Hi, my wife and I are South African passport holders and currently reside in South Africa. I have obtained a work permit and contract to start working in Malta in March.
The central visa unit did not want to give us any information on visas until the work permit was issued. We were now told that we have to obtain long stay visas and that the Italian embassy in South Africa only issues short term visas. We therefore have to go to Tunisia, which oversees South Africa, to get the visas and will have to wait there for 10 to 20 days before it will be issued.
The problem is that we need visas to enter Tunisia, which are quite expensive. Accommodation etc. will also add to the costs this unbudgeted trip.
We have friends in Dublin and do not need visas for Ireland. The Maltese embassy in Dublin does not seem to have a problem with us applying there, but the central visa unit just responded with 'You have to go to Tunisia'.
Has anyone encountered a similar problem and how did you overcome it?
The other option is to go to Malta with a short term visa, which could be issued here. But I am afraid that the e-residence card process will take too long and leave us in Malta without a valid visa or residency permit. (Don't know if we will be able to travel to other Schengen countries with only an e-residence card and no valid visa) Do you think it will be possible to go there with a short term visa and apply for a long term visa while in Malta?
Thanks for any help!
Pierre
Non EU member with work permit requiring long stay visa
Hi Pierre,
as a non-EU citizen you cannot apply for a long term visa. It will always be a visa for the length of your work permit or at the most 1 year at a time unless you have been in Malta for more than 5 years. Of course this longer than the 3 months tourist visa if that is what you mean.
If you already have a work permit for Malta you can come to Malta on any visa and wait for e-residence card to be issued. Usually for non-EU's it will be in time before your entry visa expires. Get your employer to deal with the issue and ,if neccessary, offer you the help of their company lawyer. You would not be able to travel to any other Schengen country but otherwise you can sit it out -)))
Maybe some of our South African members can give more insight to the process.
Cheers
Ricky
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