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Malta

Malta EU free movement

EU free movement (EU, EEA and Swiss citizens)

First checked against official sources on Change log

Key facts

EU free movement is a long-stay route for Malta. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.

Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

  • Only for passports from 31 countries

What you'll need

Who can apply2

  • Citizens of EU and EEA states and of Switzerland can live in Malta without a visa or residence permit.
  • Stays of up to 3 months need only a valid passport or national ID card.

What you must show3

  • After 3 months, work, self-employment, study, or sufficient resources with health insurance is needed.
  • Self-sufficient residents need resources at least equal to the minimum means for social assistance to Maltese nationals.
  • Self-sufficient residents and most students also need comprehensive sickness insurance cover in Malta.

Documents3

  • Registration needs a valid ID or passport plus proof of work, study, or resources and insurance.
  • Workers submit a work contract or recent payslip, with active Jobsplus registration; the self-employed submit VAT, tax and social security certificates.
  • Students submit an acceptance letter from a licensed institution and proof of sufficient means.

Steps3

  1. Apply online through the Expatriates Portal of Identità, once you are residing in Malta.
  2. Identità replies with a biometrics appointment and the list of documents to bring.
  3. The process takes about 30 working days; the eResidence document is generally valid for 5 years.

After you arrive3

  • Permanent residence is acquired automatically after 5 years of continuous lawful residence.
  • After 5 consecutive years of real residence, a permanent residence document valid for 10 years may be issued.
  • Swiss nationals and their family members cannot apply for permanent residence on this basis.

When you become tax resident

How Malta decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

Tax residence

Residence for the ordinary rates and the remittance basis follows residence and domicile in Malta under the Income Tax Act.

Foreign-source income

Remittance basis (non-dom)

For a person who is not ordinarily resident or not domiciled in Malta, income arising outside Malta is taxed only on the amount received in Malta and capital gains arising outside Malta are not taxed; Maltese-source income is taxed normally.

Special regime

Not ordinarily resident or not domiciled · Tax relief

All tax rules for Malta Tax records checked

Official site
Full official text

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live and work in Malta without a visa or permit. Those staying longer than 3 months register their residence with Identità and receive an eResidence document, usually valid for 5 years. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Requirements

  • Citizens of EU and EEA states and of Switzerland can live in Malta without a visa or residence permit. 1 8
  • Stays of up to 3 months need only a valid passport or national ID card. 1 3
  • After 3 months, work, self-employment, study, or sufficient resources with health insurance is needed. 3 15
  • Self-sufficient residents need resources at least equal to the minimum means for social assistance to Maltese nationals. 11
  • Self-sufficient residents and most students also need comprehensive sickness insurance cover in Malta. 11 12
  • Registration needs a valid ID or passport plus proof of work, study, or resources and insurance. 2
  • Workers submit a work contract or recent payslip, with active Jobsplus registration; the self-employed submit VAT, tax and social security certificates. 10
  • Students submit an acceptance letter from a licensed institution and proof of sufficient means. 12
  • Apply online through the Expatriates Portal of Identità, once you are residing in Malta. 9
  • Identità replies with a biometrics appointment and the list of documents to bring. 9
  • The process takes about 30 working days; the eResidence document is generally valid for 5 years. 9 10
  • Permanent residence is acquired automatically after 5 years of continuous lawful residence. 4
  • After 5 consecutive years of real residence, a permanent residence document valid for 10 years may be issued. 14
  • Swiss nationals and their family members cannot apply for permanent residence on this basis. 14

Stay

  • No time limit; register with Identità and obtain an eResidence document (usually valid for 5 years) if staying longer than 3 months.
  • First 3 months up to 3 months: Valid ID card or passport only.
  • After 3 months: Worker, self-employed person, student, or person with sufficient resources and comprehensive health insurance; registration of residence.

Nationality

Citizens of the 27 EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Work

EU nationals may work as employees or self-employed persons in Malta; employees must be registered with Jobsplus, and all pay social contributions and tax on their income.

Family

Spouse, a durable partner of at least 2 years, and children under 21 may join; dependent older children and parents may be admitted on proof of dependency.

Checked 2026-10-10

Official sources

  1. Residence rights when living abroad in the EU · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  2. Registering residence abroad after the first 3 months · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  3. Residence rights for economically inactive EU citizens · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  4. Permanent residence (after 5 years) for EU nationals · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  5. Work permits · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  6. Work in the public sector abroad · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  7. Your non-EU spouse and children's residence rights in the EU · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  8. The European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and the North · European Parliament · checked 2026-10-10
  9. eResidence Document Application (EU nationals) · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  10. eResidence Document: Employment · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  11. eResidence Document: Economic Self-Sufficient · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  12. eResidence Document: Study · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  13. eResidence Document: Family Members · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  14. eResidence Document: Permanent Residence · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  15. Registration Certificate and eResidence Document · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10

EU free movement and its alternatives

RouteMoney neededStayWork
EU free movement––Yes
EU free movement Portugal––Yes
Free movement by treaty Spain–5 yrYes
Visa-free stay (12 months) Georgia–1 yr–
EU free movement Italy––Yes

Questions people ask

How long can I stay on the EU free movement?

No time limit; register with Identità and obtain an eResidence document (usually valid for 5 years) if staying longer than 3 months.

Can I work on the EU free movement?

Yes. EU nationals may work as employees or self-employed persons in Malta; employees must be registered with Jobsplus, and all pay social contributions and tax on their income.

Can I bring my family on the EU free movement?

Spouse, a durable partner of at least 2 years, and children under 21 may join; dependent older children and parents may be admitted on proof of dependency.

Who can apply for the EU free movement?

Citizens of the 27 EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Is there a tax break for EU free movement holders in Malta?

Malta: not ordinarily resident or not domiciled - foreign-source income taxed only when received in Malta: For a person who is not ordinarily resident or not domiciled in Malta, income arising outside Malta is taxed only on the amount received in Malta and capital gains arising outside Malta are not taxed; Maltese-source income is taxed normally. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.

Tax

Special regime

Malta: not ordinarily resident or not domiciled - foreign-source income taxed only when received in Malta

Tax relief

Foreign-source income: Remittance basis (non-dom)
Details
  • On: Income arising outside Malta and received in Malta (remittance basis)
  • Who: Not ordinarily resident in Malta, or not domiciled in Malta

For a person who is not ordinarily resident or not domiciled in Malta, income arising outside Malta is taxed only on the amount received in Malta and capital gains arising outside Malta are not taxed; Maltese-source income is taxed normally.

Taxed on

Income arising outside Malta and received in Malta (remittance basis), plus all Maltese-source income and Maltese capital gains;.

Who it applies to

  • Not ordinarily resident in Malta, or not domiciled in Malta (Income Tax Act proviso (i) and (ii)).
  • Persons charged at 15 cents in the euro under article 56(11) are taxed only on Maltese-source income and capital gains and on foreign-source income received in Malta.

Exclusions

  • Maltese-source income and Maltese capital gains are fully taxable.
  • Foreign-source income that is received in Malta (including foreign-source income remitted) is taxed.

Tax residence

Status depends on ordinary residence and domicile as defined for Maltese tax law; visa status is not the test.

Visas

Independent of the immigration permit.

Other taxes

Social security contributions and VAT are separate; Nomad Residence Permit income rules are in a separate record.

Checked against official sources on Change log

Full page →

Similar visas elsewhere

🇫🇷 EU free movement🇬🇧 Visa-free stay (6 months)🇦🇱 Open Balkan🇭🇺 Visa-free stay (4 months)🇷🇸 Open Balkan🇦🇲 Visa-free stay (6 months)

≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

Ask the AI about this route AI

An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.

How this was checked

Checked on 2026-10-10 against 15 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

  1. Residence rights when living abroad in the EU · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  2. Registering residence abroad after the first 3 months · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  3. Residence rights for economically inactive EU citizens · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  4. Permanent residence (after 5 years) for EU nationals · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  5. Work permits · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  6. Work in the public sector abroad · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  7. Your non-EU spouse and children's residence rights in the EU · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
  8. The European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and the North · European Parliament · checked 2026-10-10
  9. eResidence Document Application (EU nationals) · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  10. eResidence Document: Employment · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  11. eResidence Document: Economic Self-Sufficient · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  12. eResidence Document: Study · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  13. eResidence Document: Family Members · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  14. eResidence Document: Permanent Residence · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10
  15. Registration Certificate and eResidence Document · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10

Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.