How to get a Malta permanent residence in 11 months to help daughters build career success
I attended an Immigrant Invest event dedicated to European real estate investments. Before I had not thought about moving to Europe — it seemed to me to be a highly complex process. If you ask for help from real professionals, you can settle in Europe in less than a year.
Omar, 48 years old
Business analyst at an international bank
Clients’ names and photos have been changed
Omar and Aysha’s goals: a faster path to prosperity for their daughters
Omar is a business analyst at an international bank in Kazakhstan. Aysha is the senior interior designer at the design studio.
The couple wanted to live permanently in Europe without obtaining citizenship. Because Kazakhstan does not allow second citizenship, Omar and Aysha did not want to lose their Kazakh nationality.
Two daughters, twins, are the children of the spouses. Their daughters are graduating from high school in two years. Omar and Aysha wish their daughters had more choices in their careers. Residency in Europe makes it easier to get an education than for foreign nationals.
Why Omar and Aysha decided to invest in real estate in Malta
At the first consultation with Immigrant Invest, Omar and Aysha said they did not want to give up their Kazakh citizenship, so the ideal option would be to obtain a permanent residence permit. At the same time, they do not know which country’s investment program would be best suited for their purposes.
Our lawyers have prepared for the family an overview of the most famous European investment programs for residence.
Residency by investment program in Europe: investment option and condition
Malta permanent residence. Applicants must meet several investment requirements. They buy or rent real estate, pay government fees and make a donation. Moreover, they confirm that they have assets of at least €500,000, of which €150,000 are liquid financial assets.
Portugal residence permit. Portugal offers investors 7 options. Purchases of real estate and investment fund units are the most popular. Investors can buy residential properties in the inland territories of Portugal, the Azores and Madeira.
Greece residence permit. Participants in the Greek residence permit by investment program are offered six options. The option to purchase residential or commercial real estate is the most popular.
Cyprus residence permit. Investors choose one of four options. Purchase of real estate is the most popular.
Omar and Aysha have chosen the Malta Permanent Residency Program (MPRP) because:
They can travel within the Schengen area for up to 90 days every six months.
Permanent residency status is granted to investors for life.
The Maltese real estate market continues to grow steadily.
Investors can receive income from real estate rental at least 5% annually.
Malta’s language and information technology programs are among the most affordable and high-quality worldwide.
According to the terms of the MPRP, the children can get the status together with the investor. In this case, the daughters of Omar and Aysha can get an education on more favourable terms.
Malta’s permanent residence program has no quotas, and its permit has no expiration date. Unlike Malta’s temporary residence card, which must be renewed every three years, holders must renew Malta’s permanent residence card every five years.
St George’s Square in Valletta, Malta. The main square of Malta’s capital is located in the Presidential Palace and historic buildings in the Baroque and Neoclassical styles. Advantages and disadvantages of living in Malta
Malta Permanent Residency Program: which properties are eligible
The Malta permanent residence by investment program contains certain financial conditions, including buying residential real estate for at least €350,000 in the north of Malta or €300,000 in another region of the country or renting residential property for $12,000 or €10,000 per annum, depending on the area in which it is located.
Elena Kozyreva,
Managing Director for Real Estate projects
Real estate can only be purchased with certain restrictions in Malta. Foreign nationals, including European Union ones, can usually buy only one property in Malta. It avoids the possibility of unlimited property purchases and reduces the risk of distortions in the price of local real estate, a critical economic sector.
Conditions for purchasing real estate. To buy property in Malta, a foreigner must obtain the Immovable Property Permit (AIP) by the AIP section of the Capital Transfer Duty (CTD).
The permit takes 35 days to receive. A permit costs €233 and does not depend on the property value.
To obtain AIP permission, the purchaser first chooses the property, then completes the application form and submits a copy of the written promise of sale or preliminary contract for the purchased property.
No permit is needed for Malta properties in Specially Designated Areas, SDA. Residential complexes with security, a private yard, recreational amenities, a pool and a gym are constructed in such areas.
Individuals or companies can purchase SDA’s real estate, and the transaction of sale can be completed in two months instead of four or six. Despite construction, housing demand in SDAs is steadily increasing.
Buying property in Malta: comparing the conditions
Omar and Aysha decided to buy real estate in an SDA complex. As a result of the quicker purchase process, the option to rent and the high quality of the housing, they decided to purchase here.
Suitable residential properties for Malta permanent residence
Malta, Sliema
176 m² — 211 m²
2—3 
2 Step-by-step process to get a Malta permanent residence for Omar and Aysha
Preliminary Due Diligence Check. The compliance division of Immigrant Invest conducted a background check on Omar and Aysha via international legal and business information databases. A day later, the expert concluded that the family could participate in a Malta permanent residency program with minimal risk of rejection.
Collection and execution of documents. The Immigrant Invest lawyers prepared a list of required documents for the application.
Omar and Aysha provided the following documents:
Copies of passports.
Birth Certificates.
Marriage Certificate.
Higher Education diplomas.
No criminal record certificate.
Medical insurance.
Proof of assets of €500,000 worth.
The lawyers then translated, certified the documents, completed the application forms and submitted the documents to the Malta Residency Agency.
Igor Buglo,
Head of the Maltese office, MBA
The signature on one form must be authenticated only by an authorised person, such as a Notary Public in Malta or Consul of Malta. On the form, the applicant must select a rental or purchase option. The primary applicant may switch from one option to the other at the final confirmation stage.
Omar and Aysha decided to fly to Malta to certify the forms, meet with the Head of the Malta office of Immigrant Invest and see the properties.
It is common for investors to rent properties when they invest, but this family decided to buy. The apartment they chose met their expectations in terms of price and quality. For the next year, Aysha planned to live in Malta with her daughters. She could work remotely, and Omar could fly in to visit the family.
Due Diligence check. Omar paid a Due Diligence check of €10,000 as part of a total administrative fee of €40,000. The lawyers submitted the application and the receipt for payment in December 2021.
6.5 months
Duration of the Due Diligence
The Due Diligence continued for six and a half months. In June 2021, Immigrant Invest lawyers received confirmation that the department had approved the application.
Fulfilment of the investment condition. The real estate purchase process was done remotely. Immigrant Invest lawyers checked the sales contract and permits. Omar transferred the money for the property and related taxes.
Omar paid the rest of the €30,000 administrative fee within two weeks of approval. At the same time, the investor got medical insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000 per person. Over the next three months, Omar paid the donation fee, necessary fees and taxes and purchased the property.
Immigrant Invest lawyers submitted the supporting documents to the Residency Malta Agency when all the conditions were met.
Final approval. The Residency Malta Agency reviewed the additional documents provided by the lawyers after Omar had fulfilled all the programme conditions. After that, Immigrant Invest received the final approval.
Application approval and biometrics submission. Omar and Aysha, with their daughters, travelled to Malta and provided their fingerprints at the Residency Malta Agency.
Getting permanent residence cards. The Residency Malta Agency issued a Certificate of Residence and permanent residence cards and sent them to Immigrant Invest lawyers in Malta. Omar got the documents by courier and didn’t have to visit Malta to collect them.
11 months and $524,200: Omar spent to participate in a Malta Permanent Residence Program for 4 people
August 2021
Consultation, the preliminary check
+ 3 weeks
Documents preparation: translation and apostille of documents, notary fee €4,000
+ 6.5 months
Due Diligence check. Payment part of the administrative fee€10,000
April 2022
Fulfilment of investment conditions: payment of the rest of the administrative fee€30,000
April 2022
Contribution fee €28,000
April 2022
Donation€2,000
June 2022
Property purchasin€420,000
June 2022
Payment of taxes and fees on real estate purchase€28,100
+ 1 week
Application approval, insurance payment, biometrics submissio€2100
+ 2 weeks
Final approval from the Maltese government department
July 2022
Receipt of permanent residence ID-cards
How the family’s life has changed after obtaining a Malta permanent residence permit
The couple got their wish when they obtained an EU residency permit in Malta — they can now travel throughout Europe without obtaining a visa, and their daughters are preparing for educational opportunities in Europe.
Opportunities for Omar's family before and after obtaining Malta permanent residence permits
Upon moving to Malta with her daughters, Aysha selected a college preparation program for them. They also took an eight-month intensive English course.
The climate and proximity to the sea are two of Aysha’s favourite aspects of the place. On weekends, she and her daughters travel around Malta to see the sights.
Omar visits his family twice a month. They plan to celebrate Christmas in Finland and then spend their vacations in Switzerland.
Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent for government programs in the European Union and the Caribbean.
