I am a British subject who has been living in Malta for nine years. My UK passport expired last April. No problem, I thought. I have my new Malta residence document that entitles me to travel throughout the Schengen area.

I recently changed my Malta address. No problem, I thought. The ID office in Valletta will change my address upon production of the residence card, which itself identifies me. I took my expired UK passport as well.

Despite the residence permit identifying me everywhere in Malta and 23 other countries, it was not enough to identify me to change my address, on the very same document in Malta. My recently-expired UK pass-port was not accepted as proof of identity.

I was told I must first renew my UK passport for 10 years – I am 78 – at a cost of €100 plus.

I cannot believe a simpler method does not exist just to change a registered address.

I have not been out of Malta in more than nine years. This is bureaucracy gone mad.