Moving the Malta in January 2017

All the state schools teach in Maltese and English and most have a class for children who do not speak Maltese.

Can't help with tax credits and the answer to the car question I have answered in your other post.

Read through the different sections on the forum as most of your questions will have already been answered.

Terry

Tax credits may be claimed by persons who are in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and adjacent islands, but does not include the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. If a person ceases to be in the UK, their entitlement to WTC and CTC ends at that point under TCA 2002, section 3(4),

https://socialpolicy.gov.mt/en/ChildBen … Allowance-(Income-less-than-%E2%82%AC24,439)-.aspx

Hi rob. So are you saying I can only claim in the uk not in Malta. I should really call tax credits up and see where I stand. Is there anything in place of this being a resident in Malta?

Tubseytel wrote:

Hi rob. So are you saying I can only claim in the uk not in Malta. I should really call tax credits up and see where I stand. Is there anything in place of this being a resident in Malta?

I think Robs post is perfectly clear.

I am asking because I hve been told different.?
I'll call the appropriate people that could help.
Thanks for ur input to

What sort of work will you be doing , as wages are not high here and with two children may find it hard going. Also if not working will need health insurance until paid into system, its not like Uk with tax credits and benefits etc.
Also driving through Europe in January is not a good idea as often areas are blocked with snow and can be dangerous!

Oh!!!! I didn't think about that lol ...: thank you for that. My spouse will be working, he is a singer and also I'm sure he can pick up a day job. I have savings to get me by for a year. Hopefully I'll be working 12 months later.

Tubseytel wrote:

Hi rob. So are you saying I can only claim in the uk not in Malta. I should really call tax credits up and see where I stand. Is there anything in place of this being a resident in Malta?

what i am saying is as soon as you cease to be resident in the uk you cease to get tax credits ...

the only reasons tax credits are available abroad are set out below


You may still qualify for tax credits if you go abroad for a short period, for example on holiday or for medical treatment.
Reason for leaving     How long you can get tax credits for
Medical treatment for yourself, your partner or your child     Up to 12 weeks
Death of your partner, a child or close relative of either you or your partner     Up to 12 weeks
Any other reason, eg holidays or business     Up to 8 weeks

if your planning on moving to malta then you will no longer qualify for tax credits and as there is no similar system here in malta you will need to be able to take that into consideration in terms of your finances

i have friends who drove in january they didnt have much issues  but you need to be careful of the possibilty of risks and if its too windy the ferry to malta may not run - so you need to have contingencies in place

Tubseytel wrote:

Hi rob. So are you saying I can only claim in the uk not in Malta. I should really call tax credits up and see where I stand. Is there anything in place of this being a resident in Malta?

As Rob said, you will not be able to get Tax Credits in Malta!

Ray

Hi
I've been here three weeks. Be prepared the red tape is a nightmare. There are only three ways to residency. Either you get a job and your employer will give you an ETC. certificate or you can be self employed but to do that you have to have the business set up because they want a so sail security number , a trading licence and a company VAT number. Or you can prove self sufficiency but you need either medical cover or if you've got a British passport you can get a certificate of entitlement to free healthcare. But you need to have at least 14000 euros in the bank
I drove and registering the car is worse. I still haven't been able to do it. You have to have ID and residency to do it.
You need to research. I did and despite having all the many documents I needed before I arrived I've still hit problems.
Go on the transport Malta website and read everything about registering a car. You can download all the forms and a valuation
Good luck. Sorry I know nothing about the schools but everyone here speaks English

as John said above check out the Malta Transport web site....follow the instructions for registering your car....depending on how attached you are to it you might want to consider selling it there before driving it over here as it could cost you as much as thr car is worth

Hi and welcome.

Please take on board what Rob has infomred you about tax credits, it is no possible to claim here unless you are away temporarily and the you would need ro inform them and they do deduct accordingly . As its a nightmare with TC they will reassess your claim for credits and you also need to prove your movements in and out of the country. Personally I think its a lot of hassle and a beuracratic nightmare to pursue it ai would cut my losses with that one.

If hubby is a singer I am presuming he will be doing the circuits but he may find hes going to need a second job to maintain and income here  to match the cost of living as rents are increasing and its not balancing out with thw rate of pay  as it has done before.

I know many expat mums with children here and to be fair maltese is much harder to learn as an adult that it is in the school. Kids tend to pick it up from other maltese children and it becomes second naturw. If they are older then some of the tests will prove to be more difficult and maltese is compulsory for them to get into  university here. They must qualify in maltese when they leave school.

Regarding the car are well the saga goes on!
If tou have not owned the vehicle for 2 yrs you will not be expempt for the VAT importation so be prepared for. ahefty amount to payout as soon as you hit the island off the ferry as you now have 24 hrs to register the vehicle and that gives you 20 days to get your plates sorted out. Of course as somoen has already pointed out you could wait until 14 weeks to get your ID status so its a very unfair system.  There are penalties to this if you do not meet the requirements and that will be 30 euros a day fines for every day it ticks over. You really need ro be on the ball as processes are very slow here, lack of responses to call back and emails so unless you are on it you could be vulnerable.
On top of the VAT if you are not exempt you pay for your plates, VRT, tax and insurance admin cost and emissions testing  and you can expect to pay 500 euro on top of the VAT.
You were able if you had an employment  contract for 1 yr with a company able to get a temporary permit for the car but this is very rare  and if your enlgish MOT or tax runs out in the meantime it s a reall pain in the ass to get sorted. Once you drive off the ferry it all kicks in now and they know that car in on the island, if anyone tells you you can drive it off and back on again its not correct. Tourists however have a maximum of 7 mths to drive on the island and then the vehicle must be removed if you dont you are classed. as resident and your car could be impounded if you do not register it.

The weather in January id dodgy to travel so tyres and headlights need to comply and also you must have GB stickers on  the car and a breathalyser in the car,  it is the law in france and italy not to drive without one.  You will also need EU car insurance to travel and most will only do it for a short period whislt you are travelling some will cover you 90 days max.

Ferrys - crossings can be rough around that time of the year, I think I must have had the worse crossing last year and that was mid March!  Ferrys close for maintenance for 2 weeks so they may run a skeleton or temp service ..roughly this is bewtween February and March ...  you will need to look into all these things before considering the logistics of your move. Its also worth knowing if your ferry is cancelled because of the weather conditions then you will need to book accomodation  and theres not much on offer in Porzallo.

Speak to someone who specialises in relocations to get the best advice. Pm me for some recommendations if you need more assistance.

Tolls...expensive so lots of change in Euros , it cost us shy of 1,600 to travel with 3 nights accomodation, tolls, food breaks and fuel.

I can confirm that in the mountainous regions of mainland Europe (depending on where you go: France, Italy, maybe Germany, Switzerland, Austria) in winter you need winter tyres and you also need to carry snow chains in the car, unless you have a 4-wheel-drive, then winter tyres are enough. If you decide to drive, I think it's best to contact a motorists' association for detailed info...  For tolls, at least for italy, there is an online calculator, but I don't have the link now. If you cross Austria, you need to buy a motorway sticker in advance to use the motorway, else you can expect a hefty fine...

roadtripper wrote:

Hi and welcome.

Regarding the car are well the saga goes on!
If tou have not owned the vehicle for 2 yrs you will not be expempt for the VAT importation so be prepared for. ahefty amount to payout as soon as you hit the island off the ferry as you now have 24 hrs to register the vehicle and that gives you 20 days to get your plates sorted out. Of course as somoen has already pointed out you could wait until 14 weeks to get your ID status so its a very unfair system.  There are penalties to this if you do not meet the requirements and that will be 30 euros a day fines for every day it ticks over. You really need ro be on the ball as processes are very slow here, lack of responses to call back and emails so unless you are on it you could be vulnerable.
On top of the VAT if you are not exempt you pay for your plates, VRT, tax and insurance admin cost and emissions testing  and you can expect to pay 500 euro on top of the VAT.
You were able if you had an employment  contract for 1 yr with a company able to get a temporary permit for the car but this is very rare  and if your enlgish MOT or tax runs out in the meantime it s a reall pain in the ass to get sorted. Once you drive off the ferry it all kicks in now and they know that car in on the island, if anyone tells you you can drive it off and back on again its not correct. Tourists however have a maximum of 7 mths to drive on the island and then the vehicle must be removed if you dont you are classed. as resident and your car could be impounded if you do not register it.

The weather in January id dodgy to travel so tyres and headlights need to comply and also you must have GB stickers on  the car and a breathalyser in the car,  it is the law in france and italy not to drive without one.  You will also need EU car insurance to travel and most will only do it for a short period whislt you are travelling some will cover you 90 days max.

.

The regulation regarding obtaining a sticker for an imported car ONLY applies to residents of Malta.
You are not a resident until you notify the Maltese authorities via the EID application form.
So you can arrive in Malta with a car and do not need to start the registration process until you apply for the EID.

It is NOT law in France to carry a breathalyser (this was never implemented) or in Italy as far as I am aware.

If the MOT runs out before you have time to start the registration process then TM will  accept a VRT certificate. UK car tax can be renewed on line provided you have a current MOT and UK insurance.
Maltese insurance can be obtained using the vehicle VIN number whilst waiting for the registration process.

As I pointed out in a previous post VAT is NOT payable on pre registered cars imported to Malta, its a registration fee.

Terry

hi....you say your husband is a singer and sure he can pick up a day job....i hate to put a dampener on this but its not that easy finding work over here....my son was over here 6 months sent out and delivered over a hundred CVs and answered over 80 adverts for jobs of those he applied for only two actually replied one of which took him on....so its not a " given" hubby will be gainfully employed....unless you have a substansial amount of savings behind you for at least 6 months ( then you need to keep a reserve in case it all goes pear shaped and you have to go home) then you will need to really reconsider this.....as a ball park figure for a family of 4 i would guess you would need a minimum of €1000. per month....thats rent untilities food.....but that figure could be more like €1500......i dont want to put you off but really do your homework.....you have the time

Hello again. I've read the various responses here and let me just say you cannot do anything in Malta without ID AND RESIDENCE CERTIFICATE. You can't get a bank account register a car sign up for TV internet or a phone. I suggest you consult the Malta residency and id website before you do anything else. I somehow despite my months of research got this wrong. There are no tax credits here either do forget that if you come.
It's a difficult country despite being I the EU 
You have to have an ID residency card and without it you can't do much so please research that before you bring your children here  as you will see from my previous pits there are really only two ways to get it as a new arrival   Get a job or have the money in the bank

Oh and by the way when you read the 26 page information pack on registering a car here nowhere does it state you can't do it without the residence certificate. That's where I fell down and had to stick the plates back on my car when they refused to let me register it. I am still waiting but I have got the residence now however to claim the exemption from registration tax on the car or you have owned it in the uk for more than two years is another seperate application process before you can register the car and that's where I am after three weeks and waiting for a response from transport Malta

re all the posts about your car....you may have gathered its not that easy....my advice for what its worth...sell it and buy one here....we came over in a Lexus IS Sport.....the cost to register it was more than the car was worth...shipped it back to uk for 300 euros....advertised it in uk before it got there...drove it to guys house he paid me cash flew home bought good second hand maltese registerd car here two days later still had money in the bank

you are required to carry breathlysers in France - however the proposed fines for not carrying them were postponed indefinitely in 2013

From the AA

March 2012 - the French government confirmed that from 1 July 2012 drivers of all motor vehicles and motorcycles (excluding mopeds) must carry a breathalyser. The regulation will be enforced from 1 November 2012 and anyone stopped after that date who fails to produce a breathalyser when requested will receive an on the spot fine of €11.

October 2012 - the French government announced that the implementation of the sanction for drivers not carrying a breathalyser – a fine of €11 – has been postponed from 1 November 2012 to 1 March 2013.

January 2013 - the French government announced that the implementation of the sanction for drivers not carrying a breathalyser – a fine of €11 – has been postponed indefinitely.

So theoretically you are still required to carry a self-test breathalyser when driving in France but there is no current legislation demanding a fine for non-compliance.

john champion wrote:

Hello again. I've read the various responses here and let me just say you cannot do anything in Malta without ID AND RESIDENCE CERTIFICATE. You can't get a bank account register a car sign up for TV internet or a phone. I suggest you consult the Malta residency and id website before you do anything else. I somehow despite my months of research got this wrong. There are no tax credits here either do forget that if you come.
It's a difficult country despite being I the EU 
You have to have an ID residency card and without it you can't do much so please research that before you bring your children here  as you will see from my previous pits there are really only two ways to get it as a new arrival   Get a job or have the money in the bank

You can get a bank account, you can sign up for TV and Internet and you can get a phone without an eResidence card. We did all three and simply used our passport and supplied details of eResidence card when they arrived. No problems and no deposits needed!
Indeed GO still refer to our passport number rather than an ID number on all paperwork!

Ray

I agree with Ray I did all those things without an e-residence card - you may have to pay a deposit without one but not always

I went into GO yesterday and was told I need ID to take the service. Which branch did you get yours? Which bank gave you an account without ID as again I was told I needed it.  thanks

Go Paola , bov , Vodafone for phone

I had ID it's a passport

HSBC and BOV are both happy to issue an account without a ID card

Thanks for the advice on banking. I yet again went into HSBC this morning and again was told I need both my passport and ID to open an account plus a contract of employment and a rental agreement. .    However BOV will do it with a reference from my uk bank and my passport.

Sure, if you had employment, ETC registration and reference letters from employer, proof that you live here ie. a lease you would not have a problem.  If you go with nothing, they will expect you to provide a ID.  It's just common sense really.

My partner went into BOV and had it setup after a 30 minute visit she had no ID but did come prepared with ETC confirmation, letter from employer, lease, etc.  It was real easy.

I went into HSBC and it took about 3 hours - they open the account while you wait.  Again I did not show up with empty hands I had AMPLE documentation proving my situation (which is quite complex tbf) but no problem without an ID.

The bottom line is they need to know you're here, actually here and not just a holiday maker, a ID is one way to get that information but not the only way.  If you provide the rest they have no problem.  It's all rather pragmatic.

Thanks. Yes I went armed I have residency ID and a passport. Plus a social security number document. However I am not working so don't have an ETC. I am living in an apartment that belongs to a family friend so have no rental agreement. The first appointment they could off et me is 8 th April. I'll stick with BOV they don't need all those documents that I simply don't have thanks for your asssistence

very strange...my son went to the bank last week to open an account...but unfortunately left his id card at home..however he took his passport...thinking like everyone else that it would suffice to open an account....they did all the paper work for him but put it on hold until he could return today with his id card which they then photocopied both sides and attached it to his paperwork

Which bank is he Maltese and does he have a job. These are the issues I my way I've tried several times but it's always the same depite the fact I now have residence ID

I simply don't get it. What am I doing wrong. I got residence ID on self sufficiency so I can support myself. I've got the certificate of entotlement to healthcare too. But they still want a rental agreement and something about a tax document to prove I will be paying tax here. Seems to me that it just depends who's working the day you go in I've been to three HSBC branches and the best I gave achieved is an appointment to talk about it on the 8 th April and a list of documents I need two of which I simply cannot get   I am sure I'll get there in the end somehow

BOV and HSBC have different approaches to getting bank accounts here.  Both involves all your details being meticulously checked and to make sure you actually live here in order to avoid dodgy laundering issues etc, they have to do it its the law so lots of info is needed.

BOV: You can call them and get an idea of what you have to bring.  In my partners case it was passport, lease, letter from employer, ETC form.  You show up at a branch and they take these things from you and spend weeks setting up your account.  There's a to and fro if they need more information and it can be a slow process because all communications is done via correspondence. From then any changes like a change of address is equally nightmarish and slow - in fact my partner have been unable to change her address with BOV because they are crazy, we can only do that once our ID cards come. No ID card needed in our case to open the account, we work and are ETC registered.

HSBC: You call them for an appointment, they tell you what to bring.  You show up on the day at 1 of 2 branches and spend hours there.  During this time they do all the checking, ask all their questions, get any clarifications from you needed while you sit there.  They get approval from a manager etc, and you walk out with a account number.  Cards and such follows in post. From there changing address or even changing your form of primary authentication - am currently on my driver licence and not my passport for this - is a visit to a branch, it takes time but they get it done immediately while you are there and you have a chance to answer any questions.  I changed my address without even a proof of address with them. No ID card needed in our case, we work and are ETC registered.

This is why HSBC can only give you appointments in some future time rather than a walk in service.  But I have done both and trust me the HSBC approach is much better while it seems more painful to begin with.  I have my entire life scanned and sat in dropbox.  I thought I came prepared but my situation is complex and so I was able to from my phone just email the guy I was working with anything he needed on demand, no problems, they just worked through it asking whatever they need and once done it was done and dusted in a single sitting of 3 hours.

There's a 3rd option where you can get BOV accounts before even moving here, I did that, but for that you need to pay a professional accountant etc, this probably does not apply to you.  The experience and the team you then have to deal with for the rest of your time with BOV is so bad that I am closing my BOV accounts as a result.  Avoid this option.

We bank with Banif, no problems with opening an account  even without our residence card.

Other banks are available, you could try APS, Lombard or Banif.
The latter opened our account in 30 minutes with nothing more than passport and copy of lease.
As far as change of address, when we moved 2 years ago we changed our eResidence cards first and then just walked in to the branch with them and it was done there and then -  3 minutes!

Ray