Traveling in Europe with Maltese Work Visa & Residence Permit

These are tough legal, immigration questions that I doubt if anyone on this site has the background to provide an answer you can depend on. And if the answer is wrong the consequences to you could be severe. One answer I can give is that the Schengen agreement is 90 days out of 180 continuous days. So leaving for a few days does not reset the clock. It is my understand, no more, that if you have a legal visa for an extended stay in one of the Schengen zone counties, then that visa is recognized (accepted ?) by the other countires - at least for travel. I would think the Maltese work vise/residency permit would allow you to travel freely through out the Schengen zone but making Italy your resident on a Malta's residency permit could be a whole different ball game.

I have three suggestions. 1. Have you talked with anyone at the company about these issues? Maybe you are not the first one they have sponsored and they can give you ideas/help.
2. I agree with what the previous poster stated. I know you are asking for help here but if it were me, I would not feel comfortable with getting answers to these questions on this site or any other for that matter because in the end, you are the one who will be responsible if you do something wrong. 3. Can you try the Italian consulate? If you do, get the answers to your questions in writing. Good luck.

Jeanette, Article 21 of Chapter 4 of the Schengen agreement appears to limit your stay in Schengen countries (other than the country for which you have the residence permit) to three months. Note that reference to the six month period (90 days in each 180 day period) which is found in Article 20 is not present in Article 21. See: http://www.hri.org/docs/Schengen90/body2.html#chapter%204 This is a new twist on the usual Schengen Zone questions. Let us know what you learn about your options.

Thanks for that info, Mike! You're right, the difference between Article 20 and 21 in the Schengen agreement does not limit a resident of a member country to the 180 day rule. Considering this, I think I could stay 3 months in Italy, return to Malta (official place of residence) or travel to the UK for a short stay, then return again to Italy for 3 more months. Thoughts? Any other interpretations of Article 21 (see below)? Also is anyone here familiar with applying for a Frontier Worker's Card in Italy (lavoratore frontaliero)? A frontier worker is someone who is employed in a Member State but resides in another, where he/she returns at least once a week. FYI: Article 20 1. Aliens not subject to a visa requirement may move freely within the territories of the Contracting Parties for a maximum period of three months during the six months following the date of first entry, provided they fulfil the conditions of entry referred to in Article 5. Article 21 1. An alien holding a residence permit issued by one of the Contracting Parties may, under cover of that permit and of a travel document, both documents still being valid, move freely for up to three months within the territories of the other Contracting Parties provided he fulfils the conditions of entry referred to in Article 5.

In relate to part 3: - pre-paid cellphones, used by 80% of Italian population (much more popular there than in US, because there is more competition in that market and they are cheaper, even premium Blackberry plans...), can be acquired without a Permesso di Soggiorno. - rent is tricky. You can "rent" a furnished flat or something else like extended lodge, but you can't get a cessione di fabricatto without a document of legal stay, because no landlord (decent) will accept that.