Original document : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-malta
Change description : 2019-06-03 11:27:00: EU Exit update: added changes to 'Passport Validity (6 Month Rule) and EU Visa-Free Travel' section [Brexit]
Showing diff : 2019-04-29 10:31:49 +00:00..2019-06-03 10:31:23 +00:00
Guidance
Official information British people moving to and living in Malta need to know, including EU Exit guidance, residency, healthcare and driving.
To keep up to date with information about EU Exit:
If you plan to remain in Malta for more than 3 months, you must contact the Department of Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs to apply for residency. The Malta government will issue an identity card once you are registered.
For information on visas and residency you can:
You should make sure you are registered as a resident in Malta before the UK leaves the EU.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your rights will be recognised if you are legally resident in Malta before the end of the implementation period on 31 December 2020.
If there are any changes to residency rules or registration processes after the UK leaves the EU, we will update this guidance as soon as information is available. You should sign up to email alerts.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you will need to get a new non-EU residence permit within 2 years of the UK leaving the EU. This will protect your rights, including access to healthcare, rights to work and access to social benefits. Your current EU residency document will remain valid in the meantime. This residency document will be:
If you arrive after the UK leaves the EU, you will be eligible for the 10 year residency permit as long as you satisfy the criteria. You will have to pay the same fee as third country nationals.
We will update this guidance when we know how and when the application process for the new residency permits will take place.
You can apply for or renew your British passport from Malta. If you cannot get a passport in time for your trip, you may need to get an emergency travel document or ‘emergency passport’.
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If you are legally resident in Malta, you should carry your residency permit with you when exiting or entering Malta after the UK leaves the EU.
See our travel advice for Malta
You can read the NHS guidance about healthcare for UK nationals living in and visiting Malta
If you are resident in Malta, you should not be using a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Malta.
If you are legally resident in Malta, you should check if you are eligible to apply for the Maltese RHA Entitlement Card through the Maltese government website. This lets you access healthcare services in Malta.
RHA Entitlement Card holders are not entitled to long-term care and treatment outside Malta and are not eligible for the European Health Insurance Card from Malta. The Maltese government has more information on RHA cards.
You can register at your nearest health centre on the Maltese government website and make GP appointments. You will need to bring an identity card or passport.
If you are visiting Malta for 30 days or less, you may present your UK passport to access healthcare services.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your current rights on access to healthcare in Malta will remain the same until 31 December 2020, as long as you remain a resident in Malta.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you will continue to be able to access healthcare as now. This includes those who currently access healthcare through the S1 form.
If you are visiting Malta for up to 30 days, you will still be able to access healthcare with a UK-issued EHIC. We are currently working on more healthcare agreements with the Maltese government. You can read the Maltese Government factsheet on the UK leaving the EU without a deal for more information.
If you plan to visit Malta after the UK leaves the EU, you should continue to buy comprehensive travel insurance to ensure your healthcare access is protected.
In an emergency, go directly to Mater Dei Hospital or Gozo General Hospital.
You can find English-speaking doctors in Malta. You should also check your prescriptions are legal in Malta.
If you are registered as a resident in Malta, you have the right to work in Malta. You can read our guidance on working in another EU country.
When looking for work, you may need to:
If you are planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession after the UK leaves the EU, you should read our further guidance.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your right to work will stay the same until the end of the implementation period.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, if you have the new non-EU residency document you will be able to work in Malta and will not need a work visa or employment licence.
The UK has a double taxation agreement with Malta to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.
You can read guidance about:
For advice on paying tax in Malta, you can find an English-speaking lawyer.
You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, it may become more expensive to use your UK bank card in Malta. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you should read our guidance on using a bank card, insurance or other financial services.
The UK leaving the EU will not change existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Malta. You should direct individual taxpayer questions about double taxation to the relevant tax authority.
You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad
If you retire in Malta, you can claim:
If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you don’t.
The UK government will continue to pay the UK State Pension to those eligible after the UK leaves the EU.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Malta, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Maltese pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Maltese government will recognise pension contributions that were made in the UK before the UK leaves the EU. You should read the Maltese government’s factsheet for more information on pensions.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you can also read our guidance on pensions.
You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Malta. You should:
If you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks, many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you.
You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.
You may be eligible to claim some Maltese social security benefits. You should:
The UK government will continue to pay child benefits, and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Malta, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for Maltese contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after the end of the implementation period.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Maltese government have confirmed that they will continue to take periods of work in the UK before the UK leaves the EU into account when claiming Maltese contributions-based benefits. We will continue to update our guidance on this.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you can read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.
If you are resident in Malta, you should exchange your UK licence for a Maltese one by completing Transport Malta’s DRV30 Form.
If you are resident in Malta, you will not be able to renew a lost, stolen or expired licence with the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You should therefore exchange your licence for a Maltese one before your UK licence expires.
For information on driving in Malta, you can read our guidance on:
You can also read the European Union’s guidance on exchanging or renewing your driving licence.
You should read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.
Once you’re resident in Malta, your imported car must have Maltese number plates.
You can also read the European Union’s guidance on car registration and taxes in Malta. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so you will need certificates of exemption.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, driving licence rules will stay the same during the implementation period.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, your UK driving licence will be valid for up to a year after you register as a resident in Malta. UK driving licences can be exchanged for a local Maltese one without having to retake your test.
You will not need an International Driving Permit if you are visiting Malta.
We will update this guide when more information becomes available.
Read our guidance on driving in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
If you’re resident in Malta you can vote in local municipal and European Parliamentary elections.
You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:
If you are resident in Malta, you can continue to vote in local municipal elections after the UK leaves the EU. This will include the local elections in May 2019.
You will no longer be eligible to vote in European Parliament elections after the UK leaves the EU. We are seeking arrangements with Malta to secure UK nationals’ right to vote in Malta. We will update this guidance if more information becomes available.
If your child is born in Malta, would will need to register a birth abroad
If someone dies in Malta, you can:
Find out how you can get married abroad.
Read our guidance on renting and buying property in Malta
There may be minimum value limits when purchasing property in Malta as a third country national. You will need to apply for an Acquisition of Immovable Property [AIP] Permit.
You can read the Maltese government’s guidance on buying property for more information. You may also wish to seek legal advice.
When the UK leaves the EU, you will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret but the rules will change. You can read guidance on pet travel to Europe after EU Exit.
While the UK is still an EU Member State you’ll be able to travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current EU pet passport. If you’re travelling with your pet for the first time you’ll have to visit your vet to get a pet passport.
Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK. For moving pet horses and other equines read guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.
The emergency number in Malta is 112
If you need urgent help, are the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis in Malta, contact the British High Commission Malta
Essential actions to take before leaving Malta:
You should read our guidance on:
To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.
If you receive healthcare in Malta through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.
This information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Maltese authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.
2024-07-26 09:59
New guidance on the EU’s Entry-Exit System (Passports and travel section).
2022-03-11 08:00
Important information in the ‘Working in Malta’ and ‘National insurance and social security contributions’ sections if you work in Malta, even it if it is for an employer based in the UK.
2022-03-07 14:51
Changes to the Driving in Malta section to reflect the latest Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Government of the Republic of Malta and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
2021-03-03 11:08
Coronavirus section updated with a link to guidance on vaccines
2020-09-07 12:19
Passports and travel section updated to include information on passport validity and entry requirements when travelling to other European countries from January 2021
2020-07-09 10:37
Visas and Residency section updated with information about the new residency registration scheme returning to full service.
2020-04-17 16:16
Updated 17 April 2020
2020-03-23 12:19
Updated 23 March 2019
2020-03-10 13:25
Visas and residency section updated with information on the new residency card that the Maltese government will issue.
2020-01-23 16:18
Brexit update: includes further details on passport validity, healthcare rights and State Pension uprating if the UK leaves the EU with a deal
2019-09-23 17:05
Brexit update: healthcare section updated to reflect transitional arrangements announcement
2019-09-03 17:01
Brexit update: Pensions section updated to include further details on State Pension uprating.
2019-06-25 09:17
Added new information in Healthcare section about S1 certificates.
2019-06-03 11:27
EU Exit update: added changes to 'Passport Validity (6 Month Rule) and EU Visa-Free Travel' section
2019-04-29 11:28
EU Exit update: updated information in pensions, healthcare, passports and returning to the UK sections