cheekymonkey

I'm at the far end of my rope with regard to life here in the U.S. So I've been considering Malta for awhile as a good possibility for residence. Not dirt cheap by any means, but more reasonable than most of Europe, and lots of history and atmosphere.

Does anyone know if it's possible to live there for several months without hassle, or if there is some kind of temporary visa situation I could get, in order to "test drive" Malta -- before making a commitment?

Thanks.

Malteser

Hello there.................bit late I know but was browsing thru forum threads and found this one. U still considering Malta???? U in Malta now???? I am Maltese and u can find me in the ME section. Regarding visa or permit, I dont think its a prob if ure from US. It also depends on wot ure going to do in Malta, whether working, studying or just enjoying. Tell me if u need anything ok. Sorry i didnt see this before

cheekymonkey

Thanks for your reply. I currently live in the southern U.S. No, I've never been to Malta, but I would like to see these beautiful islands. I also have a friend in another state who is fed-up and considering Malta residence.

From the perspective of being Maltese, how do the locals view the onslaught of tourists and retirees? Are most foreign visitors well behaved, or is there a growing problem of "ugly" tourists?

Actually, I am hoping to retire soon, but unfortunately not quite there yet. So I'm just going to have to be patient -- not my forte. I've noticed that Brits generally seem to be quite savvy about foreign travel, compared to most Americans. Thus, the Mediterranean is definitely no secret, and large regions of the Med seem to be overpopulated, over-priced, and far from desirable.

It looks like Malta would be my first choice, and Cyprus and/or Northern Cyprus are in the running. No interest in Spain. LOL

JAJ

You should contact the Maltese embassy to see if there is a residence visa available for foreign retired people.

The cost of living in Malta may rise in the next few years as a result of EU membership. And the culture there is strongly Catholic so this may or may not suit you.


There is substantial uncertainty over property rights in Northern Cyprus in the event of reunification of the island. What about Portugal or Gibraltar? - although for anywhere in the Med region you'll need a visa to live there.

If you want to 'test drive' somewhere, then take a vacation but try to look through the eyes of a long term resident, not a tourist. The Med region can be cold and wet in winter and you'll feel the cold as many buildings are not heated or insulated to the extent you'll find in more northern climates.

Why not try somewhere else in the US - eg Hawaii?

Jeremy

Malteser

Malta has always been a choice for retirement for loads of ppl especially those who like mild winters. A lot of british have a residence in Malta and spend winters and back to Britain for their summers. Its true tho mild winters can be a bit cold due to the stone houses we build but hey they keep us cool in the hot summers. Summers r pretty long, usually starting from April till sometimes even November. The islands r full of tourists in the spring summer months. Some touristic areas as regards to property will be more expensive and more nosiey than other remote areas where mostly locals live would be much cheaper. Malta is getting more expensive due to the entry in the EU but probably cheaper than other EU countries. Tourists vary, from chinese, italians and the most popular British. Its a v safe country. U can practically go for a walk at 4am as noone will bother u. Crime tho existant has a much lower rate than any other European country. Since Malta lives off tourism, tourists are very welcome and everybody talks v good english, that being our second language from the age of 4 in schools. As regards to Malta being mostly Catholic there are no specific rules u have to follow if ure not Catholic, on the other hand u might like some religious feasts we have, like Easter processions, Xmas traditions. A lot of tourists like to visit our big choice of churches which r very old and full of ancient treasures. If ure a history lover u will no doubt ever be bored. Loads and loads of history.

I dont know what else to say, of course since I am Maltese, I cannot but say beautiful things about my country. Being very realistic it does have ups and downs. Being very small it can be claustrofobic and u might feel the need to get away for a while but there again it had loads other advantages since its v safe. It can also be more expensive than u might think but cheaper than other places.

Anything else u need to know feel free to ask. No bother at all.
Enjoy yr eve or day wherever u might be..............

Gremlin

I lived in Malta for three years when I was a child and have many happy memories of a carefree 'Swallows and Amazons' kind of childhood, going to the rocky beach and generally having fun. We had a wonderful time there. Lived a stone's throw from Sananton Gardens (spelling?). We had a lovely villa with our own small vineyard and a garden that we grew citrus fruits in. Utopia.