**click here for information on how to get the new e-residence card**
As bus fares are now 1.50 EUR for everybody for a full-day ticket (instead of 2.60 EUR for those without the ID card) that is one less reason to go and get a Maltese ID. But as you will see below, it’s still worth doing.
As bus fares are now 1.50 EUR for everybody for a full-day ticket (instead of 2.60 EUR for those without the ID card) that is one less reason to go and get a Maltese ID. But as you will see below, it’s still worth doing.
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| old ID card |
So this is how you go about getting your resident’s card like my one here (as you can see, it’s no good for travelling outside the country..).
Note that most of the information here refers to the old card. Click the links to find details of the new one.
**click here for information on how to get the new e-residence card**
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| Go here. |
First of all, you need to take yourself and your passport down to the electoral commission offices at Evans Building, St Elmo Place in Valetta. When you go inside, a brusque official standing at the door will ask you what you’re looking for. Mumble something about an i.d. card and he directs you to where you need to fill in an application form. Then you stand around for a little while as people finish their cigarette breaks until you see a police official who checks you passport. Then you queue again in order to get your photo taken.
One more queue and you’re informed that a letter will be sent out to you, and once you receive this you can come back to collect your card. So you need to have an address in Malta, (a hotel is not going to do it), although there is no need to prove that you actually live at this address. By the way, you are supposed to have been living – or plan to live – for at least a year in Malta, although again they don’t check this.
My letter arrived within the week so I toddled back the next Saturday for more queuing and more photos and I came away with the card clutched in my grubby little hand. All free of charge, which cannot be said for most things around here.
That’s it.
Additional Reasons to get an I.D. Card:
1. – The Maltese ID card also entitles you to free treatment at any of the public hospitals. This is possible even more important than cheaper bus fares!
2. – With this ID card you can join a Maltese public library, all free of charge.
3. – Another update, this I.D. card is actually VERY useful. If you have one of these it becomes a lot easier to open a bank account in Malta. I didn’t at the time I opened my account, and the process was rather tortuous.
4. – Makes it easy to join a video/dvd rental shop
Check out this website for more details: www.electoral.gov.mt.
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I shall be taking my place in said queue in a few weeks. May the gods have mercy on my soul 🙁
One question-does it have to be renewed annually?
We went yesterday, forms and documentation in hand (original and copies of all supporting documents). WE were in and out in 45 minutes. Easy. We were so astonished, expecting to spend a day there.
Hello Anonymous!
I am Silvia. I am planning to come to Malta at the beginning of June. I know I have to apply for this ID CARD. Is this the email address where to set up an appointment: eresidence.mfa@gov.mt ? Do I need to have a job to obtain one? Did it take long to book the appointment? I have read that it takes ages to get an appointment!?!?
Any information you can give me,is highly appreciated!
Thank you in advance!
Silvia
I e mailed for an appointment 18 months ago and I’m still waiting for a reply,good luck .ps and of course the way and info you need has changed constantly.
By the way, thank you for the really useful information!
Glad to be of service Gilly.
I don’t know about the one year thing. My original card expired after about 7 months. I do know that a lot of expats simply don’t bother renewing their cards, and carry on flashing the outdated one at whoever asks for it…
Haha! Gotta love Malta!
Thanks, David.
The question i was going to ask is i currently have a Maltese ID Card – with an A in the top right corner so although it makes life easier at first this little letter creates problems later on….I have heard a rumour that if you have resided in Malta for more than 1 year you can have this changed to an L – providing trust from your bank etc and again gaining you more benefits – any ideas if this is true?
An L on the Id card is issued to babies born after the year 2000 and to all people who applied for dual citizenship after the above date too.If you are married to Maltese I believe more than 5 years or have Maltese family you can apply for an ID card with L on it. All foreigners residing in Malta will have an A (Alien) as they call them here. If you are over 60 you are issued a OAP card and you can use the buses all day for 50cents. Foreigners unfortunately have to pay 2 euros and 60 cents and the Maltese pay 1 euro 50 cents for a day ticket. This will changing soon as this is subsidized by the government.
I will just be staying in Malta for 6 months. can i still get an ID card? Will appreciate any guidance. Thanks
Officially? I am not sure.
But can you get a card? Yes, no problem!
If they ask, just say you’re staying for a year.
Does the letter that they send to your place have any sort of code or do you have to take that letter with you and show it at the electoral commission offices? It has been more than a week and my letter did not arrive and I was wondering whether I could go there and ask for the card…
The letter is just a means for them to “prove” you live where you say you live. I don’t think there is a code on the letter, but they will ask you to present it when you return to get your card.
Hi, I already live in Malta, if you get that ID card, do you have to provide information about how you are going to found your stay?
thank you in advance 🙂
Well, I certainly wasn’t asked any questions about money when I went to get my card.
First of all, thank you. And I meant “fund” not “found” 🙂 sorry about that. Did you get any letter after asking some sort of that question?
The aplication address is out of date I believe, if my recent journey to Evans House is valid, you now need to go to Castille Place, valletta. just a quicky more will follow when I have my new card in my hand 🙂
Thanks for the tip – it is a while since I had to get one. Please do give us an update when you get your card sorted out…
Just a little extra info-my hubby went to get an ID card last week, it was issued there and then. Mind you, he has a Maltese passport and we can give a legitimate address in Malta as we’ve got a property there. )Okay, so it’s not actually our primary address…) HOWEVER, the rules for us foreigners are apparently changing soon. It might be worth a few more enquiries as he was told I would have to have Maltese citizenship to apply. I’m not sure this is actually the case but I’ll investigate a bit more. In any event they are going to start issuing biometric cards very soon…I’ll let you know what I find out.
Thanks Gilly – I have emailed to get an appointment but have not heard back yet, so let us know how you get on.
Hi everyone, we’re just on our way to Malta. I would like to know if anybody knows some news about the ID cards.
PS thanks a lot for this site it’s a great source of information 🙂
http://mhas.gov.mt/en/MHAS-Information/Services/Pages/Residence.aspx
Here is all the information you need… they only not mention that you will need a lot of patience to wait at the Department of Citizenship and Expatriates. And you have to go really early in the morning to hang in front of their doors.
I became a Maltese citizen by registration as my grandfather was Maltese. The first time I went to get an ID card, they told me I had to register my birth with them because I was born in Australia. They also told me I could use copies of my birth and Maltese citizenship certificates to do this. I went back again but this time they said they need the original certificates. Now I have to get them mailed to me from Australia. I can’t believe I have to deal with all this BS red tape just to get an ID card when I’m already a Maltese citizen!
Is it still possible for non-Maltese people to get an ID Card like mentioned in the above text? Thank you 🙂