Malta permanent residency by investment and citizenship by naturalisation: how to get it

1. Living in Malta for 5 years. A foreigner can become a permanent resident of Malta after legally residing in the country for 5 years with a temporary residence permit.

There are several grounds for obtaining residence permits, including employment, education, and family reunification.

The application is submitted to the Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs of the Identity Malta Agency. The response can take between 6 and 8 months.

2. Malta Permanent Residence Programme, or MPRP, gives non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss citizens an opportunity to relocate to the country in the heart of the Mediterranean.

Investors buy or rent real estate, pay state fees, and make charitable donations to non-government organisations to obtain permanent residency.

Once granted, permanent residency allows individuals and their families to live, work, and study in Malta indefinitely, provided they comply with the terms of the program.

Terms of the Malta Permanent Residence Programme

Eligibility. Wealthy individuals from non-EU countries can obtain a permanent residency permit within six months.

The Malta Permanent Residence Program is not subject to a quota, and there are no restrictions on obtaining a Malta Permanent Resident Card. There are also no requirements to know the language or history of the country.

Expenses. An investor buys or rents real estate, pays government fees and makes a charitable contribution. They must also confirm that they have a capital of €500,000.

To apply for a Malta permanent residence, an applicant must bring:

1. Passports of all family members.

2. Proof of the necessary funds for the investment.

3. Documents sustaining the funds have legal sources.

4. Bank statements from the country of origin.

5. Proof of family relationships, such as marriage certificate, birth certificate, divorce certificate or custody documents.

6. Documents proving principal dependency on the main applicant for adult children, parents, or grandparents.

7. Biometric data for the main applicant and others over 12.

8. Police certificates proving zero criminal background.

9. Medical insurance.

10. Any other necessary documents, if required.

Permanent residence status is granted for life and is confirmed by a Certificate of Maltese Residence, issued by the country’s Government after approval and fulfilment of investment conditions.

When buying real estate, the property must remain in the ownership of the main investor for five years from the date they were granted permanent residence. After five years, it can be sold, and part of the investment returned.

Main applicant. Regardless of the grounds for obtaining permanent residency in Malta, the applicant must:

• be over 18 years old;

• have a stable job or income;

• have a registered address for at least 5 years;

• have paid taxes within the last 5 years;

• have a clean criminal record;

• have a medical insurance;

• write a cover letter to include the purpose of stay.

Those who apply for the Malta permanent residency by investment must also own a capital of at least €500,000, of which at least €150,000 must be financial assets.

Family members. An investor can add relatives to the application:

• a spouse or partner;

• children under 18;

• children over 18, unmarried, and principally dependent on the main applicant;

• principally dependent parents or grandparents of either applicant or spouse.

If people who live together without being registered as civil marriage bring documents proving common-law marriage, they can participate in Malta permanent residence program. They can use a joint bank account statement, registration certificate, shared ownership, testimonies from relatives and friends, and photos and videos from vacations.

The Maltese permanent residence program is the only investment route with no age limits for relatives.

1. Increased travel freedom. Maltese permanent residents can visit Schengen Area countries for up to 90 days in six months without a visa.

2. Living and working in Malta. After obtaining permanent residency in Malta, an individual can move to the country and find a job or register a company there.

3. Permanent residence for 4 generations of a family. The investor’s spouse, children, parents, and grandparents can be included in the application.

4. Tax optimisation. An individual becomes a Malta tax resident after spending over 183 days a year in the country. Malta does not offer special benefits to investors. However, the tax system in Malta may be beneficial in comparison with other states. For example, there is a 0% tax rate on foreign income not transferred to Malta.

5. Access to healthcare and education. Maltese permanent residents don’t need visas for medical treatment in local clinics. They can also get an education in public universities for free. Alternatively, Malta hosts British and American schools and universities branches.

6. Stable environment. Malta boasts political stability, a robust economy, and a safe environment, providing residents with security and peace of mind.

7. Quality of life. With its Mediterranean climate, stunning landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture, Malta offers residents a high quality of life and a diverse range of recreational and leisure activities.

Participating in the Malta Permanent Residence Programme does not automatically lead to obtaining a Maltese passport.

Malta citizenship can be granted by naturalisation. Officially, it is possible to obtain citizenship after 5 years of living in the country. In practice, however, the process can take up to 10 years.

Besides the residency requirement, Malta citizenship applicants must meet the following requirements:

• have sufficient income;

• have a Maltese health insurance;

• pass language proficiency, law, and history exams;

• have at least two Maltese nationals vouch for them in writing.

Applicants must have at least two guarantors who are not their family members. The first guarantor must be a lawyer, a doctor, a civil servant, a judge, a priest, a police officer not lower than an inspector, a prosecutor, a captain or above, a magistrate, or a notary. The second guarantor must be a Maltese citizen 18 years old or older who has not obtained citizenship by naturalisation.

Vladlena Baranova,

Head of Legal & AML Compliance Department, CAMS, IMCM

It is not possible to convert Malta permanent residency by investment into citizenship by investment. At the same time, investors with permanent residency can apply for Malta citizenship by naturalisation on a general basis.

The Malta Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment is a speeded path for wealthy foreigners.

An applicant meets three mandatory investment conditions:

• contribute to the National Development and Social Fund (the NDSF);

• donate money to a non-governmental organisation;

• buy or rent real estate.

A sum of the contribution defines when the investor can apply for citizenship. If the contribution amounts to €600,000, the residence permit must be kept for three years. If an investor contributes €750,000, the residence period cuts to one year.

Additional investment for each family member is €50,000.

In the case of renting real estate, an investor first applies for a residence permit. To get it, the investor rents housing for €12,000. The rent should last for a year or three years, depending on the option.

The investor applies for a Malta passport in a year or three years. The investor concludes a new leasing agreement for €16,000 per year. It is obligatory to rent housing for at least five years.

In the case of buying real estate, the property must remain in the investor’s ownership for five years from the date they were granted permanent residence. After five years, it can be sold, and part of the investment returned.

Igor Buglo,

Head of the Maltese office, MBA

There is no difference between Malta citizenship by naturalisation and Malta passport receiving by origin. Investors and their family members get the same rights and privileges as native inhabitants.

If you decide to acquire a Maltese passport, contact Immigrant Invest lawyers. The experts will help you to pass all steps and get citizenship in one or three years, depending on investment options.

1. Preliminary Due Diligence check. It’s a key step in determining whether the Maltese state authorities will approve the investor’s application for a Malta passport. Immigrant Invest’s certified Anti Money Laundering Officer examines the investor’s documents and identifies possible risks that could result in their citizenship being rejected.

2. Police check. The Maltese police discuss the candidacy of the investor and their family members older than 12 years in the databases held by Interpol and Europol.

3. Obtaining a Malta residence permit. A Malta residence permit is issued to the investor and all family members over 18. Immigrant Invest lawyers prepare a Due Diligence report and apostille the relevant application documents. Also, the lawyers draw up a Maltese real estate rental contract and prepare the forms required for the medical insurance policy.

4. Eligibility Test. This procedure remains a Due Diligence check. Immigrant Invest lawyers apply for the Eligibility Test on behalf of the investor and applicants over 12 years old. This must be done within 12 months from the date of receipt of the residence permit card.

5. Check and approve. The Minister approves or rejects applications. After passing the test, applicants can apply for citizenship one to three years after obtaining a Maltese residence permit.

6. Applying for Malta citizenship. The procedure depends on term options:

• in one year — the applicant has to confirm whether there have been any significant changes in their circumstances.

• in three years — the applicant’s permanent residence address must be confirmed, and no criminal record certificate must be updated. If any other documents have been updated, they must also be resubmitted.

7. Final approval by the Minister. The decision is made in writing and provides the applicant with the possibility of obtaining Malta citizenship.

8. Investing. Within four months of the Minister’s written approval. In addition, the principal applicant needs to prove their residence in Malta. The residency requirement is stipulated in the new law.

• After 12 months of receipt of residence permit: investment of €750,000.

• After 36 months of receipt of residence permit: investment of €600,000.

9. Receiving the Malta passport. Applicants aged 6 or older collect their passports in person at the Malta Passport Department.

1. Visa-free travel. The Maltese passport is one of the strongest in the world in terms of travel freedom. Its holders don’t need to apply for a visa before travelling to the United States, the United Kingdom, and over 160 other countries.

2. Right to live, work, and study in other countries. Maltese citizens can relocate to any other EU country without additional permits.

3. International business opportunities. Maltese citizens can open a company in any EU country. This opportunity helps to expand a business to the international market.

4. Social benefits. Citizens are entitled to welfare services provided by the Government of Malta, including healthcare, education, housing, and social assistance programs.

5. Retaining your first citizenship. Malta allows dual citizenship, meaning investors don’t have to give up their first passport to become a Maltese citizen, unless the country of their origin prohibits that.

6. Citizenship for future generations. A child will get a Malta passport even if born outside of Malta.

Greece, Portugal, Сyprus, and Spain also offer paths leading to residency by investment. However, only Cyprus issues permanent residency for life, while other countries mandate investors to renew the status after several years of residency.

A residence permit in a European country provides freedom of travel within the Schengen Area and the prospect of citizenship in an EU country.

Residence permit programs in Europe

Сountry

Portugal

Expenses

€250,000+

Term of obtaining

8+ months

Investment options

• Units of investment funds

• Support for culture and art

• Scientific projects

• Business investments

• Opening a company

RP validity

2 years, renewable every 2 years

Сountry

Spain

Expenses

€500,000+

Term of obtaining

5+ months

Investment options

• Real estate

• Bank deposit

• Government bonds

• Shares of Spanish companies

• Units of investment funds

• Business investments

RP validity

3 years, renewable for 5 years

Сountry

Greece

Expenses

€250,000+

Term of obtaining

6+ months

Investment options

• Real estate

• Hotel rental

• Securities

• Bank deposit

RP validity

5 years, renewable every 5 years

Сountry

Cyprus

Expenses

€300,000+

Term of obtaining

3+ months

Investment options

• Real estate

• Shares of Cypriot companies

• Securities

RP validity

For life, a resident card is renewable every 10 years

1. Permanent residency in Malta can be obtained either after living in the country for 5 years with a temporary residence permit or through the Malta Permanent Residence Programme.

2. Investors can apply for permanent residency after purchasing or renting real estate, making a government contribution and a charitable donation.

3. Permanent residency of Malta allows foreigners to live, work and study in the country, as well as spend 90 out of 180 days in the Schengen Area states without a visa.

4. The Malta Permanent Residence Programme does not result in the receipt of a passport. A foreigner can obtain Malta citizenship after residence in the country for at least five years.

5. Those who are interested in receiving a Maltese passport can instead apply for Malta citizenship for exceptional services by direct investment.