Long-term residence
EU long-term resident status · Official name: Status of Long-Term Residence (Third Country Nationals) Regulations, S.L. 217.05
Non-EU nationals who have lived in Malta legally and continuously for 5 years can ask Identità for long-term resident status. It needs 2 years of tax returns showing at least the minimum wage, approved housing, health insurance, the 100-hour I Belong course (pass mark 75%) and an MQF Level 2 Maltese test (65%). The status is permanent; the card lasts 5 years. The fee is 500 EUR.
Life in Malta
Finance
3
Currency
Euro
EUR
Euro
Cost of living
69
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
15–35%
Income tax (national)
VAT 18%
Single computation: 0% to EUR 12,000, 15%, 25%, then 35% above EUR 60,000; separate married and parent computations.
Living
1
Happiness
#41 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
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What gives you an edge here: passports, visas and permits you hold, work, study, language and family ties
Who it’s for
Non-EU nationals with 5 years of legal residence in Malta on qualifying permits (for example work permits, family permits, refugees and subsidiary protection holders).
Eligibility
5 years of legal and continuous residence
Sign in to check this route against your profileShow 5 years of legal, continuous residence, with limits on time abroad and some permit types that do not count.
Limits on time abroad
- Single absencemaximum
- 6 months
- Total abroadwithin the 5 years
- 10 months
- Student or training permits, seasonal work and short visas do not count
- Temporary humanitarian protection, asylum seeker time, SRA and family member policy time do not count
- Refugees and subsidiary protection holders: time before protection counts at 50%
- Time beyond 18 months before protection counts in full
Official wording
No single absence over 6 months and no more than 10 months abroad in total during the 5 years. Time on student or training permits, seasonal work, short visas, temporary humanitarian protection, as an asylum seeker, under SRA or under the family member policy does not count. For refugees and subsidiary protection holders, time before protection was granted counts at 50% (time beyond 18 months counts in full).
Stable and regular resources
Sign in to check this route against your profileShow tax declarations for the 2 years before applying with resources at least equal to Malta's minimum wage.
Resources to show
- Just you
- Malta's minimum wage
- Each extra personadded per family member
- 20% of national minimum wage
Official wording
Tax declarations for the 2 years before applying showing resources at least equal to Malta's minimum wage, plus 20% of the national minimum wage for each additional family member.
Accommodation
Sign in to check this route against your profileA warranted architect's certificate that the home is normal for a comparable family in Malta, plus a lease registered with the Housing Authority and a Lease Agreement Professional Attestation Form (or the purchase deed for owners).
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Next requirement
- Document checklist
- Fees
The full requirements are for members
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- 2 more requirements
- 8 documents
- 1 fee
- 4 steps
- Processing times and conditions
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