Hey guys, my story has changed somewhat since my last post. I have now moved to the UK and will be starting a consulting business trading from Malta but for now am resident in the UK. My wife and child (South African passports) will be joining me in Late May early June but I haven't a clue as to what visa to get them and how they will be allowed into Malta. As an EU national it would appear they could just turn up, meet me and be in the country legally, is this the case? Or do they need a Shengen visa? Or a residency visa or what?
Both the UK and the Maltese visa laws are so confusing!
Many thanks for your help in advance.
N
Brit, needing wife and child over to settle in Malta, which Visa
Smuttyman
28 March 2014 18:13:36
9
ricky
28 March 2014 18:28:32
3522
Hi N,
if your wife is joining you in the UK first then she will need a visa from the UK and if you are travelling to Malta from the UK then she will need a Schengen visa (from Malta) too. The UK is not part of the Schengen area and insists on it's own entry visa's.
Residency is the second step when you arrive in Malta and register for residency.
You can get them visitors visa ! That is easiest .
QueenBe
28 March 2014 18:31:45
3
HI Ricky,
I am the wife and will be travelling from South Africa with our son directly to Malta and we will meet Neil in Malta.
if I understand you correctly, both my son and I will then need to apply for a Schengen visa?
Would I be able to work as the spouse of an EU national? When and how would I apply for permanent residency as we have chosen Malta as our new country and plan on settling there.
Many thanks
Smuttyman
28 March 2014 18:33:04
9
As in Maltese visitor's visa? The UK visa for them is in the region of 1400 GBP, simply not worth it for a 2 week stay.
Does the GRP not cover their stay or can that only be applied for after they get here? I'm not sure how the EU business works. I would safely say them coming to the UK first is out of the question now...
ricky wrote:Hi N,
if your wife is joining you in the UK first then she will need a visa from the UK and if you are travelling to Malta from the UK then she will need a Schengen visa (from Malta) too. The UK is not part of the Schengen area and insists on it's own entry visa's.
Residency is the second step when you arrive in Malta and register for residency.
You can get them visitors visa ! That is easiest .
ricky
28 March 2014 18:49:36
3522
Hi QueenBe and Neil,
you just get yourself tourist visa's for Malta (Schengen) and as soon as you are here your husband registers for residency for himself and his family members. It does not cost 1400 GBP ...
He needs to show financial resources and health insurance coverage for all and a rental contract.
Once processed you have the same rights as an EU citizen and do not need a work permit.
What you are talking about is residency , 'regular' residency. Permanent residency can only be applied for after being resident in Malta for more than 5 years. Don't mix the terms! It is just residency for all of you at the beginning.
Have you applied for GRP ? That is a totally different thing and comes with investments and tax threshholds that make the 1400 GBP look like peanuts! Normally as an EU citizen it only makes sense from a tax point of view. You should get legal advice on that!
Cheers
Ricky
Smuttyman
28 March 2014 18:52:48
9
Thanks Ricky, as always you have been an outstanding help. Worth a few beers when we get there and settled :-)
Smuttyman
28 March 2014 19:10:51
9
Finally found the visitor visa costs page:
http://www.foreign.gov.mt/Default.aspx?MDIS=535
Airport Transit Visa (Category A) € 60
Short-Stay Visa (Category C) € 60
Limited Territorial Validity Visa € 60
National Visa (Category D) € 60
Notes:
1. The aforementioned fees shall be paid at the Consulate of Malta in any country, where such a representation exists and where an application for a Schengen visa is made.
2. Fees, which are to be paid upon application, are non-refundable
3. The fee for the issuing of a Schengen visa shall be charged in Euros (€) or the equivalent in US Dollars ($) or the national currency of the country where the application for the issue of such visa is made and as determined by the Consulate of Malta.
4. Schengen visas are issued free of charge to:
(a) an accompanying spouse and children under 21 years of age of an EU national or of a EEA national;
(b) children under six (6) years of age;
(c) school pupils, students, post graduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake trips for the purpose of study or educational training; and
(d) researchers from third countries travelling within the European Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research. as defined in the Recommendation 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research.
(e) representatives of non-profit organisations, aged 25 years or less, participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events organised by non-profit making organisations, provided that a non-profit making organisation shall be construed in terms of the definition “non-profit making” in article 2 of the Voluntary Organisations Act.
A fee reduction or waiver for nationals of a third country may also be granted as a result of a Visa Facilitation Agreement (VFAs) concluded between the European Union and that third country consistent with the Community's overall approach to visa facilitation agreements – please see Chapter 6.
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