Ex-Gratia Family Members Policy

The sponsor’s spouse who shall be twenty-one years of age and is engaged in a monogamous marriage by law;

(Spouses engaged in polygamous marriages shall not be authorised to be admitted to Malta on the basis of this policy if the sponsor is already joined by a spouse in Malta.)

The unmarried minor (eighteen years or under) children, including adopted children, of the sponsor and of his spouse,

The unmarried minor children, including adopted children, of the sponsor or the spouse where one of the parents has custody and the children are dependent on that parent.

Unmarried adult family members may still be admitted to Malta if the sponsor provides evidence that they are dependent on the family’s household, mainly financial or physical dependency.

The policy pertains to individuals who are legally residing in Malta, having been granted a residence permit with a minimum validity of one year, and who wish to act as sponsors to facilitate the entry of their family members, as established in this policy, into Malta.

A sponsor may submit an application for family reunification only after a minimum of 12 calendar months from the issuance date of their initial residence permit. Applications submitted prior to this period, are considered inadmissible.

When the sponsor holds a single permit on the basis of the Key Employee Initiative or the Specialist Employee Initiative, Identita’ will consider the waiving of the one (1) year period of prior authorised residency, and allow the sponsor to apply for his dependents before that time lapse; provided that the sponsor has at least had an Approval in Principle letter issued as a result of his own application for a residence permit in Malta.

Exceptions will only be considered in this regard provided that the sponsor has proven his stable resources to be equal to, or exceed, the below: -   €50,000 gross income annually covering sponsor and one (1) dependant*. An additional gross income of €6,000 gross income for each additional dependant*.

A request in writing to the Agency by the sponsor in order that the family member may join him/her in Malta, which should include details about the sponsor’s:   length of stay in Malta, relationship with the family member, and other relevant information, including details on the place of residence where the family shall be residing, and the expected duration of the sponsor’s stay in Malta

Civil status certificates, such as birth or marriage certificates, attesting the relationship between the sponsor and the family member;

(Children must be adopted in a manner which is recognised by Maltese law. Where the custody of adopted children is shared, Identità must be provided with a written attestation expressing the consent of the other custodian.)

Copies of passports and civil status certificates will be verified against the original ones once the applicants are physically present in Malta.

Any documentation in a foreign language must be translated to Maltese or English by a translator as indicated in the following LINK .

Sufficient resources shall be calculated on the basis of the last published median wage in Malta as estimated by the National Statistics Office, with an addition of another twenty per cent of income or resources for each member of the family who will be the subject of the application.

Currently the threshold is estimated to be €18,940 as per the news release issued by the National Statistics Office on 12th June 2024.

The above-mentioned figure may be reviewed periodically upon the publishing of the new median by the National Statistics Office. In order to qualify the disposable income of the sponsor shall be superior to this threshold.

The last six (6) payslips of the sponsor prior to the date of application if the person is working in Malta or any additional acceptable income for the last six (6) months prior to application which would render eligible applicant to apply for such family reunification.

A health insurance policy with a minimum coverage limit of €100,000 (per family member), providing medical treatment including hospitalisation coverage in Malta and other European countries. The insurance policy must have a validity covering the entire duration of the residence permit.

The sponsor, who is already legally staying in Malta, must submit an application to Identitá through the Non-EU Applicants section on https://expatriates.identita.gov.mt , uploading all required documentation.

Identità shall communicate the decision on the request submitted by the sponsor within 60 days from the submission of the application.

Once they arrive in Malta, family members must call immediately at the Expatriates Unit in order to be issued a temporary residence permit that reflects their immigration position in Malta.

Residence permits issued to family members under these guidelines do not grant them the automatic right to work in Malta.

The said third-country nationals who wish to take up employment in Malta must change the purpose of their stay in Malta by submitting an application for a single permit to the Expatriates Unit.

Permits issued to family members in accordance with these guidelines shall only be renewed if the conditions continue to be satisfied.