Malta is a Schengen country that allows 12 months for swapping a UK driving licence, and its own agency, Identità, handles residence permits. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) sets out the main points in its “Living in Malta” guide on GOV.UK, last updated on 12 December 2025, and in its Malta travel advice on entry requirements. This article summarises both for a household move from the UK. It covers Malta only, it is general information rather than immigration, tax or legal advice, and the FCDO notes that the Maltese authorities set and enforce the entry rules.
Visas and the first 90 days
The FCDO travel advice says British citizens can travel to the Schengen area, including Malta, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. For entry the passport must have been issued less than 10 years before arrival and must expire at least three months after the planned departure from the Schengen area. The Living in Malta guide says a visa or residence permit is needed to stay long term, meaning more than 90 days, and lists work, study, joining family, volunteer work and sports trials among the purposes. Time spent in Malta with a Maltese residence permit or long-stay visa does not count towards the 90-day visa-free period in the Schengen area.
Registering as a resident
The guide states that once a person arrives in Malta, they need to apply for a residence permit. Problems or questions go to the Identità agency or a lawyer in Malta. Permanent or long-term residency may be available after five years of living in Malta, and the guide adds two conditions: a stable and regular income and one’s own accommodation. Applications go through Identità’s Expatriates Unit portal. Malta recognises dual citizenship with the UK, so British citizenship need not be given up to become Maltese.
The eResidence card
For people who moved to Malta before 1 January 2021, the guide says a residence document showing Withdrawal Agreement rights should already be held. Under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), such residents need the biometric eResidence card when entering or leaving Malta. If they have one, they do not have to register with the EES when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area, and without one they may be wrongly identified as overstaying and refused entry. The guide says the original deadline for applying for an eResidence card was 30 June 2021, but late applications can still be made where documents show why the deadline was missed and Identità accepts the evidence and reasons.
An appeal against a refusal must be made to the Immigration Appeals Board within three working days of receiving Identità’s decision, and a further appeal to the Court of Appeal may be possible, which the guide says can be lengthy and expensive. It suggests getting legal advice from a lawyer in Malta. Family members of a pre-2021 resident must book an appointment with Identità within 90 days of arriving and apply for an eResidence card as a family member.
Working and studying
The guide says a work permit will probably be needed to work in Malta, and job applicants may have to provide a UK police certificate and a Maltese certificate of conduct. A work permit or visa is not needed by those who have lived in Malta legally since before 1 January 2021.
Driving: the 12-month window
The FCDO says a licence issued in the UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man can be used in Malta for up to 12 months, and that these licences cannot be replaced or renewed while living there. To keep driving after 12 months, the licence must be exchanged for a Maltese one, without a practical or theory test. The steps are:
- get a check code from the DVLA for English, Welsh and Scottish licences, or from the Driver and Vehicle Agency for Northern Irish licences;
- apply before the 12 months are over, because processing takes time and a Maltese licence is needed to drive legally; and
- do not rely on an International Driving Permit, which cannot be used instead of exchanging.
Anyone unable to exchange can get a Maltese licence through Transport Malta by passing a theory and a practical test. A UK Blue Badge holder living in Malta must return it to the UK issuing authority, and a Maltese disabled parking card can be applied for. The site’s article on telling DVLA or the DVA about your new address covers the UK side of licence and vehicle records.
Tax, pensions and benefits
The UK has a double taxation agreement with Malta so that the same income is not taxed in both countries. The guide directs tax questions to the Malta Tax and Customs Administration and suggests professional advice from a lawyer in Malta. Questions about a Maltese pension go to the Department of Social Security and the International Relations Unit, and the guide points to that Department’s FAQs for non-Maltese residents on benefits.
Buying property
The guide says there may be eligibility requirements for buying property in Malta, which may include applying for an Acquisition of Immovable Property (AIP) Permit. It advises contacting a lawyer in Malta before buying land or property.
Children travelling alone
Children aged 17 and under must carry a letter of consent if they travel out of Malta without a parent or legal guardian. The letter must be signed by the parents or guardians and legalised at the Consular Services Office.
The bottom line
The FCDO’s Living in Malta guide gives movers 12 months to exchange a UK driving licence, but short deadlines elsewhere: an appeal against an eResidence refusal must be lodged within three working days, and family members must book with Identità within 90 days. A permit may be needed to buy property. Definitive information comes from the Maltese authorities.