Malta · Spouse visas
Malta Spouse of a resident
First stay: 1 yr
Family reunification residence permit for the spouse of a third-country resident (S.L. 217.06)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a resident is a spouse visas route for Malta. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- €50 ≈ $56
- Processing
- Up to 270 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
Government fees€50 ≈ $56
- EUR 50 (≈ $56)Application fee per family member, paid online with the application.
RenewalRenewable
The first permit is normally valid for 1 year and renewed annually while the sponsor meets the conditions.
Permanent residenceGeneral rule: 5 years of residence
Third-country nationals who have lived legally and continuously in Malta for 5 years or more can apply for long-term residence, with stable resources, accommodation and integration measures.
ProcessingUp to 270 days
The law allows up to 9 months for a decision.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work isn't allowed on this route
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
- Only from age 21
What you'll need
Who can apply4
- Sponsor holds a valid Maltese residence permit with at least one year validity.
- Sponsor has lived legally and continuously in Malta for at least two years when applying.
- The spouse is at least 21, in a monogamous marriage, and is outside Malta when the application is made.
- The family has adequate accommodation and health insurance of at least EUR100,000 (≈ $112,000) per family member.
What you must show2
- Sponsor basic gross income is at least the average annual gross wage in Malta plus 20% for each dependant included.
- Only one sponsor's income is assessed, and bonuses, allowances, overtime and part-time income do not count.
Documents2
- Covering letter, sponsor residence permit, apostilled marriage certificate and passport copies.
- Architect attestation, registered lease and recent payslips or contracts.
Steps3
- The sponsor files Form G.01 online through the Expatriates portal for each family member.
- After the approval in principle, visa-required spouses apply for a National D visa.
- A health screening is done at the biometrics appointment.
After you arrive1
- The first permit is valid for one year and is renewed annually while the conditions remain met.
When you become tax resident
How Malta decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
1 year at first, renewable
- 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
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
The family has adequate accommodation and health insurance of at least EUR100,000 (≈ $112,000) per family member
- Accommodation
The family has adequate accommodation and health insurance of at least EUR100,000 (≈ $112,000) per family member
- Police certificate and civil documents
Covering letter, sponsor residence permit, apostilled marriage certificate and passport copies
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For the spouse of a non-EU national who has lived legally in Malta for two years. It gives a one-year residence permit renewable annually while the sponsor still meets the conditions. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- A fee of EUR 50 (≈ $56) · Application fee per family member, paid online with the application. 1
Requirements
- Sponsor holds a valid Maltese residence permit with at least one year validity. 1
- Sponsor has lived legally and continuously in Malta for at least two years when applying. 1
- The spouse is at least 21, in a monogamous marriage, and is outside Malta when the application is made. 1
- The family has adequate accommodation and health insurance of at least EUR100,000 (≈ $112,000) per family member. 1
- Sponsor basic gross income is at least the average annual gross wage in Malta plus 20% for each dependant included. 1 2
- Only one sponsor's income is assessed, and bonuses, allowances, overtime and part-time income do not count. 1
- Covering letter, sponsor residence permit, apostilled marriage certificate and passport copies. 1
- Architect attestation, registered lease and recent payslips or contracts. 1
- The sponsor files Form G.01 online through the Expatriates portal for each family member. 1
- After the approval in principle, visa-required spouses apply for a National D visa. 1
- A health screening is done at the biometrics appointment. 1
- The first permit is valid for one year and is renewed annually while the conditions remain met. 1
Stay
- First permit normally valid for 1 year; renewed annually (Form G.02). The law allows up to 9 months for a decision, and standard applications are usually decided in about 60 days.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
A family reunification permit on its own gives no right to work.
Family
Unmarried minor children can be reunited; parents and adult children are only covered under the separate Family Members Policy.
Official sources
- Expatriates FAQs: family reunification (S.L. 217.06) and Family Members Policy · Identita (Expatriates Unit, Malta) · checked 2026-10-11
- Family Reunification Regulations (S.L. 217.06) · Government of Malta (legislation.mt) · checked 2026-10-11
- Long-term residence (non-employment permits) · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a resident and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a resident | – | 1 yr, renewable | No |
| Spouse of a citizen | – | – | Limited |
| Spouse of a resident (policy) | Needs income from €19k a year ≈ $21k | – | – |
| Partner of a citizen | – | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen Portugal | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a resident?
A fee of EUR 50 (≈ $56). Application fee per family member, paid online with the application.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a resident?
First permit normally valid for 1 year; renewed annually (Form G.02).
How long does the Spouse of a resident take to process?
The law allows up to 9 months for a decision.
Can I work on the Spouse of a resident?
No. A family reunification permit on its own gives no right to work.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a resident?
Unmarried minor children can be reunited; parents and adult children are only covered under the separate Family Members Policy.
Who can apply for the Spouse of a resident?
Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Spouse of a resident lead to permanent residence in Malta?
The general rule for permanent residence in Malta is 5 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for Spouse of a resident 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
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
More in Malta
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 3 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.
- Expatriates FAQs: family reunification (S.L. 217.06) and Family Members Policy · Identita (Expatriates Unit, Malta) · checked 2026-10-11
- Family Reunification Regulations (S.L. 217.06) · Government of Malta (legislation.mt) · checked 2026-10-11
- Long-term residence (non-employment permits) · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. 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.