Malta offers several programs that allow foreign investors to gain residency or citizenship. The most prominent of these are the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) and the Maltese Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment.

Malta Permanent Residence Program (MPRP)

The MPRP is a residency-by-investment program that provides permanent residency in Malta to non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals and their families.

Investment Requirements:

The program requires a combination of a government contribution, a donation to a non-governmental organization (NGO), and a real estate investment (purchase or rental).

Real Estate: You must either:

Purchase a property with a minimum value of €375,000 (or €300,000 if in the South of Malta or Gozo).

Rent a property with a minimum annual rent of €14,000 (or €10,000 if in the South of Malta or Gozo).

This property must be held for a minimum of five years.

Government Contribution:

If you purchase a property, the contribution is €28,000.

If you rent a property, the contribution is €58,000.

There is also a mandatory administrative fee of €40,000.

Donation: A donation of at least €2,000 to a Maltese-registered philanthropic, cultural, sport, scientific, animal welfare, or artistic NGO is required.

Financial Assets: Applicants must demonstrate that they have at least €500,000 in capital assets, with at least €150,000 in financial assets.

Eligibility and Process:

Eligibility: The main applicant must be at least 18 years old and a non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen.

Due Diligence: Applicants undergo a rigorous four-tiered due diligence process, which includes extensive background checks on their identity, source of funds, and business affiliations. This is to ensure they pose no security or reputational risk to Malta.

Process: The application is submitted to the Residency Malta Agency. The process typically takes 6 to 8 months. Once approved, you make the required investments and are issued a residence certificate, which acts as a permanent residency permit.

Benefits of MPRP:

Permanent Residency: The right to live, settle, and stay indefinitely in Malta.

Schengen Visa-Free Travel: The ability to travel visa-free within the Schengen Area for 90 days out of any 180-day period.

Family Inclusion: The program can include a spouse, dependent children, and financially dependent parents and grandparents.

No Minimum Stay: There is no minimum physical presence requirement to maintain your permanent residency status.

Tax Benefits: Non-domiciled residents are generally taxed only on income that is earned in Malta or remitted to Malta. There is no wealth tax, inheritance tax, or estate tax.

Access to Services: Access to Malta’s well-developed infrastructure, including public transport, healthcare, and education.

Maltese Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment

This is a program that offers a direct path to Maltese citizenship, and therefore EU citizenship, to high-net-worth individuals. It is one of the few programs of its kind in the EU.

Investment Requirements:

Exceptional Direct Investment: The main applicant must make a non-refundable contribution to a government-approved fund. The amount depends on the chosen residency period:

€600,000 for citizenship after 36 months of residency.

€750,000 for citizenship after 12 months of residency.

An additional €50,000 is required for each dependent.

Property Investment: You must either:

Purchase a residential property with a minimum value of €700,000, which must be held for at least five years.

Rent a property with a minimum annual rent of €16,000, also for a minimum of five years.

Donation: A mandatory donation of at least €10,000 to an approved Maltese philanthropic, cultural, or other NGO.

Eligibility and Process:

Eligibility: The main applicant must be at least 18 years of age and meet stringent due diligence requirements.

Residency: A key requirement is to have a genuine link to Malta, which is established by residing in the country for either 12 or 36 months before the citizenship application is submitted.

Due Diligence: The program has one of the strictest due diligence processes in the world, with a four-tier system to ensure only highly qualified candidates are approved.

Application: The application is handled by the Community Malta Agency.

Benefits of Citizenship:

EU Citizenship: This grants you the right to live, work, and study anywhere within the European Union.

Powerful Passport: A Maltese passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to approximately 190 countries worldwide.

Family Inclusion: The program allows for the inclusion of a spouse, children under 29, and dependent parents and grandparents over 55.