I am a European citizen looking to relocate to Malta in the 2021 and the economically self-sufficient residency sounds like a good fit. I have been reading a lot and been getting some conflicting information on a couple of points. If anyone can point me towards some conclusive answers, that would be greatly appreciated.
The first question is whether I can apply on for the residency almost immediately when I arrive (provided I have everything I need, including a long-term rental contract) or if I have to be in Malta for 2-3 months first? This matter because do not want to be registered here in the UK (not a British citizen) where I presently live when the new tax year starts in April 2021. So, if I have do go down earlier to make sure of that, I will.
I will primarily live of savings and capital gains for a couple of year, but I will have some minor income which I do not mind declaring in Malta. Can I just add on a tax number as indicated How to Get a Tax Number in Malta as a Self-Sufficient Resident | Nomad Gate and declare the online income in Malta? Some other information seem to indicate that would disqualify the original residency type. Should I be looking at a different residency type?
Hey there, I’m a local here so hit me up if you need any further advice.
Yes you can apply immediately if you have the rental contract and evidence of income that is required. After you get the residency you will have access to Malta’s E-Gov system where you can apply for the tax number and declare your income.
It also good to note that you should maintain evidence of your income throughout your stay, because you are entitled to free healthcare provided that you can prove that you are paying your tax here.
It’s also interesting to stay tuned to new programs Malta is launching in the coming months:
Earlier this year, I moved down to Malta and just wanted to provide a slight update on the process, which has changed a little bit since the main articles on the topic here. Identity Malta has moved and more information on the new location can be found here. https://www.identitymalta.com/
To kick-off the application process for EU Nationals, send an email to eu.ima@gov.mt. I received a reply a couple of days after my first email with what they needed, see attached checklist + rental contract. I sent scanned documents back the same day, but it took almost two months to get the in-person meeting to hand in the originals. From there it took about 4-5 weeks to get a letter to pick up the residency ID.
Given the delay for me at least, I would not wait 2-3 months but send in the documents whenever you have a rental contract.
Another tip is not to change any addresses to banks, brokers, or anything financial until you at least have had the in-person meeting, which is when you get the Tax Identification Number. It was a pain to explain to a few companies, I am waiting for the TIN, any day now…
However, while I have my residency card and e-ID. I still have not figured out how to actually declare any foreign income. If anyone could provide further guidance, that would be very much appreciated?