Malta Family Reunification
Bring your immediate family to Malta to join you under your existing residence status.
For: Family members of legal residents in Malta.Estimated Timeline
4-6 months
The Application Process
Step by step, from start to approval.
Application Submission
The sponsor (the Maltese citizen or resident) files the family-reunification request with Identity Malta. Sponsors must have completed at least 12 months of legal residence in Malta and meet the income and accommodation thresholds.
- Sponsor must hold a residence permit valid for at least one renewal cycle (12 months minimum), or be a Maltese citizen.
- Income: at least the equivalent of the median wage (around €18,940 per year) plus 20% per additional adult and proportional amounts for children.
- Accommodation: a property or rental of suitable size for the family unit, registered in the sponsor's name.
- Apostilled and translated proof of relationship: marriage, civil partnership, or birth certificates.
Document Verification
Identity Malta verifies the documents and runs background checks on each family member. Decisions are typically issued within 60 to 90 days from submission.
- Each adult family member submits a clean criminal-record certificate from every country of residence in the past 5 years.
- Health insurance for the entire family is required for the duration of the residence; Maltese state coverage is conditional on certain residency types.
- Approval is communicated to the relevant Maltese consulate or representation abroad.
- If denied, the sponsor has 1 month to file an internal review.
Visa Issuance
Once approved, family members apply at the Maltese consulate or representation that covers their country of residence. The visa is a national long-stay visa that allows entry into Malta for the residence-permit step.
- Each family member files individually, with original passports, biometric photos, and apostilled civil documents.
- Consular fee is approximately €70 per applicant.
- Visas are typically valid for 90 days from issue and allow a single entry.
- Children under 12 are usually included on a parent's file for biometrics.
Residence Permit
Family members travel to Malta within the visa window and attend a biometric appointment at Identity Malta to obtain their residence cards. The permit is valid for the same duration as the sponsor's permit.
- Bring originals of all submitted documents to the biometric appointment.
- Children of compulsory school age must be enrolled at a Maltese school within a reasonable timeframe.
- Reunified spouses and adult children can work in Malta from the day the permit is issued, with no separate work authorisation.
- After 5 years of joint legal residence, family members can apply for permanent residence independently of the sponsor.
Core Requirements
What you need to qualify for this visa.
Sponsor must hold a valid Maltese residence permit and have resided in Malta for at least 12 months
Stable income equivalent to the median wage (€18,940/year) plus 20% for each additional family member
Proof of family relationship (marriage/birth certificates, apostilled and translated)
Eligible dependents: unmarried minor children and dependent unmarried adult family members
Adequate accommodation and health insurance covering all family members
Do You Qualify?
Answer a few quick questions to see if you meet the key requirements for this visa.
VisaQuiz.questions.mtREU_familyResident
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