If you are an EU national and your course in Malta lasts more than three months, you must register your presence with Identità, the government agency that handles identity and residence documents. The result is a residence document on a study basis. The process runs online, ends with a biometrics appointment and takes about 30 working days, so start it as soon as you have your school’s acceptance letter. Everything below comes from Identità’s own page for EU students, consulted on 10 October 2026. Check it again before you apply, because forms and requirements get updated.
Who this applies to
Identità’s rule is short: EU nationals who wish to reside in Malta for more than three months and who are enrolled in a course of studies must register. Stays shorter than three months need no registration.
Non-EU students follow a different route, based on a visa and a separate residence permit process. This guide does not cover it.
The three conditions
To qualify on a study basis, Identità asks you to show three things:
- Enrolment in a licensed and accredited education establishment. For language students, that means a school on the ELT Council’s list. Our guide on how to check that a school is licensed explains how to verify it.
- Comprehensive sickness insurance valid in Malta.
- Sufficient resources, so that you will not become a burden on Malta’s social assistance system during your stay.
The documents
The application is filed through the Expatriates Unit Portal, under the Study basis. Identità lists:
- A copy of your valid ID card, front and back, or the bio-data page of your passport.
- The letter of acceptance from your school.
- Proof of comprehensive health insurance, or an S1 certificate, or your Entitlement Certificate if you already hold one. Students at the University of Malta, MCAST or ITS do not need to provide insurance.
- Proof of sufficient or stable financial means, such as a bank statement. A signed declaration of financial support from a relative is accepted, with the relative’s details, your relationship and a copy of their travel document.
- Form M and the GDPR form, signed in ink or with an advanced or qualified electronic signature.
Documents must be in English or Maltese. Anything else needs an official translation by a verified translator, except the S1, A1 and S072 forms.
Step by step
- Get your acceptance letter from the school with the exact dates of your course.
- Gather your insurance proof and a recent bank statement.
- Download Form M and the GDPR form from Identità’s page, fill them in and sign them.
- Apply through the Expatriates Unit Portal, choosing the Study basis.
- Book your biometrics appointment through the “Book Now” button on Identità’s page.
- Attend the appointment with your original documents.
- Wait for the document. Identità states that the entire process takes approximately 30 working days.
Thirty working days is about six weeks. On a four-month course, that means applying in your first week, not your eighth.
A checklist before you fly
- Acceptance letter with your full name, course dates and the school’s details.
- Insurance certificate, or your S1 or European Health Insurance Card if that applies to you.
- A bank statement from the last month, in English or translated.
- Scans of every document in one folder on your phone, so you file the online application in your first days.
If you have lived in Malta before
- If you already hold a Maltese residence card, use the same registration number, the one ending in the letter A.
- Return any previous residence card, valid or expired, at the biometrics appointment.
- If you lost it, bring a police lost report issued in Malta.
Why the document matters day to day
Registration is a legal obligation, and it is also the paper other offices ask for:
- Banks ask for it when you open an account. See our guide to opening a bank account as a student.
- Employers ask for it if you take a job alongside your course. The rules are in our guide to part-time work while you study.
- Landlords on longer leases often ask for it too.
Keep a digital copy on your phone and a paper copy in your flat.
Common mistakes
- Waiting until month three. The clock starts when you arrive, and the process takes weeks.
- An acceptance letter without dates. Ask the school for a letter that states the start and end of your course.
- Documents in your own language. Without an official English or Maltese translation, they get sent back.
- Forgetting the GDPR form. It is a separate document from Form M, and both need your signature.
- Overlooking insurance. If you are not at the University, MCAST or ITS, you need it. The guide to healthcare in Malta for students explains how the European Health Insurance Card and private cover fit together.
The official page is Identità’s application page for EU students. It is the reference if anything in this guide has changed since October 2026.
