Dealing with Maltese government offices is easier than its reputation, provided you arrive with the right documents and an appointment.
Most processes are now online or appointment-based. Turning up without an appointment rarely works.
How to deal with an office here
Book an appointment and bring originals
Almost everything runs on appointments now. Book online, and bring originals plus copies of everything, including things not on the list.
A second proof of address has rescued more appointments than any other document.
The right order
Identita, ARMS, Jobsplus
Identita handles residence and identity. ARMS handles water and electricity. Jobsplus handles employment licences. Local councils handle waste and permits.
Knowing which one owns your problem saves the most time of anything on this page.
The eResidence card
Ask in writing what is missing
Processes here stall quietly rather than being refused. A polite request for what specifically is outstanding usually restarts it.
Keep every reference number. You will be asked for one by someone who cannot find your file otherwise.
Getting advice locally
Who does what
The offices you will deal with
- Identita
- Identity documents, residence documentation and the eResidence card. The starting point for almost everything else, because most other bodies want to see the card.
- Jobsplus
- The national employment agency. Engagement and termination of employment are registered here. It sits inside the work permit process.
- Malta Tax and Customs Administration
- Income tax, your tax number and the annual return. Also handles the permit to buy property under Chapter 246.
- Social security
- Your social security number and contributions, which drive healthcare entitlement and pension rights.
- ARMS
- Water and electricity accounts, and the registration that determines your tariff.
- Transport Malta
- Driving licences, vehicle registration and licensing.
- Housing Authority
- Registration of residential leases, which is your landlord’s obligation rather than yours.
- servizz.gov.mt
- The single government services portal. Most applications and their document lists start here. It is the most reliable place to confirm what a process requires.
Take originals and photocopies of everything: passport, residence card, lease, employment letter, utility bill, and any document produced by a previous step. The cost of carrying a folder is nothing. The cost of a second appointment is a morning.
Practical habits
Go early. Book online where booking exists, because walk-in queues at the busier offices are long. Expect August to be slow, particularly around Santa Marija. Keep a copy of every document you hand over and note the date you submitted it. Timelines are quoted in working days, so you need to know when the clock started.
The order these steps come in, for someone arriving, is set out under your first 30 days.