Introduction to the Malta Nomad Residence Permit

The new Malta Nomad Residence Permit, enables individuals to maintain their current job in another country, whilst they legally reside in Malta.

Malta Nomad Residence Permit – Eligibility for Third Country Individuals

To be eligible for this Permit, an individual must be able to work remotely and independently of his/her location, and needs to use telecommunication technologies.

Malta has already welcomed a number of EU digital nomads. This community of 'nomads', enjoys Malta's climate and lifestyle, and have already begun to interact with people with similar ideas, to add value to the community.

The Nomad Residence Permit in Malta opens up this opportunity to third country citizens, who would usually need a visa to travel to Malta. This permit lasts for one year and can be renewed at the discretion of Residency Malta, as long as the individual still meets the criteria.

If the third-country applicant for the digital nomad permit wants to stay less than a year in Malta, he/she will receive a National Visa for the duration of the stay, rather than a residence card.

Criteria

Applicants for the Nomad Residence Permit must:

  1. Prove they can work remotely using telecommunication technologies.
  2. Be third country nationals.
  3. Prove they work in any of the following categories:
  4. Work for an employer registered in a foreign country and have a contract for this work, or
  5. Perform business activities for a company registered in a foreign country, and be a partner/shareholder of said company, or
  6. Offer freelance or consulting services, mainly to customers whose permanent establishment is in a foreign country, and have supporting contracts to verify this.
  7. Earn a monthly income of €2,700 gross of tax. If there are additional family members, they will each have to satisfy the income requirements as specified by the Agency Policy.

In addition to the above, applicants must also:

  1. Possess a valid travel document.
  2. Have health insurance, which covers all risks in Malta.
  3. Have a valid contract of property rental or property purchase.
  4. Pass a background verification check.

Application Process

  • The applicant must complete all of the documents required by the Residency Malta Agency.
  • After submitting all of the documents digitally, the individual will receive instructions for payment of a €300 administrative fee, for each applicant.
  • The application will then be reviewed by the Agency and other Maltese Authorities, who will contact the individual by email, when the process is complete.
  • Finally, the applicant will need to submit biometric data for the Nomad Residence Permit or National Visa, and the process will then be concluded.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.