Okay, this will be a pretty short and sweet article.

As an EU, EEA, or Swiss resident it’s quite straight-forward to register as an economically self-sufficient resident in Malta.

Just make sure you meet the requirements, bring the necessary documentation, and show up at Identity Malta. Walk down the stairs to the lowest level (-1), skip queueing at the main reception but rather take the door to your right, and the last door on your left will be the section for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens registering as residents in Malta. Update: Identity Malta has moved to a new location in Msida, so these details are outdated. You should also book an appointment in advance. The wait can be several months long, so better do it as soon as possible.

You’ll need to fill out an application form. You can either print it yourself, or show up at Identity Malta and get a copy there.

Make sure you fulfill the following requirements. They are in place so the Maltese government can feel confident that you won’t be a financial burden for them.

Requirements:

  • Either €14,000 in your bank account (most recent bank statement required), or €84.95 per week in stable income (6+ months of statements required) for single persons. For married couples, the requirement is capital of at least €23,300 or income of €93.10 per week. Bring originals and copies of your statements.
  • Health insurance covering both in-patient and out-patient treatment. Bring your insurance policy document.
  • A passport (or ID card) copy, plus the original to show the staff at Identity Malta.
  • A rental contract is not strictly required, but could be helpful to make sure your address is spelled correctly, etc. I’d recommend bringing some sort of documentation demonstrating that you are either planning on staying in Malta for at least 3-6 months (rental contract, Airbnb confirmation, etc), or have already stayed for that long (e.g. bank account or credit card statements showing ongoing transactions in Malta in the period).
  • A short cover letter. Not strictly required, yet potentially helpful. Especially if you’re not a pensioner, but rather a young person who’s claiming to be self-sufficient. Briefly (in a paragraph or two) describe your intentions for staying in Malta, how you will support yourself (other than performing work in Malta–for that you would need to register for a work permit or self-employment permit), and—if not staying in Malta full time—describe how much time you will be spending in the country. 6+ months yearly is a safe bet as it rules out you spending more time in another country.

That’s it. Bring all of the above to the Identity Malta office, and you’ll be able to register. You’ll have to submit it all at the same time, and they will take your photo for your ID/e-residence card.

You’ll be notified when your card is ready to be picked up (generally in less than four weeks, but it can take over six months!).

I hope this short guide was useful. Let me know if you have any feedback or questions in forum or the comments below.

Also check out the other articles in my series on moving to Malta:

Cheers!

Cover image credit: Nomad Gate. License image for free.