Some schools are refusing to accept the old ‘A’ ID card.

toonarmy9752 wrote:

I think i read somewhere in the last few months that there was a move to remove your home countries voting rights once you had been away from your home country for 15yrs.......

I think that was a UK, rather than an EU proposal - might have been in the Queens speech

rainbow3 wrote:

I assume that people who have already applied, either by post or in person will now experience further waiting times for their eresidence cards to be issued due to the amount of applications they will receive and need to rush through for parents of children needing to start school in a few weeks!

at the moment its very unclear as to how far reaching the schooling issue is or its impact. one thing is for sure and you can take this all the way to the bank..... delays are inevitable - mainly due to incompetent planning of the whole shambles.

georgeingozo wrote:

toonarmy9752 wrote:

I think i read somewhere in the last few months that there was a move to remove your home countries voting rights once you had been away from your home country for 15yrs.......

I think that was a UK, rather than an EU proposal - might have been in the Queens speech

not sure where i read it but i certainly didnt read the queens speech... and yes i meant the UK.

Every British citizen who has been registered to vote in the UK within the last 15 years is eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary (general) elections and European Parliamentary elections.

If you were too young to register when you left the UK, you can still register as an overseas voter so long as your parent or guardian was registered to vote in the UK, providing you left the UK no more than 15 years ago.

- See more at: http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register_t … hB676.dpuf

Subject: The right of British citizens to vote in European Parliament elections in Malta and in UK Parliamentary general elections.

From: Electoral Registration Transformation Programme
Elections and Democracy Division, Cabinet Office
Floor 5B (5.18-5.22), 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ

Dated: 12th May, 2011:

‘……In the UK it is not an offence to be registered more than once but it is an offence to vote twice in the same election, so the registration officer was simply made aware that the overseas elector had also registered in another member state. No registered elector was struck off the electoral register in the UK for the European elections in 2009 because they had made a declaration that they intended to vote in another member state, thus they would have remained registered for any UK Parliamentary election if their entry in the register as an overseas elector had not expired……’

Well, this is really stressing me out now. It's going to be at least 3-4 months before I can sort out these damn passports of mine...In the meantime, think I'm going to speak to a MP that I know...See how far that gets me!

always worth a punt......

Re: The documents required in respect of Maltese children to attend Government schools in contrast to those required in respect of non-Maltese EU / EEA / Swiss children to attend Government schools:

1) Documents required in respect of non-Maltese EU / EEA / Swiss children to attend Government schools:

Applicants are to attach with this application the following documentation.

Original and photocopy of e-Residence permit (sic) issued by the Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs;

Original and photocopy of child’s birth certificate, if child is not born in Malta;

Original and photocopy of translation of the birth certificate, if it is not in English;

Original and photocopy of passports / ID cards of child/ren and parents;

Original and photocopy of proof of residence in Malta;

Original and photocopy of marriage certificate;

Original and photocopy of a legal document denoting who has the care and custody of the child, if the child is not accompanied by both parents;

Qormi Polyclinic Screening Certificate;

Any other documents that deem necessary.

Both  parents  have  to  call  at  the Ministry  for  Education  and  Employment  in order to submit the application.

Source: The Ministry for Education and Employment:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q9nv9dlq38soh … EMENTS.pdf

2) Documents required in respect of Maltese children to attend Government schools.

a) One of the Parents' Id Card or Legal Guardian's Id Card

b) Most recent Water & Electricity Bill as Proof of Residence

Source: The Ministry for Education and Employment:

https://www.education.gov.mt/mediacente … ration.pdf

Expat anger as schools won’t accept old ID card - The Times of Malta, Monday, 2nd September, 2013:

With children returning to school in a couple of weeks, European expatriates are facing a hurdle as schools refuse to accept their regular ID card as proof of residency.

Linzi Adair, from England, has been living in Malta for two years with her husband and two children and possesses an ID card issued to residents.

Her daughter already attends the Pembroke primary school but when Ms Adair, 37, decided to enrol her five-year-old son in the same school, she was made to “jump through hoops”.

Two months ago Ms Adair was asked for a list of documents including her passport, house letting agreement, work contract, utility bills and the new electronic residence card to enrol her son.

The Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs is replacing ID cards for non-Maltese nationals with e-residence cards, a process that has been marred by chaos and delays to the exasperation of expats.

But Ms Adair is still waiting for an appointment to start the process of issuing the new card, after e-mailing the department in January.

Earlier this year, the department announced that the validity of the regular ID cards of foreign nationals had been extended until the end of November of this year.

So when Ms Adair pointed this out, the school accepted her regular ID card.

However, six weeks later she was told that the procedure had changed and she needed to pick the documents back up from the school and take them to the Education Department – which refused to accept her ID card.

She was informed she would have to pay for her son’s education if both she and her husband had not received the temporary receipts of their e-residence cards pending their issue.

Speaking to this newspaper, she questioned the legality of this procedure, as the regular ID cards were accepted for Maltese applicants.

The Your Europe website, run by the Communication department of the European Commission, states that as EU citizens, children are entitled to attend school in any EU country under the same conditions as nationals of that country.

“It’s unfair. Both my husband and I work here and pay taxes. We have health insurance. We don’t take anything off the country, and all our wages go back to the economy, so I don’t understand why everything is made so difficult here.

“Would any Maltese person be made to go through such efforts and extremes if they lived in England? I don’t think so,” she said.

The Up in Arms action group, the voice of expatriates fighting against what they say are discriminatory higher utility bills and bus fares, among others, is also questioning the legality of the new e-residence card, urging EU citizens not to pay fees to State schools.

Some parents have commented on Facebook that they were only informed that the procedures had changed last week.

Last week, Alternattiva Demo-kratika said it was unacceptable that public schools were not accepting enrolment of expatriate children if their parents did not have the e-residence card.

Asked why regular ID cards of foreign nationals valid until November were not being accepted, the reply from an Education Ministry spokesman was that the Directorate for Education Services found that ID cards only were not enough as proof of residence. It was very easy to get an ID card on an address, so all applicants needed further proof of residence.

The newspaper also asked what would happen to children whose parents do not manage to obtain the e-residence card, and was told the directorate will do “its utmost” to ensure all applicants are accepted as long as all documents were presented.

“We need to ensure that all parents present necessary documents to show that they are the legal guardians and that they have right of residence.”

Source: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/vi … ard.484469

The ‘e-Residence Card / New identity card shambles features prominently among the hundreds of ‘Reasons for signing’ which are appended to this petition – “EU Commission: Stop the discrimination of EU Nationals in Malta”:

https://www.change.org/petitions/eu-com … s-in-malta

Why didn't she have the old residency card as well as her ID card ?

Hi Byron,

your quoted 'your europe' website also says:

Registration

During the first 3 months of your stay in your new country, you cannot be required to register (to obtain a document confirming your right to stay) but can do so if you wish.

After 3 months in your new country, you may be required to register with the relevant authority (often the town hall or local police station).

To obtain your registration certificate, you will need:

    Employees / Postings abroad
        Valid identity card or passport
        Certificate of employment or confirmation of recruitment from your employer

Your response sounds a bit like 'Pick and Mix' - I choose what I want ............

Please don't contuinue posting only half the truth! You are getting Expats into trouble . Petitions are not going to work.

By the way, did you apply for e-residence yourself ? Or are you still in denial?

Many Expats are already in possession of the e-residence card or have at least applied.

Cheers
Ricky

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=291993

Hi Byron,

another good example of pick & choose . Following the link and reading you will find amongst other points from the DIRECTIVE 2004/38/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

10) Persons exercising their right of residence should not,however, become an unreasonable burden on the social assistance system of the host Member State during an initial period of residence. Therefore, the right of residence for Union citizens and their family members for periods in excess of three months should be subject to conditions.

(12) For periods of residence of longer than three months, Member States should have the possibility to require Union citizens to register with the competent authorities in the place of residence, attested by a registration certificate issued to that effect.

(14) The supporting documents required by the competent authorities for the issuing of a registration certificate or of a
residence card should be comprehensively specified in order to avoid divergent administrative practices or interpretations constituting an undue obstacle to the exercise of the right of residence by Union citizens and their family members.

We can keep this going on for months Byron. What are you actually trying to say with your posts? You are giving biased information to those Expats who choose to go along with you. Families are being asked to pay school fees because they have not applied for residency and you even ask them to petition on the grounds of biased information. That does not help these families.

Cheers
Ricky

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/get … anguage=EN

Byron, are you for real?
Pasting in irrelevant links to further your own aims are a disservice to those who come here to look for help/advice/opinions.
You have not expressed anything (that I have seen) that even remotely compares to any help, advice or opinion.
Are you for real or are you a 'bot'?

(Can't wait to see what petition I'll be invited to sign in response to this.)

I am totally convinced that the way forward out here is NOT by beating the Maltese over the head with EU this and EU that. They will not give a flying twopenny crap for that. It will make them resist change all the more. Such a strategy is self defeating and will cause trouble and hassle because in the resisting, opinion will turn against the 'alien' and give rise to even more discrimination.

My rambling thoughts....

1.) People have thought, that the ID card, was registering for residency or thought that was all that was needed.

Who's fault? The people for not searching the right info, or the Maltese, at the ID card office not advising on policy. It would not have been hard for them to issue a letter at the time of picking up ID cards.

2.) The schools/Government. As Byron says, all EU children are entitled to free schooling BUT, they need to be resident.

Who's fault? In registering my 3 children over the years, I have never once been asked for a residency certificate. Their words of proof of residency, have been that of proof of ID card and Letting contract, both of which are not proof of residency but proof of address. Is it not their fault, for not understanding their own rules?

3.) NOW, they know and understand the rules and are entitled to ask for proof of residency.
The only EU problem there, is that they should only ask the same as they would a Maltese but hey, this is Malta and if you have proof then there is no problem really.

4.) The ONLY problem I have with all of this is, For now, until e-residency has been well announced to everybody (perhaps a letter sent to everyone?) That proof of residency should surely be OK if you have the 'old' residency certificate, however, nothing in these reports suggest that anyone is being turned away IF they are providing this form of residency.

5.) So, is the problem e-residency or just residency in general...These are the questions that need to be confirmed.

Good thoughts.

coxf0001 wrote:

My rambling thoughts....

1.) People have thought, that the ID card, was registering for residency or thought that was all that was needed.

Who's fault? The people for not searching the right info, or the Maltese, at the ID card office not advising on policy. It would not have been hard for them to issue a letter at the time of picking up ID cards.

2.) The schools/Government. As Byron says, all EU children are entitled to free schooling BUT, they need to be resident.

Who's fault? In registering my 3 children over the years, I have never once been asked for a residency certificate. Their words of proof of residency, have been that of proof of ID card and Letting contract, both of which are not proof of residency but proof of address. Is it not their fault, for not understanding their own rules?

3.) NOW, they know and understand the rules and are entitled to ask for proof of residency.
The only EU problem there, is that they should only ask the same as they would a Maltese but hey, this is Malta and if you have proof then there is no problem really.

4.) The ONLY problem I have with all of this is, For now, until e-residency has been well announced to everybody (perhaps a letter sent to everyone?) That proof of residency should surely be OK if you have the 'old' residency certificate, however, nothing in these reports suggest that anyone is being turned away IF they are providing this form of residency.

5.) So, is the problem e-residency or just residency in general...These are the questions that need to be confirmed.

couldnt agree more......

This is the latest from the education department ....

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/ … 495610880/

Having read it it seems that you need the receipt from your EID application.
which you don't get if you apply by post?

Terry

"With regard to delays in issuing residence permits, the government has engaged more resources to counteract for the back-log which is of 5,042 applications from non-EU nationals. There are 4,937 pending applications from EU nationals."

is there a target date for completion of backlog - let me guess - NO - thought not.

toonarmy9752 wrote:

is there a target date for completion of backlog - let me guess - NO - thought not.

Toon, when I arrived here in 2004 and tried to apply for residency, I was turned away, the first reason being that I didn't need to apply being in the Eu, the second reason was that they were 4 years behind in the requests they already had....I hope it doesn't take as long!!

coxf0001 wrote:

toonarmy9752 wrote:

is there a target date for completion of backlog - let me guess - NO - thought not.

Toon, when I arrived here in 2004 and tried to apply for residency, I was turned away, the first reason being that I didn't need to apply being in the Eu, the second reason was that they were 4 years behind in the requests they already had....I hope it doesn't take as long!!

you are not alone in being told that one Caroline

"the maltese way"

laughable!!!!

coxf0001 wrote:

[ when I arrived here in 2004 and tried to apply for residency, I was turned away, the first reason being that I didn't need to apply being in the Eu,

I think some of the confusion is caused by the fact that you dont need to apply for residency as you have an automatic right to live here as an EU citizen (as long as you fulfil the financial and healthcare criteria), so in a sense they were right to say that.

You need to apply for a residency card, which shows you provided proof of fulfilling the criteria.

georgeingozo wrote:

coxf0001 wrote:

[ when I arrived here in 2004 and tried to apply for residency, I was turned away, the first reason being that I didn't need to apply being in the Eu,

I think some of the confusion is caused by the fact that you dont need to apply for residency as you have an automatic right to live here as an EU citizen (as long as you fulfil the financial and healthcare criteria), so in a sense they were right to say that.

You need to apply for a residency card, which shows you provided proof of fulfilling the criteria.

George, I tried to give them the info, I even left the forms, photo copies of our passports, bank statements and health insurance...They refused to process it, mainly because of the backlog. In the office were hundreds of peoples' files.
I might not of needed to apply in the first 3 months but I am required to register after the 3 months..They weren't interested.
Anyway, I'm sure it will not take 4 years for the backlog this time!!!

Well,

the 'solution' stated in the above newspaper article coming from the Ministry of Education is to show that you have registered for residency and can show that with a receipt.

It will not help those who have not applied yet and don't have an 'old' residency certificate either.

My guess is that there will be a compromise sooner or later.

Cheers
Ricky

"Anyway, I'm sure it will not take 4 years for the backlog this time!!!"

height of optimism.....lol

coxf0001 wrote:

georgeingozo wrote:

coxf0001 wrote:

[ when I arrived here in 2004 and tried to apply for residency, I was turned away, the first reason being that I didn't need to apply being in the Eu,

I think some of the confusion is caused by the fact that you dont need to apply for residency as you have an automatic right to live here as an EU citizen (as long as you fulfil the financial and healthcare criteria), so in a sense they were right to say that.

You need to apply for a residency card, which shows you provided proof of fulfilling the criteria.

George, I tried to give them the info, I even left the forms, photo copies of our passports, bank statements and health insurance...They refused to process it, mainly because of the backlog. In the office were hundreds of peoples' files.
I might not of needed to apply in the first 3 months but I am required to register after the 3 months..They weren't interested.
Anyway, I'm sure it will not take 4 years for the backlog this time!!!

I meant their confusion :-)

redmik wrote:

Byron, are you for real?
Pasting in irrelevant links to further your own aims are a disservice to those who come here to look for help/advice/opinions.
You have not expressed anything (that I have seen) that even remotely compares to any help, advice or opinion.
Are you for real or are you a 'bot'?

(Can't wait to see what petition I'll be invited to sign in response to this.)

I am totally convinced that the way forward out here is NOT by beating the Maltese over the head with EU this and EU that. They will not give a flying twopenny crap for that. It will make them resist change all the more. Such a strategy is self defeating and will cause trouble and hassle because in the resisting, opinion will turn against the 'alien' and give rise to even more discrimination.

Yep! well said Mick.

As Winston Churchill once said:

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."

In my opinion it is down to confusion and a serious lack of real training - not really the fault of the front line troops is it... but they will get the flak for sure.... in my experience of gov depts so far not many actually know what the rules and legislation is or is appropriate... and that to me falls firmly in the hands of government and their appointed management teams plus a badly managed implementation of a system that is not working the way they thought it would.

The biggest problem was the massive underestimation of how many people needed to apply for an eResidence card - its as though they thought it would be a 1000 not 30,000

georgeingozo wrote:

The biggest problem was the massive underestimation of how many people needed to apply for an eResidence card - its as though they thought it would be a 1000 not 30,000

I think the system broke down when they stopped the Disembarkment Cards.
If they were filled in, they would have a record of everyone entering the country, like they did before. If, on that card, they stated the laws and procedue, more people would have known to register after 3 months.

even now how many new arrivals with school-age children will actually know about asking for the receipt for enrolment purposes... and more importantly will the gov officers impart that knowledge willingly....... answers on a postcard

AFAIK it would be illegal to demand of EU citizens to fill in such cards. However, they should have known - after all, we all knew roughly how many would need to apply - figures of 20,000-35,000 were mentioned on this forum, and the census pointed at a similar figure. There was one thing wrong with the system, not enough resources put into it

Hi George,

is there a particular reason that our friend Byron is not sharing petitions with the Britishexpat website in Gozo?

I follow your forum and he seems to be leaving you 'uninformed', some might say 'unspammed' !

Cheers
Ricky

new members are not allowed to post links on britishexpat

Ok.

Thanks

Hi all,

Could we avoid going off topic please?

Thanks
Armand

Armand wrote:

Hi all,

Could we avoid going off topic please?

Thanks
Armand

Over moderated..........