No. Malta closed its citizenship-by-investment route in 2025 after the Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in Commission v Malta (Case C-181/23). Citizenship by Merit is a discretionary, case-by-case grant with no fixed price, and the MPRP residency programme remains open.
A discretionary framework under which Maltese (EU) citizenship may be granted, strictly case by case, for an exceptional contribution to Malta in fields such as innovation, science, entrepreneurship, culture or philanthropy. Per Komunità Malta it is not a programme, scheme, pathway, continuation or alternative to the former investment framework. There is no fixed tariff and no guarantee.
Applicants first hold Malta residence status. The naturalisation-by-merit application may be filed after at least eight (8) months of Malta residence, followed by assessment, approval and passport issuance. Plan on roughly 12 to 16 months overall, discretionary at every stage.
Residency grants the right to live in Malta and travel visa-free within the Schengen Area for 90 days in any 180. Citizenship grants a Maltese (EU) passport with permanent rights to live, work and study across the EU and visa-free travel to over 180 destinations. Residency does not by itself confer EU citizenship; the merit route can lead to citizenship after a period of residence, while ordinary naturalisation can take much longer.
Core costs are a €37,000 government contribution, a €60,000 administration fee, a €2,000 donation to a registered Maltese NGO, and a qualifying property purchased from €375,000 or rented from €14,000 per year on a five-year commitment, plus legal fees. Use the MPRP cost calculator to estimate your own case.
A residential property in Malta or Gozo bought for at least €375,000 or rented for at least €14,000 per year on a five-year commitment. Since the 2025 revision a single national threshold applies; the older €300,000 and €350,000 tiers no longer exist. The property is finalized after approval in principle, not at the time of application.
No. The property is one requirement of the MPRP application, alongside the €37,000 contribution, €60,000 administration fee, €2,000 NGO donation, capital-asset requirements and government due diligence. Ownership alone confers no residence rights; the approved application does.
No. Neither the MPRP nor the merit route requires year-round physical presence. The merit route requires holding Malta residence status before the citizenship application is filed, which is a legal status rather than a daily-presence obligation.
Possibly, if you have a Malta-born parent, grandparent or earlier ancestor and can document an unbroken line of descent. There is no investment, residence or language requirement. Eligibility depends on the dates of birth and marriage in your family line and on which amendments of the Maltese Citizenship Act apply, which is why we start every case with a free document-based assessment.
Yes. Malta has permitted dual and multiple citizenship since 2000, and US law allows Americans to hold a second nationality. In most cases you keep your existing passport and add Maltese (EU) citizenship. Always confirm that your current country of citizenship also permits dual nationality; some countries, such as China, do not.
Maltese tax is based on domicile, not on residency or citizenship. Non-domiciled residents are generally taxed on a remittance basis: on Malta-source income, on capital gains arising in Malta, and on foreign income actually remitted to Malta. Foreign income not remitted, and foreign capital gains, are generally not taxable for non-doms. Malta has no inheritance, estate, wealth or municipal property taxes. This is general information, not tax advice.
The 183-day rule is the general international test: spending more than 183 days in a country in a year usually makes you a tax resident there. Malta is different, because its tax follows domicile — a non-domiciled resident is taxed only on Malta-source income and on foreign income actually remitted to Malta, regardless of the day count. Spending fewer than 183 days in Malta does not automatically make you a tax resident, though establishing your main personal and economic ties there can.
Yes. A citizenship application may include a spouse or long-term partner, minor children under 18, and financially dependent adult children under 29. The MPRP can include a spouse, children, parents and grandparents, spanning up to four generations.
No. Maltese citizenship, once granted, is held for life and can generally be passed to future generations by descent.
Yes. Because Malta is a member of the European Union, Maltese citizens are automatically EU citizens, with the right to live, work, study and retire anywhere in the Union.
Applicants must show a minimum gross annual income of €42,000, work remotely for an employer or clients established outside Malta, and hold valid accommodation and health insurance. The permit is issued for one year and is renewable at the discretion of Residency Malta. It does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship.
Malta has a progressive regulatory framework for blockchain and digital assets covering traders, asset managers and exchange platforms. Under Citizenship by Merit, impactful fintech initiatives that create jobs or strengthen Malta’s ecosystem may be recognised as a valuable contribution, though as with all merit assessments there is no fixed threshold and no guarantee.
Yes. Our immigration attorneys are Authorised Registered Mandatories, licensed by the Community Malta Agency (Aġenzija Komunità Malta) under license AKM-DALI.
Yes. Malta participates in the US Visa Waiver Program, which permits Maltese citizens to travel to the United States for stays of 90 days or less without a visa, subject to the usual travel-authorisation requirements.
We do not assist with tourist or student visas or job placement. New citizens require no work authorisation and may work freely across the EU; new residents may apply for a Malta work permit but must secure employment independently. If your intent is a residency or citizenship application, we may assist with the initial travel visa to schedule an appointment.
Beyond the purchase price, budget for roughly 5% stamp duty, notarial fees of 1–3%, and search and registration fees; a 10% deposit is lodged on the promise of sale. The vendor usually pays the agency fee. For the MPRP, the qualifying purchase minimum is €375,000.
Usually yes — non-Maltese buyers need an Acquisition of Immovable Property (AIP) permit, except in a Special Designated Area (SDA), where any nationality can buy on the same terms as Maltese citizens with no permit. EU citizens who have lived in Malta continuously for five years may buy additional property without a permit.
Indicatively, food runs about €250 per month per person and basic utilities about €80 per month, with rents from roughly €500–€650 inland to €1,000 or more in Sliema, St Julians and Valletta. Public transport is inexpensive, and English is widely spoken.
EU citizens can access public education across the EU, frequently free or at domestic tuition rates rather than international ones. The three common routes are relocating to the country, enrolling as an international student without moving, or using the Erasmus exchange programme. The University of Malta is free for Maltese citizens and their children.
Yes. From 1 January 2027, the Global Residence Programme and related regimes (TRP, MRP and the UN Pensioners Programme) are consolidated into a single Individual Tax Programme framework with higher thresholds: a €700,000 minimum property purchase, a €35,000 minimum annual tax, and an €8,500 application fee, with five-year approvals. The 15% tax rate on foreign income remitted to Malta is retained. Applicants granted status before 31 December 2026 are grandfathered under today’s rules until 31 December 2031.
Very strong. In the Henley Passport Index 2026, Malta ranks 5th in the world, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 183 destinations, including the Schengen Area, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore. As an EU passport, it also confers the right to live, work, study and retire across the EU.
No. Every route is subject to government due diligence and no agent can guarantee the grant of citizenship or residency. Anyone promising a guaranteed passport for a fixed price is showing you a red flag.
