How to fulfil the dream — to become a winemaker in France with Malta Citizenship
Would it be nice to live in the Mediterranean part of France, grow a vineyard there, and gather my friends from Armenia to try the cognac I’ve made. Live and retire there to host our family, nephews and, can’t wait, my grandsons in the future! It is my dream life.
Tigran, 56 years old
The director of a major French retailer’s branch
Clients’ names and photos have been changed
This case was provided by our expert
Lawyer and Immigrant Invest's partner in Malta
How to fulfil the dream — to become a winemaker in France with Malta Citizenship
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Tigran is the director of a major French retailer’s branch in his home country. He has a house in France where he and his wife live while on vacation. The couple love France, and they wanted to move there.
In this case, we will tell you how Immigrant Invest helped a family from Armenia move to France, become EU citizens and travel visa-free to 185 countries.
The investor’s goals
Tigran’s predominant ambition was to live in their house in France and plant a vineyard on the house plot to make cognac. Winegrowing is the investor’s hobby.
The second goal was to travel visa-free to the UK, the US and the Schengen Area. In the UK, Tigran and Yeva’s son Artur was studying at the university. He has made his plan to stay in the UK upon his graduation and find a job there. The parents wanted to move freely to the UK to visit their son.In the US, Yeva’s sister and mother are living. Tigran and Yeva wanted to visit their nephews and nieces and be close at important family events. Also, Yeva wanted to travel around Europe and explore every corner of it while her husband was in winegrowing.
Tigran,
The director of a major French retailer’s branch
I only need visa-free access to the UK and the US to see my son and the family. I’m not into travelling. I just wanted to move to France, live in our big house, grow a large vineyard, and make cognac there. So, I’ll be poking around in the vineyard while Yeva travels. All are satisfied.
The third goal was to give his son more opportunities in the future — with an EU passport, Artur could find a job or settle in any EU country if he decides to leave the UK.
Meeting at the Immigrant Invest
Tigran was directed to Immigrant Invest by his friend who had previously contacted us on obtaining citizenship in the EU. On 17 December 2020, Tigran turned to Immigrant Invest for advice.
Before starting the cooperation with the investor and signing the contract, the Immigrant Invest lawyers conduct a check on the investor, called the preliminary Due Diligence.
The preliminary Due Diligence showed that Tigran and his family have no criminal record and have never been involved in criminal cases. Tigran has no tax debts or instances of his visa denials. Immigrant Invest lawyers were 99% confident that Tigran and his family could participate in any citizenship program for investors.
Citizenship that meets all the investor’s requirements
Malta was the only country in the EU that allowed investors to obtain its citizenship and met all Tigran’s needs:
Move to France, as Maltese citizens can live in any EU country and have the same rights and freedoms as any other European citizen.
Travel visa-free to Britain, the US, the Schengen Area, and other 157 countries.
The alternatives were residence permit programs for investors, for example, in Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Portugal. The investor can apply for citizenship after maintaining the residence permit status for at least five years. For comparison, the investor can obtain Malta citizenship in one year.
Tigran did not want to wait and live for five years in a European country to obtain their citizenship. He did not want to bind himself to a place. He wanted to go any time from France to Armenia, the UK and the US to see his family.
Moreover, the investor wanted his family to get EU citizenship. But in the case of residence permit programs, the family would have to live continuously in a country for five years, learn the language and integrate into the culture to get EU passports. This option did not work for the family.
Tigran chose Malta citizenship as it suited his needs the most: there was no need to live in Malta, learn the language, or integrate into the culture to obtain citizenship. Also, the investor and his family could obtain EU citizenship in one year.
The whole city of Valletta, Malta’s capital, is recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The city is famous for its fortifications, consisting of bastions, curtains and cavaliers, and the beauty of its Baroque palaces, gardens and churches. Valletta is also the sunniest city in Europe
How to obtain Malta citizenship
The investor obtains a residence permit in Malta, passes Due Diligence, and fulfils investment conditions to get a passport. The minimal investment amount is €690,000.
Igor Buglo,
Head of the Maltese office, MBA
The investor applies for Maltese citizenship one or three years after obtaining a residence permit. If the investor applies for citizenship after a year of residency, the sum investment will be higher than if he applies after three years of residency. After obtaining a residence permit, the investor undergoes Due Diligence, which lasts twelve months.
The investor fulfils three investment conditions: buy or rent real estate, make a contribution to the National Development and Social Fund (the NDSF), and donate money to a non-governmental organisation. All three conditions are mandatory.
Investment conditions for obtaining Malta citizenship
First step: obtaining a residence permit in Malta
1. Police Clearance Certificate is a certificate of no criminal record issued by the Maltese police. The certificate is one of the mandatory documents for obtaining a residence permit in Malta.
To obtain a Police Clearance Certificate, Tigran provided certified copies of his and his wife’s passports to the Maltese police. The law enforcement agencies of Malta verified the information about Tigran and Yeva in the databases of Europol and Interpol.
2 weeks
To get Police Clearance Certificate
The check took two weeks: Tigran successfully passed the police check. That means that the investor could apply for a residence permit.
2. Buying or renting real estate to obtain a residence permit. To get a residence permit in Malta, the investor needs to have a registration address in the country. Housing can be bought or rented.
Igor Buglo,
Head of the Maltese office, MBA
When obtaining a residence permit in Malta, the investor can buy or rent real estate within the required amount for citizenship. Then the purchased or rented real estate at the residence permit stage will be taken into account as compliance with the investment conditions for obtaining citizenship.
Tigran decided to rent a house within the required amount for obtaining Malta citizenship so as not to choose a property a second time. The investor did not plan to live permanently in Malta. He wanted to spend time in France.
Immigrant Invest real estate experts have selected several suitable options for the spouses.
Elena Kozyreva,
Managing Director for Real Estate projects
We recommend that the investor sets aside three days to choose an apartment in Malta. The investor is looking at options with a realtor and Immigrant Invest lawyers. When the investor has made a choice, the realtor provides a lease agreement and the investor signs it. Our lawyers check the legal purity of the object and the terms of the contract before viewing the objects.
Tigran chose to view the property remotely, using online video broadcasting. The investor and his wife liked the two-bedroom apartments within walking distance from the sea.
The apartment complex that Tigran chose includes swimming pools with a relaxation area, a spa, a shopping centre with many retail and catering outlets, and underground parking.
Examples of properties in Malta
Malta, Kalkara
€300,000 — €1,900,000
Apartments in a large-scale residential project on the first coastline
71 m² — 310 m²
1—3 
1—3 
Malta, Sliema
€920,000 — €1,300,000
Apartments in a new residential high-rise project near the sea176 m² — 211 m²2—3 2 
Malta, Valletta
€1,510,000 — €3,370,000
Modern apartments not far from sea in Valetta123 m² — 281 m²1—3 1—3 3. Collection of documents for a residence permit in Malta. Immigrant Invest lawyers have collected all the necessary documents for applying for a residence permit in Malta for Tigran and Yeva:
copies of passports of the spouses;
marriage certificate;
bank statement for the last six months;
medical insurance;
Police Clearance Certificate;
copy of the real estate lease agreement.
Immigrant Invest lawyers filled out government forms, translated documents into English and apostilled them. Documents were ready in a week.
4. Applying for a residence permit and submitting biometrics. All applicants should submit fingerprints for obtaining residence permit cards in Malta within six months from receipt of Police Clearance. Immigrant Invest lawyers made an appointment for Tigran and Yeva to submit biometrics to Identity Malta Agency for 10 January 2021.
Tigran and Yeva had valid Schengen visas. They flew to Malta and passed biometrics on the day of arrival. On the same day, the lawyers submitted an application and the documents of the spouses for a residence permit to the Identity Malta Agency.
5. Issuance of residence permit cards in Malta. Tigran paid 15,000 € for the production of residence permit cards — 10,000 € for himself and 5,000 € for his wife.
The residence permit cards were ready a week after the couple submitted the biometrics. The lawyer from the Maltese office of Immigrant Invest took the cards and handed them over to the investor by a delivery service.
Tigran and Yeva received Malta residence permit cards valid for 36 months.
Second step: Due Diligenceat the Malta Migration Agency
After obtaining a residence permit, Tigran passed Due Diligence at the Identity Malta Agency. Malta’s investor screening is one of the most stringent globally, with the program department rejecting a quarter of applications every year.
First of all, the program department checks the legality of the investor’s income: all places of work, sources of income throughout life, and assets owned by the investor and his family members.
Collection of documents. Immigrant Invest lawyers have collected all the necessary documents:
Tigran’s tax reporting;
copies of passports of the spouses;
marriage certificate;
birth certificates of children;
police clearance certificates from Armenia.
The lawyers additionally drew up an affidavit in which they confirmed Yeva’s financial dependence on Tigran. As confirmation, the lawyers attached extracts from the bank accounts of the spouses.
Third step: fulfilment of investment conditions
In addition to renting real estate in the amount of 16,000 €, Tigran has fulfilled two more investment conditions:
made a non-refundable contribution to the National Development Fund in the amount of €800,000. Of these, Tigran paid €750,000 for himself and €50,000 for his wife;
donated to a non-government organisation in the amount of €10,000.
The investor decided to apply for Malta citizenship one year after obtaining the residence permit in Malta. If he had chosen to apply for citizenship three years after obtaining the residence permit, he would have contributed €650,000 to the state fund for himself and his wife.
Tigran made contributions to the state fund and a non-government organisation as soon as he received approval from the Identity Malta Agency. The investor transferred the money from his Armenian bank account using the details of the agency.
€871,000 — Tigran’s expenses for Malta citizenship for himself and his wife
€800,000 — contribution to the state fund
€10,000 — donation
€20,000 — renting of real estate
€25,000 — Due Diligence fee
€15,000 — issuance of residence permit cards fee
€1,000 — medical insurance
Last step: obtaining Malta citizenship
Re-submission of biometrics. Immigrant Invest lawyers have booked Tigran and his wife for biometrics on 21 January 2021. On the appointed day, the couple flew to Malta.
The Immigrant Invest Maltese office lawyer accompanied Tigran and Yeva to the Identity Malta Agency, where they submitted their fingerprints.
The oath took place on the same day at the Identity Malta Agency.
Tigran and Yeva received their passports at the Malta department two days after submitting the biometrics. The procedure for obtaining citizenship took fourteen months from applying to Immigrant Invest.
13 months to obtain Malta citizenship
17 December 2020
Tigran turned to Immigrant Invest
+ 1 day
Preliminary Due Diligence
+ 2 weeks
Obtaining of Police Clearance Certificate
+ 3 days
Selection and rental of real estate
+ 1 week
Preparation and submission of documents for a residence permit in Malta
10 January 2021
Submission of biometrics for residence permit cards in Malta
17 January 2021
Obtaining Maltese residence permit cards
+ 4 weeks
Collection and submission of documents to Identity Malta
+ 11 months
Due Diligence at Identity Malta
14 January 2022
Obtaining the approval from Identity Malta
+ 1 week
Fulfilment of investment conditions
21 January 2022
Taking biometrics and taking an oath in Malta
23 January 2022
Obtaining Maltese passports
How did the spouse’s life change with Malta citizenship
Tigran and Yeva make full use of the benefits of Maltese passports. Tigran transferred to the French branch of the company and began renovating a house in France to move there in the nearest future. As a Maltese citizen, he can live in any EU country without restrictions.
On her Malta passport, Yeva has flown to the UK to see their son. She did not apply for a visa to visit the country — she bought a plane ticket and arrived in London.
In the summer of 2022, the whole family plans to go to the US to visit Yeva’s sister. The relatives will often see each other, as Tigran’s family can travel without visas with Maltese passports.
Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent for government programs in the European Union and the Caribbean.
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