Malta Citizenship / Malta Residency

Immigration by Investment: Frequently Asked Questions

The following are questions frequently asked about immigrating to Malta by way of making an investment. If you don't find your answers here, please contact us at your convenience.

Q: What are some of the reasons Malta is attracting so many international investors?

A: Many international business executives, investors, public figures, VIPs, and affluent citizens of other countries consider an alternative residency or citizenship and passport a powerful tool for international tax planning and a safety net should the living conditions at home become unbearable.

Applicants realize that the Maltese residency/citizenship provides several benefits, including:

   • Visa free travel to over 180 countries, including the USA, Canada, and Europe
   • Retirement in a safe country with a warm climate
   • A better education for the applicant’s children
   • Children and grand children gain visa free travel and the right to live, work, or study in many countries
   • A better quality of life for the family, including better healthcare and an unpolluted environment
   • Relatively low real estate prices
   • Personal security
   • Tax advantages
   • Freedom associated with having multiple passports
   • Applicants are not required to continuously live in Malta before or after citizenship approval.

Q: What are the costs involved with applying for citizenship or permanent residency?

A: There are three main types of expenses: government-mandated investments, government application fees, and service provider legal fees.
Please contact us to receive a detailed quotation.

Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment Regulation Fees (Malta Citizenship / Passport):
    1. Malta Exceptional Direct Investment (non-refundable):
        Main applicant: EUR 600,000 (36 months residency option) or EUR 750,000 (12 months residency option)
        Each dependent (if any): EUR 50,000

    2. Malta Philanthropic Donation:
        Main applicant only: EUR 10,000

    3. Malta Property Investment (minimum 5 year holding period):
        Main applicant only: Property purchase at EUR 700,000 or property rental at EUR 16,000 per year

    4. Malta Government Fees:
        Residence permit fee, main applicant: EUR 5,000
        Residence permit fee, per dependent (if any): EUR 1,000
        Citizenship eligibility due diligence fee, main applicant: EUR 15,000
        Citizenship eligibility due diligence fee, per dependent over the age of 12 (if any): EUR 10,000
        Citizenship eligibility administrative fee, each applicant: EUR 1,000
        Citizenship administrative fee, main applicant: EUR 5,000
        Citizenship administrative fee, per dependent (if any): EUR 1,000

    5. Legal Fees:
        Depending on the number of family members to be included.

Malta MPRP Permanent Residence Program Fees:
    1. Malta Government Contribution (non-refundable):
        Main applicant: EUR 28,000 (if property is purchased), EUR 58,000 (if property is rented)
        Spouse: no charge
        Children (any age): no charge
        Dependent parents and/or grandparents: EUR 7,500

    2. Malta Philanthropic Donation:
        Main applicant only: EUR 2,000

    3. Malta Property Investment (minimum 5 year holding period):
        Main applicant only: Property purchase at EUR 350,000 or property rental at EUR 12,000 per year (EUR 300,000 / EUR 10,000 in the south or Gozo)

    4. Malta Government Fee:
        Main applicant only: EUR 40,000

    5. Legal Fees:
        Depending on the number of family members to be included.

Q: What is the difference between the Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment Regulation, the Global Residence Program (GRP), and the Malta Permanent Residence Program (MPRP)?

A: Malta Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment offers applicants (EU nationals and non-EU nationals) a path to the Malta residency and citizenship in return for a one-time investment. For a single applicant the minimum one-time cost is approximately €640,000 excluding property and legal fees. The total number of citizenship certificates to be granted is limited to no more than 400 per year.

As a EU citizen you are allowed to live, work, study in any of the 26 European Union countries. EU citizenship also grants you access to all investment opportunities in Malta and throughout the EU member nations, as well as visa-free travel to more than 180 countries in the world, including the USA, Canada, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and most countries in North, Central and South America.

Please use our contact form to receive a comprehensive quotation which depends on the number of family members to be included.

The Maltese Global Residence Program (GRP) offers 1-year residency in Malta, 90-day visa-free travel to all European countries within the Schengen area, and the option to apply for a Malta work permit.

However, residency status under the GRP program needs to be renewed annually to avoid expiration. The annual expense, a minimum tax, to renew residency is approximately €15,000. Further, the applicant is required to rent a residence at an annual lease of no less than €8,750 (a property purchase is also acceptable). Thus, the total minimum expense to renew the GRP permit each year is approximately €24,000 plus fees.

GRP visa applicants can also benefit from Malta's low flat tax rate of 15% chargeable on all income remitted to Malta from foreign sources, subject to a minimum annual tax of EUR 15,000. To take advantage of the tax benefit GRP applicants must refrain from staying in any other jurisdiction for more than 182 days and becoming a tax resident in that other country.

Processing can be as fast as 3-4 months. The GRP does not automatically lead to EU citizenship, and it does not automatically result in receiving a European passport.

The Malta Permanent Residence Program (MPRP), also known as the "Malta Golden Visa", leads to residency (meaning the permission to live in Malta as long as desired), visa-free travel to all European countries within the Schengen area, but unlike the GRP it has no recurring minimum tax. In other words, the MPRP does not need to be renewed each year.

The applicant can choose between purchasing a property, or renting a property. If purchasing, the minimum property value must be EUR 350,000 in the northern and central parts of Malta, or EUR 300,000 in the south or Gozo. If renting a property, the minimum rental amount must be EUR 12,000 per year in the northern and central parts of Malta, or EUR 10,000 per year in the south or Gozo.

The administrative fee charged by the government is EUR 40,000. The main applicant must also make a non-refundable government contribution in the amount of EUR 28,000 (if purchasing a property) or EUR 58,000 (if renting a property).

Lastly, the applicant must make a philanthropic donation of EUR 2,000 to a Maltese-registered charity.

To qualify, the main applicant must declare that he/she owns assets (stocks, bonds, real estate, other) valued at no less than EUR 500,000 of which EUR 150,000 must be available in financial assets such as stocks, bonds, funds or bank deposits.

The MPRP program leads to Malta residency in as little as 6-8 months, but just like the GRP program it does not automatically lead to the Maltese (EU) citizenship and the EU passport. Residents may file a citizenship application after 6 years in residency status, but any citizenship application may be approved or rejected entirely at the discretion of the minister and the department in charge. There is no guarantee that an approval will be granted, and any approval typically takes 10-15 years!

The following table compares both residency programs:

	Global Residency Program (GRP)	Malta Permanent Residence Program (MPRP)
Minimum Tax	EUR 15,000	Zero
Tax Rate	15%	0% - 35%
Property Purchase	Central/North EUR 275,000 South/Gozo EUR 220,000	Central/North EUR 350,000 South/Gozo EUR 300,000
Property Rental	Central/North EUR 9,600 South/Gozo EUR 8,750	Central/North EUR 12,000 South/Gozo EUR 10,000
Minimum Stay in MT	Zero	Zero
Official Application Fee	EUR 6,000	EUR 40,000
Contribution	Zero	EUR 28,000 (property purchase) EUR 58,000 (property rental)
Philanthropic Donation	Zero	EUR 2,000
Dependents	Spouse, Children, Brothers, Sisters, Parents (if financially dependent)	Spouse, Children, Parents & Grandparents (if financially dependent)

These cost estimates are exclusive of attorney fees and will vary based upon the number of family members to be included. Please contact us for a checklist of all required application documents and to receive a detailed quotation. If you are planning to apply for more than one family ask us about a group discount.

For an additional in-depth discussion and frequently asked questions about the Malta permanent residence (MPRP) program please also visit our in-depth MPRP FAQ page.

Q: What is the difference between the Ordinary Residence (OR) program and The Residence Program (TRP)?

A: Both programs are only available for EU nationals, meaning applicants who are already a citizen of another EU member country. Both programs allow EU citizens to live in Malta indefinitely. The Residence Program (TRP) offers a special flat tax of 15% on income brought into Malta (EUR 15,000 annual tax minimum) which makes this program especially attractive to high income individuals.

Q: What is the minimum investment required to obtain the Malta citizenship?

A: Applicants under the Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment regulation are required to make a one-time financial commitment in support of the economic development of Malta.

Citizenship is available to qualified investors at EUR 600,000 (36 months residency option) or EUR 750,000 (12 months residency option) plus government application charges and legal fees.

In addition, the main applicant must make a philanthropic donation in the amount of EUR 10,000 to a registered philanthropic, cultural, sport, scientific, animal welfare or artistic non-governmental organization.

Further, the main applicant must establish a residence in Malta through either (a) purchasing real estate valued at no less than EUR 700,000 or (b) renting a property at no less than EUR 16,000 per year.

NOTE: No investments need to be made before the Approval in Principle is issued by the government. This ensures investments will only become due after your application has been approved.

Please use our contact form to receive a detailed cost estimate.

Q: How will new citizens be taxed?

A: Malta taxation is only based on domicile (your permanent home), and not on residency or citizenship status.

Under Maltese Law, at birth you automatically acquire your domicile status (Domicile of Origin) from your father. If your father later changes his domicile to a new location (Domicile of Choice), yours automatically changes to this new location as well. On attaining the age of 18, you are allowed to acquire a new domicile of choice, but there is no such requirement.

This means if you don’t make Malta your domicile, then only income and capital gains generated from activities inside Malta are fully taxable. Income arising outside of Malta and not sent to Malta is not taxable. In addition, capital gains arising outside of Malta even if brought into Malta are not taxable for non-domiciled residents.

In other words, tax is due only on (a) income generated inside of Malta, (b) capital gains arising inside of Malta, and (c) income generated outside of Malta and remitted to Malta.

Other Tax Considerations:

   • No inheritance or death taxes
   • No estate duty
   • No net worth or wealth taxes
   • No municipal taxes, rates or real estate taxes

Q: Can I include my family with my Malta citizenship application?

A: Yes. The main applicant for Maltese citizenship may include a spouse or long-term partner (any gender), children under 18 years of age, financially dependent adult children under the age of 29, and parents and grandparents over the age of 55.

Q: Will my citizenship expire?

A: No. When you acquire Malta citizenship you and your family enjoy full citizenship for life, which can be passed on to future generations by descent.

Q: Do I need to move to Malta or live in Malta for a minimum number of days during the year to qualify for residency or citizenship?

A: Applicants do not need to move to Malta or live in the country for a full year to satisfy the one year (or three year) residency requirement. Instead, an applicant can meet the requirement by proving a genuine link with Malta as evidenced by, for example, several visits per year, showing water and electricity bills, having a club membership, engaging in any business activity in Malta, and similar. Our attorneys will assist you to be in full compliance with Maltese regulations.

Q: Approximately how long does the application process take until I am granted citizenship?

A: The Malta citizenship application process is performed in two stages: the first stage is Malta residency, the second stage is Malta citizenship. The residency stage takes approximately 15 working days to process, after which residency status is conferred upon the applicant. The main applicant and any dependents are provided with an E-Residence document which is equivalent to a Schengen Visa, grating borderless travel to all Schengen countries.

After you receive residency status your assigned attorney will work with you on preparing your citizenship application. The application can be filed immediately after you have been in residency status for 12 months (or 36 months, depending on your choice of investment option).

Average citizenship stage processing durations have not been established as of yet. Previous citizenship application processing times have ranged from 3 to 6 months.

Q: Can you help me with obtaining Malta citizenship by descent?

A: Yes. Please use the contact form at the bottom of this page and briefly describe your family's Maltese background.

Q: Can you help me find suitable real estate in Malta?

A: Yes. We are associated with licensed real estate agencies and developers in Malta and can help you find a property that fulfills all requirements.

Our professional relationships in Malta guarantee to our clients a smooth, comprehensive service that includes identifying suitable properties, providing transport for property viewings, drafting/reviewing legal contracts, and/or liaising with local notaries and architects as needed.

When you decide on a property for purchase we can arrange for a Power of Attorney to appear on your behalf without the need for you to come again to Malta for the signature of any necessary contracts.

Q: How soon can I sell my Malta real estate?

A: The property needs to be held for five years. After this period, property in Malta can be sold completely exempt from tax if it has been held for three years as the resident’s sole and ordinary residence. If the property is sold before having been used as the resident’s sole residence for three years, a final property tax of 12% is chargeable on the selling price.

Q: Do I need to invest in a Malta company and create jobs to qualify for the program?

A: No. Unlike other programs such as the EB-5 Investor Visa in the United States, Malta has no requirements to invest in a business or create new jobs.

Q: Will the Malta citizenship automatically grant me European citizenship?

A: Yes. Because Malta is a member of the European Union its citizens are automatically European citizens, which means you are allowed to live, work or study anywhere in Europe.

However, please note that the total number of citizenships (total number of passports) the Maltese government has made available under the new regulation is limited to only 400 per year! If you are ready to file an application please contact us for additional information.

Q: What is Malta's position on crypto currency and blockchain technology?

A: Malta is fast establishing itself as the premier destination for cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. The government's regulatory framework will cover traders, asset management, and exchange platforms, thus making Malta the world’s friendliest jurisdiction for the sector. Our associated crypto / blockchain professionals are published experts in this field who can advise you on best practices for crypto-related topics in Malta. Please use our blockchain contact form for additional information.

Q: Can you help me with finding a job?

A: Sorry, the immigration by investment options were developed by the government to attract high net worth individuals, business owners, VIPs and other individuals with the financial means to support themselves and the local economy. Please note: New citizens do not need any work permission; they may work in any of the EU member countries. New residents may apply for a Malta work permit, but would need to find their own employment opportunities.

Q: Can you help me get a tourist or a student visa?

A: Sorry, we cannot assist with tourist or student visas. However, if your intent is to file an application for residency or citizenship we may assist with the initial travel visa to schedule an in-person appointment at our offices.

Q: What are the major differences among the various immigration by investment programs?

A: The Bulgaria Citizenship by Investment Program offers several investment options starting from EUR 512,000 for Bulgaria (EU) citizenship and passport after 5 years in residency status. The "fast track option" starts at a non-refundable EUR 390,000 financing package and shortens this period to only 18 months.

The Cyprus Residency by Investment Program options from EUR 300,000 for Cyprus (EU) permanent residency. Residents may apply for citizenship after 7 years in residency status.

The Greece Golden Visa allows non-EU applicants to file for Greece (EU) residency by way of a EUR 250,000 investment in local real estate. The investor may file for Greek citizenship after 7 years of living in Greece at a minimum of 183 days per year.

The Malta Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment regulation provides the applicant with Malta residency and citizenship in return for an investment to support the economic development of Malta (EU). The main applicant is required to make an investment (non-refundable) in the amount of EUR 600,000 (36 months residency option) or EUR 750,000 (12 months residency option) plus a philanthropic donation in the amount of EUR 10,000. For applicants who are only seeking Malta (tax) residency and Schengen travel benefits, options start at an annual recurring expense of EUR 24,000.

The Monaco Residency / Citizenship Program offers Monaco residency to applicants who can prove sufficient accommodations and financial self-sufficiency. The applicant may file for Monaco citizenship after 10 years of permanent residency.

The Portugal Golden Residence Permit Program offers Portugal (EU) residency for an investment starting from EUR 350,000 or the transfer of 1 Million Euro, or the creation of 10 new jobs in Portugal. Investors may apply for Portugal citizenship after 5 years in residency status.

The Spain Golden Visa offers Spain (EU) residency for a EUR 500,000 minimum investment in real estate, or a EUR 1 Million Euro asset transfer, or a 2 Million Euro securities investment, or the creation of a new government-approved business project. The investor may file for citizenship after 10 years in residency status.

Outside of the EU, citizenship by investment programs include those offered by Canada, the United States of America, and the Caribbean nations of Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, Dominica, and St. Lucia:

Canada offers several residency by investment options, leading to citizenship if desired, starting at CAD 200,000.

The United States EB-5 Program leads to permanent residency status and citizenship in the United States for a minimum investment of USD 900,000 in a commercial enterprise in the U.S. that generates at least 10 jobs for Americans. After 5 years as a permanent resident the investor may apply for U.S. citizenship.

The Caribbean nations of Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, Dominica, and St. Lucia offer citizenship programs requiring a real estate investment from USD 200,000 or a non-refundable donation of at least USD 100,000.

Q: What does "Schengen Area" mean?

A: The Malta citizenship allows you to travel without restrictions across the "Schengen Area" of the European Union. The Schengen Area is a group of 26 European countries that have abolished passport and immigration controls at their common borders. It functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. Source: Wikipedia

Q: Will I be able to travel to the United States with the Malta passport?

A: Yes. The Malta passport will allow you to travel to the U.S. under the visa waiver program which allows citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of 90 days or less. Source: U.S. Government

Please contact us for a detailed cost estimate or confidential consultation. Our attorneys are ready to assist you with attaining your investment objectives and answer any questions you might have about immigrating to Malta.

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