dande

We are moving to Malta in a couple of weeks time, have a rented apartment and plan to stay there for 4.5 - 5 months. Presumably, we would need to apply for e-residency (we would do that under the Economic Self-Sufficiency category) but are unclear about health insurance.

We are UK passport holders and are obviously reluctant to lose entitlement in England in the future.

Presumably long-stay visitors staying over 90 days have a similar problem.

Any advice on appropriate health cover would be welcome.

Many thanks.

not2old

basically, going from the UK to Malta you simply take the EHIC card with you

Apply for a free EHIC card - Healthcare abroad - NHS Choices

Healthcare in Malta - Healthcare abroad - NHS Choices

If you are British & your spouse is a non EU, you the Brit can on arrival in Malta apply for the Malta health card & the residence card - which basically go together. At the same time your non EU spouse will also apply for the health & residence card

post# 5 in the following thread

http://britishexpats.com/forum/malta...-malta-844728/

dande

Many thanks not2old for the helpful information. Sorry for the delay in responding. We have been settling into our apartment in Mellieha.

On the application form for residency, it states one of the supporting documents should be either comprehensive health insurance or "Entitlement issued by the Entitlement Unit situated at 23 St. John Stree, Valletta".

Can you please explain this Entitlement, please?

Many thanks.

not2old

basically, since you're British you can immediately apply for the health card, which gives you the 'health coverage'

Normally coming in from the UK you'd have an EHIC card.

For non-Brits, say others - they would need 'health insurance' - for you under EU rules just go to the health unit & get the health card first.

They cannot refuse to give you this

http://gov.mt/en/Services-And-Inform...pplication.pdf

You should also get one of these too

http://iip.gov.mt/wp-content/uploads...U-National.pdf

not2old

FYI, as of April this year, if you live in the EU & need to go back home for healthcare

"There was better news for British retirees in Europe.

Anyone living in the EU and receiving a British state pension will be entitled to free healthcare in the UK, as long as they hold a valid S1 form, which is obtained from British authorities before moving abroad.

The move comes after the British government decided last year that it would stop paying the healthcare costs of UK pensioners who lived in other EU countries, leaving many facing big bills"

from the NHS website

"If you are living in an EEA country or Switzerland and you receive a UK State Pension or long-term Incapacity Benefit, you may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK. You'll need to apply for a certificate of entitlement also known as an S1 form. If you are living in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland then the form is called E121.

You can apply for your form via the International Pension Centre on 0191 218 7777. Once issued, register the S1/E121 form with the relevant authority abroad. Often you need to do this before you can register with a GP surgery or obtain a medical card.

Once you have registered your S1/E121 in the country you are moving to, you will be entitled to apply for and use a UK-issued EHIC to access state-funded necessary medical treatment when you visit other EEA countries.

tip: If you get a UK benefit, such as short-term Incapacity Benefit or Maternity Allowance, your healthcare cover is subject to different rules. The period of your cover and application criteria may differ depending on your particular circumstances. For more information, contact the International Pension Centre (IPC) https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) https://www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service ".

dande

Hello again not2old and very many thanks for all the useful information and links.

Concerning residency, the self-sufficiency application asks you to include original and copy of certificate of entitlement issued by the Entitlement Unit.

The Entitlement Unit application states that "Persons who are not yet in possession of a residence certificate/permit may still apply for this scheme but will be covered on a provisional basis."

So it's presumably preferable to apply for health entitlement first? But how then do you make the entitlement permanent rather than provisional after residency is granted. Is it automatic?

Sorry for all these queries. The good news is we are settling down extremely well in Malta - after living for 17 years in Turkey.

not2old

provisional issue 'means temporary' till they send you the proper full health card. Health card first as per the link, then apply for the self sufficiency residence card.

Just remember & look at the forms closely, you need an address as well as a phone number showing that you're not in Malta as temps or on holiday then returning to the UK or wherever you came from to your normal life.

Suggestion is always to get the library card as well as a grocery store loyalty card

dande

We have a Tenancy Agreement for an apartment in Mellieha valid until September so presumably this would be acceptable?

Thanks again.

not2old

then you've got it covered because you'd have a lease/rent agreement, other supporting items such as phone, internet, TV, etc, unlike living in a hotel

please go get your health cards as well as apply for the e-residence cards & do let us know how it all panned out

http://gov.mt/en/Services-And-Inform...pplication.pdf

dande

I will certainly keep you updated. Probably get the ball rolling next week. Thanks again for all your valuable help and advice. Can't promise I won't be back here with queries on other Maltese subjects!

Kind regards.

not2old

Good luck to you & enjoy life in Malta

Our daughter with her non EU spouse has plans under way to be in Malta this time next year.

I have drummed into her the points you've asked as well as most everything posted (top of this Malta thread) in the surinder singh thread with the primary emphasis on the health card and the e-residence card.

for anyone else reading this thread, see related information in the links below

http://britishexpats.com/forum/malta...icient-856883/

http://britishexpats.com/forum/malta...-malta-844728/

Without the residence card + the health card its like one is just a visitor!

dande

I am sure we shall enjoy our time here and may even extend our stay beyond September. Having lived in Turkey for just over 17 years, applying for residency in Malta should be plain sailing. I could waste pages on this forum itemising requirements for residency there and the frequent amendments to them!

Just getting all documents and papers ready (or at least listed) before going into Valletta and one other point just occurred to me. Sorry! Do we receive the Health Entitlement Card immediately or is it posted and then we return to Valletta with our e-residency applications?

not2old

last I know of is that you get something right away. When you're there also ask about the 'full certificate'.

Whatever works best for you, I'd suggest rather than dragging it out, that getting the 'provisional health card', walk round the corner & get the 'residence card application done the same day, then back to get the full health card because you'd have the residence card sorted.

dande

I'm back! I have just had an interesting conversation with an official at the Health Entitlement Unit in connection with health cover. He said the Health Entitlement Card was only for those people seeking permanent residency.

He then asked how long we were planning to stay on Malta. When I said five or six months, he said we didn't need to apply for residency but he would check! He came back having consulted a colleague and said, "five or six months, you don't need residency".

I have been trying to contact the residency department at St. Elmo Place but all lines are constantly busy at the moment.

I understood if you stayed for more than three months, you did need to have residency. I'm confused!

not2old

redo this, go back tell them that you will be living in Malta on a permanent basis as self-sufficient. Never say 'temporary'

If at the 'Health unit they ask' well where is your residence card', you explain, see the form says 'British recipricol agreement with the UK'

Then qualify it with, that you have spoke to the 'Residence card folks' (that you are applying as self sufficient) & they have told you to get the 'health card first' which cannot be refused.

The folks in Malta dont apply their own rules. Yes, its typical of small minded government bureaucracy that spins you around.

Give it another shot & tell them, you are entitled under the UK reciprocol agreement to get health card