Malta Global Residence Programme
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The Malta Global Residence Programme was launched in 2013. Investors rent or buy real estate and pay an administration fee to get a residence permit.
Spouses, children, siblings, parents and grandparents can also become Maltese residents with the investor.
The Malta residence permit allows a holder to live in the country, travel across the Schengen Area without visas and optimise taxes.
Investors aren’t obliged to live in Malta. However, they cannot spend more than 183 days a year in another country.
The programme terms stipulate that the investor becomes a Maltese tax resident and pays taxes at reduced rates.
The flat tax rate of 15% is charged on income earned abroad and transferred to Malta. The minimum tax due for a family is €15,000 per annum.
The Malta residence permit equals a Schengen visa, allowing the holder to freely visit the Schengen countries for up to 90 out of 180 days.
Residents can live in Malta for as long as their residence permits are valid. In addition, they can get a special permit to work or open a company in the country and there is also no inheritance tax.
Investors and their family members become Maltese tax residents. Participants of the Malta Global Residence Programme enjoy a special tax regime:
The minimum tax payment for a family is €15,000 per annum. There are no additional taxes for the investor’s family members and inheritance.
Investors aren’t obliged to relocate to Malta, but they must rent or buy real estate on the island. Thus, the family can quickly and freely come to Malta in case of trouble in the country of residence.
Investors and their family members can also get medical treatment and education in Malta. As residents, they don’t need visas. The only time limit is the validity of residence permits.
Visa-free medical treatment and education are available in other Schengen countries if the period of stay doesn’t exceed 90 days.
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In officially registered marriage or unregistered partnership with the investor
Principally dependent on the investor or their spouse
Principally dependent on the investor or their spouse
Principally dependent on the investor or their spouse
Investors pay an administration fee and buy or rent a property in Malta. The investment amount doesn’t depend on the family composition.
The investor pays taxes of at least €15,000 per annum and rents or maintains ownership of a residential property to stay a resident. The property cannot be rented out or subleased.
The rental cost depends on the property location. If a property is in the south of Malta or the island of Gozo, the minimum annual rental price is €8,750. It is €9,600 for the north and centre of Malta.
| Administration fee | €6,000 |
| Rental cost | €8,750+ |
| Minimum annual tax | €15,000 |
| Medical Insurance | €400 per person, depending on their age and state of health |
| Translation and apostille of documents, notary fees | €4,000+ depending on the family composition of the family and the number of documents |
If the investor buys a property in the south of Malta or the island of Gozo, the administration fee is reduced to €5,500. The minimum property value is €220,000.
The minimum cost of a property in the north or centre of Malta is €275,000. The administration fee is €6,000.
The investor can sell the property and return the money if they give up the Malta residence permit.
| Administration fee | €5,500+ |
| Purchase of real estate | €220,000+ |
| Taxes on purchasing real estate | €25,300+, including:
|
| Minimum annual tax | €15,000 |
| Medical insurance | €400 per person, depending on age and state of health |
| Translation and apostille of documents, notary fees | €4,000+ depending on the family composition of the family and the number of documents |
| Renting real estate | Buying real estate | |
|---|---|---|
| Obtaining a residence permit | ||
| Administration fee | €6,000 | €5,500+ |
| Real estate cost | €8,750+ | €220,000+ + €25,300+ of taxes upon purchase |
| Minimum annual tax | €15,000 | €15,000 |
| Medical insurance | €1,200 | €1,200 |
| Translation and apostille of documents, notary fees | €4,000 | €4,000 |
| Total | €34,950+ | €271,000+ |
| Annual expenses on maintaining residency | ||
| Property maintenance | €8,750 — rental cost €1,800+ per annum on utility bills |
+ €1,800+ per annum on utility bills |
| Taxes | €15,000+ | €15,000+ |
| Total | €25,550+ | €16,800+ |
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Natalia Oganesyan
Due Diligence is a mandatory step in the Malta Global Residence Programme. Its results define whether the investor will get a residence permit or not.
Immigrant Invest conducts a preliminary Due Diligence check to increase the chances of approval. A Certified Anti Money Laundering Officer checks the investor’s documents and searches for information about them in international databases. If there are any issues, we offer an alternative solution. For example, to add an affidavit or choose another programme.
The check is confidential, takes one business day and helps to reduce the rejection risk to 1%.
Evaluate your chancesEvaluate your chances of passing Due Diligence
Immigrant Invest lawyers compile a list of documents required for the application. The investor provides the originals. The lawyers submit documents for translation, certify copies and fill out forms. The investor pays the administration fee.
The documents are sent to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). The investor doesn’t have to apply in person.
The IRD reviews the investor’s documents and might make additional requests for information during Due Diligence. Immigrant Invest lawyers prepare answers to the requests and approve them with the investor before submitting them.
The IRD notifies Immigrant Invest of the application approval. The investor travels to Malta for an interview at an IRD office. It takes place in an informal setting, and the head of the IRD presents the programme terms to the investor.
After the interview, the head of the IRD gives a consent in principle, confirming that the investor can participate in the programme. The investor pays the minimum tax amount and provides documents on renting or buying a property in Malta.
Immigrant Invest lawyers receive a confirmation of the investor’s special tax status and a tax number within two weeks after the tax payment. The certificate allows the investor to apply for a residence permit.
Immigrant Invest lawyers prepare: certified copies of personal documents, a property rental or purchase declaration, the letter from the IRD and filled out government forms. The investor provides a statement from their bank account showing a balance of at least €30,000 per family member.
The investor and family travel to Malta to apply for residence permits and submit fingerprints. An Immigrant Invest lawyer accompanies them.
The application and documents are submitted to the Identity Malta Agency by appointment. Fingerprinting for residence permit cards takes place at the agency too.
The Identity Malta Agency considers the application for 5—6 weeks. When the application processing is completed, the agency sends a notice of issuing residence permit cards to the investor’s address in Malta by post. The investor and their family travel to Malta and personally pick up their residence permit cards.
The first Malta residence permit card needs to be changed after a year, and the following are issued for two years.
In order for the residence permit and special tax status to be extended, the investor must file their tax declaration and pay the tax due no later than April 30 of the year following the reporting year. The tax office sends confirmation of receipt of payment, and the investor then submits their biometrics and receives a new residence permit card at the Identity Malta Agency.
Investors renew their residence permit cards every year. Moreover, the investor might need other documents if they plan to relocate to Malta or frequently visit the country. See how we continue to help our clients.
We help investors renew their residence permit cards annually.
We assist from purchase until registration under the Maltese flag.
We help our clients choose an apartment online, check the property and send the client a video. We assist in the conclusion of a sale and purchase or leasing agreement.
We also arrange insurance for vehicles.
We prepare documents and accompany you from applying to getting a new residence permit card.
We prepare the required documents and fill out the forms.
We consult on the process. The applicant has to pass the driving exams.
Schedule a meeting at one of the offices or online. A lawyer will analyze the situation, calculate the cost and help you find a solution based on your goals.
Evgeniya Morozova
Adult investors with legal income, a valid health insurance policy and a certificate of no criminal record are eligible to participate in the program. The applicant also needs to know English or Maltese at a conversational level.
The investor’s spouse, children under 25, parents, grandparents and siblings can get residence permits under the programme. All adult family members must be principally financially dependent on one of the spouses.
Citizens of the EU countries, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, cannot participate in the Malta Global Residence Programme.
Yes, you do. The investor becomes a Maltese tax resident when getting a residence permit under the Malta Global Residence Programme.
A special tax regime applies to the programme participants. They pay taxes under the following rates:
The minimum tax on the income earned abroad and transferred to Malta is €15,000 per annum. There are no additional taxes for family members. Investors do not pay inheritance tax.
The investor fulfils two conditions: pay an administration fee and rent or buy a local property.
The standard administration fee is €6,000. It is reduced to €5,500 if the investor buys a property in the south of Malta or on the island of Gozo.
The minimum rental cost in the south of Malta and Gozo is €8,750 per annum. Alternatively, the investor can buy real estate there for €220,000. In other regions, the minimum rental cost is €9,600 per annum, and the minimum purchase price is €275,000.
The investor becomes a Maltese tax resident and pays taxes at reduced rates. The minimum tax on global income transferred to Malta is €15,000 per annum. Payment of taxes in Malta is a mandatory requirement for obtaining and renewing a residence permit.
It is only possible if the investor chooses to buy a property rather than rent it. However, the investor can sell the property and return the money if they give up the residence permit.
No, you can’t. The programme doesn’t allow renting out or subleasing the investment property.
No, you don’t have to live in Malta. However, you cannot spend more than 183 days a year in another country.
The first Malta residence permit is valid for a year, and the following ones are issued for two years each.
The holder must submit a tax return and pay the tax due by the end of April of the year following the reporting year. The tax office then sends confirmation of the payment, based on which the Identity Malta Agency replaces the residence permit card.
Schedule a meeting at one of the offices or online. A lawyer will analyze the situation, calculate the cost and help you find a solution based on your goals.
Zlata Erlach
