You have made it! After all the planning, research and travelling, you’ve finally arrived in Malta.
You arrived at your hotel and did some unpacking.
But what to do next?
Here are some essential things it is advised to do during your first week in Malta.
1. Apply for a residence permit
If you intend to stay in Malta for longer than 3 months, you need to apply for a Maltese residence permit. Depending on which country you are coming from, you are required to submit a form to the Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs. The application together with the required documents have to be submitted in person.
2. Get a local cell phone plan
Roaming fees from your home provider can be quite expensive and your connectivity is something you will frequently use during your initial stages in Malta. This can be for google maps, telephone calls, internet searches and so much more. Getting a local provider can be quite a straight forward process in Malta and despite the cost which is usually considered quite inexpensive, it can save you quite some money in terms of roaming charges. Explore Malta’s internet and phone providers.
3. Begin your home search
Finding a property to live in for the longer term is not usually ‘a walk in the park,’ but we ensure to make this process as efficient as possible. Decide on what type of property you would like to live in, consider the location and determine a budget. Once you decide on these three things, you are one step closer to finding your apartment. Different localities in Malta have their perks and limitations, however, in the end it depends on your needs and wants.
To make this step easier, Welcome Center Malta created a portfolio of some of most exclusive properties in Malta.
4. Set up a bank account
There are several options to banking in Malta. With this being said, banks in Malta might be somewhat uneasy when it comes to foreigners. For you to open a bank account, make an appointment and visit the bank physically. Take with you your Identification, a utility bill with name and address and if possible a bank reference of your previous credit history. Having a home address always helps with the setting up a bank account. Apart from the traditional banks, a latest addition of banking to the island is Revolut, in which you can set up a bank account from your phone.
5. Build your social network
Once you settled some of the most important things, its time to make some friends. Reach out to any friends or people you know that relocated to Malta. With the island’s size, you are likely to run into them, one time or the other, so might as well start building relationships. You are also recommended that you make friends and interact with the locals. Having a solid network of good friends is likely to make you feel at home at a much earlier stage.
