The story so far ...
We're shipping a 40 foot container of household goods from Australia to Malta - and within it will be a small car (Mitsubishi Colt), which we've owned for 3 years. We're transferring our residence to Malta, so we expect the vehicle registration tax to be waived (download application form, provide supporting evidence, apply well in advance).
We will arrive 2 months before the container and take ordinary residence. We can also convert our driving licences to Maltese EU driving licences (we have the form for this). We could hold off changing our residence status & licences until we have the car sorted, if that would make things easier.
When the container arrives, the vehicle will be offloaded by the freight forwarder and taken to a depot at Marsa (so we are told). The car went through an MOT today in Aus - but not to EU specs. I'm confident it will need a VRT in Malta.
It may / may not have plates (we have the option of surrendering the Aussie plates before departure, but we think it may be better to hold onto them, to make things simpler for the Maltese authotities).
Australian insurance does not cover Malta, so we couldn't even drive it out of the depot for a VRT - unless we can get some form of policy / cover note from a Maltese insurer beforehand (which would only be useful if the car also had plates - so we think it better not to surrender the Aussie ones). We think perhaps we'll apply for insurance cover locally when we receive a due date for the car's arrival in Malta.
We realise we'll need to prove prior ownership for 2 years, roadworthiness, transfer of residence, insurance and licence - and we'll also have to pay fees for waiver of registration, Maltese plates and road tax.
We'll be glad when it's all over, and it simply gets down to an annual renewal process - but meanwhile, have we overlooked anything?? For example, one website mentioned a need to get a vehicle import permit - but we can't find the form for that or see how / where to apply for one - so perhaps it's out-of-date advice.
I think we've got our heads around the laws - but any advice on procedures, timing, forms etc. would be most welcome. And please correct any incorrect assumptions.
Cheers.