°µÍø½ûÇø

I suggest that you have 90 days in which to submit your application. Wait until nearer the time, then decide yourself which category to apply under. You may well have employment then.

You cannot apply under employment if you don't have a job, or at least a job offer, as it's about showing how you will support yourself financially

Also be careful about when you apply for the exemption from import tax, its very strict and you have prove that both you and the vehicle have been outside of Malta for at least two years from when you apply.
They will want to see the ferry tickets from the vehicles arrival, so don't leave it to long before applying.

Terry

Hello,
I just found the topic and I can say that I am in exactly the same situation and I had the same questions. I did some preliminary research and I also think that it is useful to share the info.

I found this:



and the main thing is that as a job seeker, you don't need to register as a resident for the first 6 months. But some EU countries do require you to report your presence to the relevant authorities (often the town hall or local police station) within a reasonable period of time after arrival.

Just in case I decided to contact the Maltese authorities in order to confirm this information. According to their answer it is also not necessary to report your presence in Malta. Here is the copy of the email I got from customercare.mhas@gov.mt:

Dear Madam,
Further to your request hereunder, and according to the Department of Citizenship and °µÍø½ûÇøriate Affairs, you may wish to note that there is no need to report your presence in Malta during the time you are seeking a job for a period of six months.

Regards,
Customer Care Co-ordinator
Ministry for Home Affairs and National Security
Valletta

Hope this info is helpful!
If you have some other information to add-thanks in advance!

Good one PMgirl. 

PMgirl wrote:

Hello,
I just found the topic and I can say that I am in exactly the same situation and I had the same questions. I did some preliminary research and I also think that it is useful to share the info.

I found this:



and the main thing is that as a job seeker, you don't need to register as a resident for the first 6 months. But some EU countries do require you to report your presence to the relevant authorities (often the town hall or local police station) within a reasonable period of time after arrival.

Just in case I decided to contact the Maltese authorities in order to confirm this information. According to their answer it is also not necessary to report your presence in Malta. Here is the copy of the email I got from customercare.mhas@gov.mt:

Dear Madam,
Further to your request hereunder, and according to the Department of Citizenship and °µÍø½ûÇøriate Affairs, you may wish to note that there is no need to report your presence in Malta during the time you are seeking a job for a period of six months.

Regards,
Customer Care Co-ordinator
Ministry for Home Affairs and National Security
Valletta

Hope this info is helpful!
If you have some other information to add-thanks in advance!

Hello everyone,

Thank you for your replies and advice, it's really helpful. 

I have been in correspondence with the MTA and they advised the following regarding the car:

"With regards to your query, kindly be informed that an individual who does not have a residence in Malta nor a Residence Card/ ID Card and hence is considered as a tourist, may drive his vehicle (with foreign plates) up to 6 months each calendar year from date of importation. If at any point the individual takes residence in Malta and obtains the Residence card, the vehicle can no longer be driven locally unless it is registered and thus obtains Maltese plates. An individual is obliged by law to register the vehicle within 20 days from date of importation if s/he has a local ID Card/ Residence Card or within 20 days from when said card is obtained, whichever comes first. Fines of € 30 per day, inclusive of weekends and public holidays apply if the vehicle is registered after this period. If an individual is stopped by an Enforcement Officer, Police Official or a Local Warden and is found in breach of this condition, the car may be confiscated until the settlement of the due fees.

In your circumstances you may evaluate the following two options:

Option 1 – Apply for a temporary permit for non-resident workers valid up to 12 months. This permit is not renewable and hence after the 12 months period the vehicle would need to be registered locally or exported. Conditions apply and include the submission of a working permit from ETC valid for at least 12 months. Kindly find attached the application VEH22 for further details.

Option 2 – Apply for the exemption from registration tax due to transfer of residence. Should your application be approved by the Ministry of Finance a processing fee of € 100 would be applicable and the registration tax due would be waivered. Kindly note that one of the conditions is that the individual would have been residing outside Malta for at least 24 months when s/he applies for this exemption and hence it is not possible to apply for the temporary permit for non-resident workers and subsequently apply for the exemption due to the transfer of residence. For your guidance kindly find attached the form VEH07."

Re-reading the above and listening to the advice you have all so kindly given, I'm now thinking that perhaps I can drive the car in Malta with it's British plates until I get a job and hence apply for Ordinary Residence and then I have to register the car at that point, i.e within 20 days of receiving my residence card?

I think that's a good question for me to go back to the MTA with. 

Thank you all for helping to clarify my thinking!

Best wishes
Alex

" may drive his vehicle (with foreign plates) up to 6 months each calendar year "

I believe its 6 months in 12 not in a calendar year

.

" An individual is obliged by law to register the vehicle within 20 days from date of importation if s/he has a local ID Card/ Residence Card or within 20 days from when said card is obtained, whichever comes first."

the second part makes no sense - that would mean if the ID/residence card was obtained on say Feb 1st and the car imported on Feb 22nd, you would have to register the vehicle before it arrived

Leximm wrote:

I'm now thinking that perhaps I can drive the car in Malta with it's British plates until I get a job and hence apply for Ordinary Residence and then I have to register the car at that point, i.e within 20 days of receiving my residence card?

I dont think so, unless you take the car out of Malta, and bring it back again.

". If at any point the individual takes residence in Malta and obtains the Residence card, the vehicle can no longer be driven locally " - the "and obtains the Residence card" isn't important - you can be resident without having your card, indeed, by applying for the card you state you consider yourself already resident - remember, as an EU citizen you are not applying for residence, you are applying for a card

In all honesty, I would take any advice from the tourist authority on residency issues with a pinch of salt - its not their area of expertise, and the advice they gave you has several errors or at least ambiguous statements (some mentioned above).

Thanks everyone.  The advice I received was from the Malta Transport Authority, not the Tourist Authority - although I see your point there are still inconsistencies & ambiguity....but I guess this is life in Malta :-)  I think I may go with my original plan and arrive and go and register the car.....

Thanks all
Alex

I wouldn't go to Malta Transport Authority for residency issues either :-)

MTA - Malta Tourism Authority
TM - Transport Malta
:-)

Ah - thank you Goergeingozo - I see how I confused everyone now!  All good learning experiences for me!
Thank you :-)

" An individual is obliged by law to register the vehicle within 20 days from date of importation if s/he has a local ID Card/ Residence Card or within 20 days from when said card is obtained, whichever comes first."

their website says 30 days, and uses much clearer English - unfortunately its it a pdf so I cant cut and paste

and click on the blue bit to download the form

That's brilliant George - thank you so much.  I've downloaded the form and have started gathering all the documents required.

I hope to be able to come and join one of your xpat gatherings when I arrive in Malta as it will be nice to meet some new people outside of my existing family there.

Thanks again

Alex