Identità’s checklist requires a local police report issued within three days of a card being lost or stolen. Non-EU holders also have to notify Identità within three days. The replacement route depends on your status, and replacing a card is not the same as renewing permission.
| Situation | What to know |
|---|---|
| Non-EU card lost or stolen in Malta | Report it to a local police station and obtain a local police report issued within three days. Identità also says non-EU holders must notify the agency online within three days; failure to notify may result in revocation of the residence permit. |
| Single Permit holder; card lost | Use the Single Permit reprint route and pay the listed €50 fee. If your renewal is due within 90 days—or within 30 days if health approval is required—Identità says to submit a renewal application together with the reprint documents. |
| Non-EU card issued for a basis other than employment | Apply through the Expatriates Unit Portal. Identità lists a €50 fee and requests a police report, passport bio-page copy, card copy if available, and Changes to Application Form. |
| EU national or family member using the EU residence-document procedure | Follow Identità’s EU procedure and provide the local police report. The checklist lists a €22 lost-card fee. EU nationals may reside and work in Malta without a residence card, but this does not automatically apply to non-EU family members. |
| UK national with Withdrawal Agreement beneficiary status | Report the loss to the police, then email Identità’s Brexit Unit the signed police declaration and a copy of your passport bio page. The checklist lists a €22 fee. This route is for beneficiaries, not every UK national. |
| Card lost while abroad | Report the loss to police where it happened and contact Identità before arranging travel. Identità’s visa FAQ describes a D-national visa under the “Lost documents” category for re-entry; requirements depend on nationality and circumstances. EU nationals can travel using a valid passport or national ID. |
If the card was lost or stolen in Malta
Report the loss to a local police station and keep the report. Identità’s current checklist requires a valid local police report issued within three days of a card being lost or stolen. For non-EU cardholders, Identità separately says to notify the agency online within three days; it warns that failure to notify may result in revocation of the residence permit. If you are near or past either deadline, contact the police and Identità promptly for instructions.
Then make the replacement request through the channel for your residence category. Keep your passport details, police report and any copy of the missing card handy. Check Identità’s instructions for your specific route, since the required documents and submission steps vary.
Use the route for your permit
If you are a non-EU national with a Single Permit, Identità directs employees to the Single Permit portal’s “My Personal Applications” → “Reprint My Card”; an employer can use “My Applications” → “Reprint Issued Permit.” The listed fee for a lost, damaged or stolen card is €50. If your renewal is due within 90 days—or within 30 days if health approval is required—Identità says to submit a renewal application along with the reprint documents. A reprint does not replace a renewal or change-of-employer application.
If your non-EU residence basis is not employment—for example, study, family or long-term residence—Identità directs you to the Expatriates Unit Portal. Its general instructions list a €50 fee per applicant and request a Malta police report, a passport bio-page copy, a copy of the card if available, and the Changes to Application Form. The portal may require additional documents or originals.
EU nationals and their family members use the EU residence-document procedure. Identità’s checklist lists a €22 fee for a lost card. EU nationals do not need a Maltese residence card to reside and work in Malta, although those staying more than three months must register their residence and employment must be registered with Jobsplus. A non-EU family member’s rights depend on that person’s own status and conditions.
If you are a UK national with beneficiary status under the Withdrawal Agreement, Identità gives a separate route: report the loss to police, then email the Brexit Unit with a signed police declaration and a copy of your passport bio page. Identità’s checklist lists a €22 fee. This route is for Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries, not every UK national.
A replacement card does not renew your permission
Losing the physical card and replacing it are separate from renewing an expiring permit or changing the basis of your residence. Check the expiry date and conditions of your underlying permission. For a Single Permit, Identità lists renewal and change of employer as separate applications; the permit is tied to a specific job and employer, so a replacement-card request does not authorize work for a different employer.
Do not assume a pending replacement request extends an expiring permission to reside or work. Identità’s 2024 rights-and-obligations guidance describes a limited Interim Receipt arrangement for a complete renewal application submitted at least 30 days before expiry when processing runs beyond the expiry date. That guidance concerns qualifying renewals, not a card-replacement request or every pending application. Contact Identità if your permission is near expiry.
If you lost the card while abroad
A police report or replacement request is not a travel document. Identità’s visa FAQ says people who lose a Maltese residence card abroad should report it to police where it happened, inform the Central Visa Unit, and apply for a D-national visa under the “Lost documents” category to re-enter Malta. Do not assume that instruction applies to everyone: EU nationals can travel with a valid passport or national ID, and other travelers’ requirements depend on nationality, visa status and documents. Confirm your own re-entry arrangements with Identità before booking travel.
Questions people ask
Does losing my card cancel my residence or work permission?
Replacing a lost card is not the same as renewing a permit or changing employer. Check whether your underlying permission is still valid and follow its conditions. A replacement request alone should not be treated as proof that permission is valid or extended.
Can I work while waiting for a replacement?
A replacement request does not itself establish permission to work. Your eligibility depends on your underlying status and its conditions. A Single Permit is tied to the specific job and employer; changing employers requires the appropriate separate application.
What if my Single Permit renewal is due soon?
Identità says that if renewal is due within 90 days—or within 30 days where health approval is required—you should submit a renewal application along with the documents for a reprint.
What if my card is already expired or renewal is due?
A card replacement does not renew an expiring permit. Check the renewal route for your category and contact Identità if expiry is close. The Interim Receipt arrangement described in Identità’s 2024 guidance concerns qualifying renewal applications, not simply a pending replacement request.
Sources
- Identità, Checklist for Change of Address, Lost, Stolen or Damaged Card
- Identità, Non-EU Lost/Stolen Residence Card
- Identità, FAQs for Non-EU Employment
- Identità, Non-EU General Queries FAQ
- Identità, EU Nationals FAQ
- Identità, British Nationals FAQs
- Identità, Single Permit Application
- Identità, Rights and Obligations for Residence Permit Holders
- Identità, Visa FAQs
General information, not individual immigration or legal advice. Confirm your own status and current requirements with the relevant authority.