 years ago. However I am told by St Lukes that I now need and S1 form but upon investigation in the UK when I was there in December this form transfers my full healthcare form the UK to Malta, something I do not want as I have not emigrated here. It also transfers my pension and tax but again I need my pension to stay in the UK. Do you know why I cannot have the RHA card just for basic healthcare like I was getting before I was paid the pension. If I ever got a long term illness I would return to the UK anyway. It doesn't make much sense to me at all.

The Reciprocal agreement still applies and I would guess someone at Mater Dei gave you wrong information.
However the S1 route gives you full cover here, full cover still with the NHS in the UK and does not transfer your tax and pension. (It even allows you to have a UK issue EHIC card)
We have Health Entitlement Certificates via the S1 which gives full cover, our pensions are paid into UK banks.
Whilst we are liable to pay tax here if we exceed the amount of our allowances, if we earned more through pensions and investments in the UK so as to exceed UK tax thresholds we are still liable to pay whatever tax due there, only if your income from pensions and investments in the UK does not exceed the personal allowance does the UK Inland Revenue allow you to stop submitting a tax return.

Thank you for your reply but this is no longer the case. Both the Director at the Entitlement Unit and The Pensions  Dept in the UK have told me I have to make a choice I cannot have healthcare in both countries. If you already have the S1 you are OK but new applications are as I just stated. It also states this on the NHS Overseas web site.

Hi all,

I'm finding the situation regarding residency / tax etc. quite challenging for my individual circumstances.

Basically, I earn money through passive sources of income (website membership sales etc.), so therefore I do not actively "work" in Malta. However, I receive all income to my Irish bank account and use that account to live in Malta (yet to open a Maltese bank account).

I've been living here for 2 months so far, and realize I need to resolve my resident status / tax status / healthcare status.

But I'm just confused by the variety of forms and which I'm obliged under to fill out. Am I "economic self-sufficient" or am I "self-employed"? I also don't know how this impacts my ability to get the residence card. I have a lease agreement until March of next year.

I also don't know how this impacts my tax obligations. If you are economically self-sufficient, what tax do you pay?

Any assistance with any of these questions to help me on my way and I'd greatly appreciate it!!!!

apexluke wrote:

I'm finding the situation regarding residency / tax etc. quite challenging for my individual circumstances.

the situation changes regularly - every year things are tweaked and some things changed. You really need to deal with a professional who can advise you, it's worth it.

Hi
You should register for the eid residency as self sufficient. You need 14600 in a bank account doesn't matter where just print of a statement. If your under retirement age and not receiving a state pension go to the entitlement department in Pieta in st Luke's hospital for a certificate assuming you are British.  Take these documents with your lease agreement for your apt to the Evans building to register for eid residency. You don't need to pay tax if you are not working in Malta unless you change your country of residence to Malta which you don't have to do

johnny1126 wrote:

Hi
You should register for the eid residency as self sufficient. You need 14600 in a bank account doesn't matter where just print of a statement. If your under retirement age and not receiving a state pension go to the entitlement department in Pieta in st Luke's hospital for a certificate assuming you are British.  Take these documents with your lease agreement for your apt to the Evans building to register for eid residency. You don't need to pay tax if you are not working in Malta unless you change your country of residence to Malta which you don't have to do

You are still required to file a tax return in Malta, based on monies remitted here and world wide income, even if you pay tax in your home country.
If you apply for your eResidence card/ID based on self employment, then having registered as self employed you would be paying NI and have health cover through the Maltese system and you would not need RHA or private health cover.

Hi,

I want to take my application into the e-residence unit in Rabat, Gozo. But it seems to be inaccessible at the moment due to roadworks in St Francis Square and I have not seen any info about an alternative entrance.

Is the unit still working as normal? Thanks!

gordonh1264 wrote:

Hi,

I want to take my application into the e-residence unit in Rabat, Gozo. But it seems to be inaccessible at the moment due to roadworks in St Francis Square and I have not seen any info about an alternative entrance.

Is the unit still working as normal? Thanks!

Have you tried the main entrance or just the one where the e-residence office is?

Just the e-residence entrance so far. Guess I will have to try the main entrance and see where that gets me. I did try emailing them but I have not had a reply!

gordonh1264 wrote:

Just the e-residence entrance so far. Guess I will have to try the main entrance and see where that gets me. I did try emailing them but I have not had a reply!

Not surprised about the email, it's advisable to get there before they open, good luck.

gordonh1264 wrote:

Hi,

I want to take my application into the e-residence unit in Rabat, Gozo. But it seems to be inaccessible at the moment due to roadworks in St Francis Square and I have not seen any info about an alternative entrance.

Is the unit still working as normal? Thanks!

You could try the entrance next to the barbers shop, there is an interactive electronic sign just inside the doors which may show the way through the Ministry building.
Failing that ask the security  guys on the main entrance.

There are now signs in place advising people to follow a circuitous route round the corner and past the tax office then through the car park at the back. By the time I got to the e-residence unit I realised it would have been quicker to just walk through the public library! But i got there in the end. Thanks for the replies.

I have a question; in the event of no-deal Brexit, the reciprocal healthcare agreement would mean that UK citizens still get 1 month of free healthcare by just showing the passport as before? because for what I've read, in the maltese government website says the reciprocal health agreement is still valid, but I am not sure if it also applies to this rule or not.

Will I need to be present in Malta during the approximate 6-8 weeks it will take to process my application for Economic Self Sufficiency?

I have a recent issue; my father has been asked to demonstrate that he was covered by healthcare on June 2016, as he had a scan in that month. At that point he had the European Healthcare card, but he was only asked for the passport. 

After this, we got this letter asking for payment for the fees, or to provide a document showing healthcare protection on that time. We have showed them the European healthcare card for that time, but they still ask for a Certificate of Entitlement for that month, that he doesn't have.

Can they do this? I would think the european health card should be valid to cover the bill.

MaltaCommando wrote:

I have a recent issue; my father has been asked to demonstrate that he was covered by healthcare on June 2016, as he had a scan in that month. At that point he had the European Healthcare card, but he was only asked for the passport. 

After this, we got this letter asking for payment for the fees, or to provide a document showing healthcare protection on that time. We have showed them the European healthcare card for that time, but they still ask for a Certificate of Entitlement for that month, that he doesn't have.

Can they do this? I would think the european health card should be valid to cover the bill.

Is your father a resident here?  If so the European health card is for tourists only.

GozoMo, at the time of the bill he wasn't a resident yet. He got the residence later that year.

Not 100% sure, but I think the EHIC only covers you for accident and emergency medical care so it would depend on whether the Scan was part of such treatment or not.

Ok, I see. He just went to the doctor feeling ill and he was advised to take this scan. I will explain everything to the Mater Dei and see what goes. Thanks.

Good luck

Does anyone knows what documents required when applying e residence card for my family is German,my son is Canadian German and i am Canadian. I am not sure what documents will be needed from us.I have contacted the local authorities in Malta and the embassy in Canada but nothing so far

Thanks
Noah

Noah11 wrote:

Does anyone knows what documents required when applying e residence card for my family is German,my son is Canadian German and i am Canadian. I am not sure what documents will be needed from us.I have contacted the local authorities in Malta and the embassy in Canada but nothing so far

Thanks
Noah

Normally you need to take passports, copy of your lease and bank statements also proof of private health insurance may be needed.

Hi,

I clicked on your link for the Identity Malta Residency scheme but the page wasn't found according to the agency website. Went on the site directly to access the forms and guidance but the Residency Scheme isn't listed on the agencies menu of services when you click on the appropriate tag.

Do you have another link by any chance? I'm planning to settle on Gozo but I'm still in the UK so not sure what that will mean given the Brexit deadline when I'll become just another TCN by the looks of things.

Can you complete the process outside of the Maltese Islands or, as I suspect, do I need to be living and working there for a specified period of time?

Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated.

Best Wishes
Joe T

You need to be living here.

If we arrive in Malta and have a signed rental agreement for six months, can I apply for residency immediately; and will the process be completed within the three month period?

dennisp99 wrote:

If we arrive in Malta and have a signed rental agreement for six months, can I apply for residency immediately; and will the process be completed within the three month period?

Short answer is no.
Identity Malta are currently processing applications for UK citizens on the basis of the new 10 year ID/Residence card and require proof that you have resided here for 3 months prior to application. This is usually by means of a bank statement showing ongoing local transactions.

If you are applying under the self-sufficiency category you will also have to show proof of income.

Also a 6 month lease is considered a short let so that might also be a problem for a first time application, not 100% sure on this though.

They have not issued the new cards yet so no one knows when applications will be completed.

If you take up residence here before the 31st December 2020, I believe you can still apply for residency up until July, 2021, after that you would be treated as a TCN.

I've been living in Malta since July this year and I have only just been given an appointment to attend Identity Malta.

This is the email I received from them explaining the 'rules'.

Until the 31st December 2020 UK Nationals shall enjoy the rights to settle in Malta and even access the labour market without the requirements of a permit. Applications will be received until the 30th June 2021.

After living in Malta for not less than three months, you will be able to submit an application for a residence card against appointment via this email.

You will need the following:

Proof of settlement date.
Original passport and copy of passport biopage
Evidence of consecutive stay in Malta is required. Bank statement showing transactions in Malta from proof of date of settlement until the first day of employment is required (in case of employment)
Copy of work contract, Jobsplus declaration and last payslip (in case of employment)
Social security receipt, Vat registration (copy) and Jobsplus declaration (for self-employed)


Bank statements showing Name, surname, address, source of income and transactions in Malta from proof of settlement date until the date of submission (For economically self-sufficient) Capital balance of €14000per person is required in case no source of income is provided.
Any relevant document you deem relevant to show your continuous stay in Malta.

I would also take a copy of your lease as sometimes they do ask for it.

Hi Adrian,

Same here, since July in Malta.
I`m still waiting for elusive appointment.
How long did it take if I may ask?
I prepared following for my self-sufficient application:
1- Cover Letter
2- Long Residential Lease,copy and original.
3- Bank statement ( MeDirect Maltese Branch),copy and original.
4- Health Insurance, copy and original.
5- Housing Authority printout, I registered with them.
6 - Printout of my Passport, high quality color.

I lived in a few countries so I know the drill so to speak.

50pence wrote:

Hi Adrian,

Same here, since July in Malta.
I`m still waiting for elusive appointment.
How long did it take if I may ask?
I prepared following for my self-sufficient application:
1- Cover Letter
2- Long Residential Lease,copy and original.
3- Bank statement ( MeDirect Maltese Branch),copy and original.
4- Health Insurance, copy and original.
5- Housing Authority printout, I registered with them.
6 - Printout of my Passport, high quality color.

I lived in a few countries so I know the drill so to speak.

Are you from Dublin? If so you will not receive a letter for your residence card you will have to apply
yourself.
The above refers to the new card because of Brexit.

GozoMo,

British Passport holder.
Don`t have Irish passport.
Long story.

Thanks.