Moving to Malta from the EU, EEA or Switzerland

EU and EEA nationals can live and work in Malta without a work permit, but anyone intending to stay longer than three months must register residence. Swiss nationals use the same online portal and broadly similar evidence, although Identità describes their document as a residence permit rather than an EU registration certificate.

You must be physically residing in Malta before applying. First-time registration and renewal are currently free. Identità states that the normal process takes about 30 working days and that the residence document is generally valid for five years.

Choose the route that matches your real situation

Your basis in Malta	Core evidence	Form
Employee	Active Jobsplus registration plus contract, recent payslip or Jobsplus history	Form A
Self-employed	Active Jobsplus self-employment, VAT certificate, tax certificate and social-security certificate	Form A
Economically self-sufficient	Sufficient resources plus comprehensive health cover, S1 or Entitlement Certificate	Form J
Student	Acceptance from an accredited institution, resources and usually health cover	Form M
Family member	Relationship evidence and sponsor documents; health cover where required	Form F.01 or F.02

Do not select employment simply because you expect to find work later. The evidence must support the basis chosen when you apply.

Documents every applicant should prepare

• Valid passport bio page or both sides of a valid foreign identity card
• The basis-specific application form signed as Identità requires
• Signed GDPR form
• Original documents and one copy for the biometrics appointment
• Official English or Maltese translations where required
• Existing or expired Maltese residence card, if any; a Malta police loss report if it was lost

Apply through the official Expatriates Unit Portal. Identità sends the appointment details and tells you which originals to bring.

EU or EEA employee document pack

Before submitting, confirm that the employer registered the job with Jobsplus and that the status is active. Upload:

1. Passport/foreign-ID copy.
2. Work contract. If the employment is older than six months, add a recent payslip or Jobsplus employment history.
3. Form A and the current employment checklist.
4. Signed GDPR form.

An EU national can work before the residence card is issued, but the employment must still be registered with Jobsplus. Keep proof of the engagement because it also affects tax, social security and healthcare.

EU or EEA self-employed document pack

Register the activity first; the residence application expects the business records to exist. Prepare:

1. Recent Jobsplus employment history showing active self-employment.
2. VAT certificate from MTCA.
3. Tax registration certificate.
4. Social-security/National Insurance certificate.
5. Passport/foreign-ID copy, Form A and GDPR form.

Use the current Identità self-employment checklist and our self-employment setup guide to complete the Jobsplus, VAT, tax and contribution steps in the correct order.

Economically self-sufficient applicants

You must show both sufficient resources and comprehensive sickness cover so that you are not likely to become an unreasonable burden on Malta's social-assistance system.

Evidence can include pension statements, secure investments/bonds, bank statements or an MTCA document. Identità assesses sufficiency against the minimum means used for Maltese social assistance; it does not publish one permanent universal bank-balance figure for every household. Show recurring income, accessible savings and how dependants will be supported—not a unexplained one-day transfer.

For healthcare, provide comprehensive insurance valid in Malta, an S1 issued by the competent country or a Maltese Entitlement Certificate. Applicants receiving a Maltese government pension are currently exempt from supplying private cover. Submit Form J and the self-sufficiency file.

EU student document pack

Prepare:

• Acceptance letter from a licensed and accredited institution
• Bank statement or other stable-resource evidence; financial support can be documented by a signed sponsor declaration, relationship details and the sponsor's travel document
• Comprehensive health insurance, S1 or Entitlement Certificate
• Form M, GDPR form and identity document

Students at the University of Malta, MCAST or ITS are currently exempt from the Identità health-insurance document requirement. Other students should not assume that an EHIC alone satisfies long-term residence evidence. Use the live student checklist and Form M.

Registering a spouse or child

Make a separate application for each family member. The normal file includes:

• Family member's identity card/passport; a non-EU family member supplies the full passport copy
• Sponsor's passport and residence document, if already issued
• Original and copy of marriage or birth certificates proving the relationship
• Form F.01/F.02 and GDPR form
• Custody order or the other parent's written consent where a minor does not live with both parents
• Health insurance where the sponsor is self-sufficient, or where the family member/student route requires it

Non-EU-issued civil documents may need legalisation/apostille and official translation. A non-EU family member's health policy must currently provide at least €100,000 of inpatient and outpatient hospital cover in Malta. Follow the current family-member checklist rather than relying on the sponsor's employee list.

Swiss nationals: what is actually different?

Swiss nationals still apply after the three-month point through the Expatriates Unit Portal and select the appropriate Swiss option on the form. The first application is free, the normal published processing expectation is about 30 working days, and the resulting document is normally valid for five years. The practical evidence follows the relevant employment, self-employment, self-sufficiency, study or family basis, but the legal label on the form/card may be “residence permit” rather than the EU/EEA registration certificate.

From arrival to card collection

1. Move into accommodation and obtain usable address evidence.
2. Complete the event that proves your basis: Jobsplus engagement, business registration, school acceptance or insurance/resources.
3. Download the current form and checklist for that basis.
4. Scan legible complete documents and submit via the portal.
5. Attend biometrics with originals and copies.
6. Keep the receipt and answer any request for missing evidence quickly.
7. Check the issued card's name, address, basis and expiry date.
8. Activate e-ID and verify tax, social-security and healthcare records.

Questions to ask before submitting

• Is my Jobsplus engagement active under the exact employer/occupation?
• Does my insurance cover the route and every family member for the required period?
• Do civil documents need apostille/legalisation or translation?
• Does every dependant have a separate application?
• Will my passport remain valid throughout the process?
• Do the address and name match across lease, employment and identity records?

Next guides

• Moving to Malta Checklist
• Residence Card and e-ID
• Self-Employment in Malta
• Healthcare When Moving to Malta

Last reviewed: 9 August 2026. Forms, evidence and appointment procedures can change; the linked Identità checklist is the action source, while this page explains the normal file.