Malta Residency by Investment: Ultimate Guide By Experts 2023

Located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is characterized by its beguiling blend of cultures, quiet villages, outdoor activities, and mesmerizing beaches tucked between secret coves. Some say the sun never stops shining in Malta, which is understandable given that the island gets about 3,000 hours of sunshine yearly.

In recent years, Malta has attracted the likes of families, investors, and business-oriented individuals looking to enhance their quality of life and safeguard their freedoms. Thanks to the Malta Permanent Residence Program (MPRP), third-country nationals (non-EU, non-EEA, or non-Swiss) can obtain Malta residency by investment. Successful investors acquire a Malta residence permit, enabling them and their families to settle in Malta and permanently live on the Mediterranean island.

In this guide to residency in Malta, you’ll learn more about:

• What the Malta residency by investment program is
• Key program benefits
• How to get Maltese residency
• Step-by-step process to a successful application
• Timeline to acquiring Maltese residency
• Document requirements
• Program costs breakdown

And so much more!

Malta residency program highlights

• Successful applicants who meet the due diligence and investment requirements obtain the right to settle, stay, and gain permanent residence in Malta.
• Visa-free travel access across the Schengen Area (90 out of 180 days on a rolling basis for countries in the Schengen Area)
• Up to four generations can be included in a single application
• Property investment options from €110,000 ($118,000)
• Access to Malta’s thriving real estate market
• Access to healthcare and education opportunities
• Must only hold onto the investment for five years

What is the Malta Residency by Investment Program?

The Malta Permanent Residence Program (MPRP) is a residency by direct investment program that enables successful applicants to obtain a Certificate of Maltese Residence, entitling them to reside in Malta with their family members indefinitely. This investment route for residency is ideal for individuals with enough capital assets looking to enhance their mobility and quality of life.

For more information on the benefits of what it’s like to live there, check out our Living in Malta Guide for Expats.

Malta Residency by Investment Benefits

Malta boasts an excellent reputation for its splendid climate, welcoming population, low crime rates, and fantastic quality of life. These are just some of the qualities that make Malta a great location to acquire an alternative residence or own a second home.

Maltese residents enjoy the following benefits:

Family benefits

One of the key reasons the MPRP program is so appealing is that the applicant can include their family members in a single application (for an extra fee which we cover in our costs section below). 

The following dependents can be included in the residency by investment application:

• Spouse or de facto partner (in the case of a de facto relationship, documentation must be provided)
• Children under 18 (includes adopted children)
• Children over 18 and under 29 who are entirely or largely dependent on the main applicant or spouse 
• Children over 18 and under 29 who are considered a person with a disability 
• A parent of the main applicant or spouse who is over the age of 55 and who is entirely or largely dependent on the main applicant or spouse

Malta has a very good healthcare system, and Maltese universities are well-developed and highly rated, providing your dependents with good services. 

How to get Malta residency?

The Residency Malta Agency (RMA) is the federal government agency responsible for managing the Malta residency by investment program. The RMA maintains a high standard of attracting high-caliber individuals and families by applying a strict four-tier due diligence process to ensure the most meticulous screening procedure. In addition, investors must fulfill a set of program requirements to be eligible for the program, which we outline below.

Malta residency by investment requirements

Individuals who apply for the Malta program must fulfill the following eligibility criteria:

• Be third-country nationals (non-EU, non-EEA, or non-Swiss)
• Not be from a sanctioned country, as stipulated by the Residency Malta Agency (RMA), nor benefit from other regulations and programs.
• Have enough financial resources to sustain themselves and their family members without leaning on Malta’s social assistance system
• Demonstrate they have enough capital assets of no less than €500,000 ($537,000), from which a minimum of €150,000 ($161,000) must be in financial assets
• Hold a clean criminal record and be considered ‘fit and proper’
• Not pose any potential threat to Malta’s national security
• The application must be lodged with a Licensed Authorized Agent
• The individual must cover all administrative fees under the program
• Hold a valid travel document
• Take out a global health insurance coverage policy that covers all risks across Malta
• Possess travel insurance when traveling across the Schengen Area

List of sanctioned countries:

Anyone who is a national of or has close ties to restricted countries is ineligible:

• Afghanistan
• The Democratic Republic of Congo
• Iran
• North Korea
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Syria
• Venezuela
• Yemen

Note: The Residency Malta Agency might occasionally amend the list of ineligible countries at its discretion.

Maltese Residency by Investment Processing Time

The processing time from onboarding to the issuance of the residence certificate takes around one year. This, of course, depends on the applicant and family members’ ability to travel to Malta for biometrics. It’s also important to flag that the timeline depends on submitting the correct application file. Any questions or discrepancies raised by the RMA concerning the submissions will stall the timeline, which will only be re-activated upon receipt of valid replies.

Step-by-Step Guide to Malta Residency

There’s a multi-step process to applying for the MPRP program:

1. Power of attorney: You must sign a power of attorney document empowering your chosen licensed agent to act on your behalf in all matters concerning the MPRP.

2. Letter of Approval in Principle or Rejection: The final file is presented to the Approvals Board, which will determine whether you’ve been approved or rejected. Once a decision has been made, you’ll receive either a Letter of Approval in Principle or a Letter of Rejection.

3. Make qualifying investments: You must make your qualifying investments, including either purchasing real estate or leasing it, making a donation to a registered NGO/organization of choice, and settling the contribution to the Maltese government.

4. Application pack submission and issuance of receipt: Your licensed agent will submit an application pack on your behalf. The pack must be properly completed and sent to Residency Malta Agency. A receipt will be issued as confirmation of submission.

5. Due diligence: A four-tier due diligence process is conducted by the Residency Malta Agency to ensure your application’s validity.

6. Letter of Final Approval: The applicant receives the letter of final approval, which means they have the green light to obtain a residence permit.

7. Biometric data collection and residency card issuance: If approved, you must travel to Malta (along with any dependents included in the application) to submit your biometric data to the RMA. While the biometric data is tied to the issuance of a Malta residency card, it’s actually not a mandatory step in the process.

In fact, these cards are only issued once the investment is made and all criteria has been fulfilled. Each Malta residency card is valid for five years and is renewable afterward – with the exception of minors turning 14 or 18 years old. Minors approaching their 14th or 18th birthday will have a residency card valid until a month before their birthday.

8. Annual compliance: On a yearly basis, the RMA will be in communication with your agent, who’ll need to submit proof of your property lease, as well as proof of sickness insurance cover via the presentation of the annual policy. This occurs each year for the first five years and then whenever the RMA deems it necessary at its discretion.

Investment Requirements

To apply for the program and obtain a Malta permanent resident card, the individual must make three qualifying investments. There are two options for real estate investment: Investors can choose between buying real estate or leasing a property with a rental agreement. Let’s take a look at each investment requirement in more detail.

1. Applicants must make a qualifying real estate investment and can choose between:

Option A: Renting a property with a minimum annual rent of €10,000 ($10,737) in the South of Malta/ Gozo or €12,000 ($12,880) in the rest of Malta

Or

Option B: Purchasing a property that’s at least valued at €300,000 ($322,000) in the South of Malta/Gozo or €350,000 ($376,000) in the rest of Malta

Requirement: The title of the real estate purchase or lease must be held for at least five years and cannot be rented out or sublet during this time.

2. Applicants must make a non-refundable contribution of:

€28,000 ($30,000) if purchasing a property

Or

€58,000 ($62,000) if leasing or renting a property

Requirement: An extra contribution of €7,500 ($8,500) is required for each additional adult dependent.

3. Applicants must donate €2,000 ($2,150) to a local NGO registered with the Commissioner of Voluntary Organizations:

Total investment costs

Property rental option: €120,000 ($129,000) over five years [€110,000 ($118,000) if investing in South Malta/Gozo]

Property purchase option: €380,000 ($408,000) [€320,000 ($343,000) if investing in South Malta/Gozo]

Important notice: The proof of your respective investment and contributions must be submitted within eight months of your pre-approval letter.

Required Documents

Below we’ll cover the general documentation you’ll need in support of your residency application. Note that this is not an exhaustive list and that for the full documentation requirements, you can access our document checklist here: The MPRP – Documents List.

A final thing to flag here is that the Maltese government can change the documentation requirements at any point and have full discretion to do so.

Supporting documents:

• Valid passport and birth certificates
• Cover letter
• Personal information for due diligence
• Power of attorney with a verified agent
• Medical report and questionnaire
• Proof of source of funds and wealth (for the main applicant only or benefactor)
• Bank statements (for the main applicant only or benefactor)
• Evidence of business ownership or employment (for the main applicant only or benefactor)

Important notice: A four-tier due diligence procedure is in place as part of the application process. Furthermore, to submit your application, you must do so via a Licensed Authorized Agent who will essentially act as your power of attorney. Note that to increase your chances of a successful outcome, ensure you have all the documentation in place and filed correctly (certified versus original).

Fees and Investment Costs

1. Property lease option

Rented property

• Property located in the South of Malta or Gozo – €10,000 ($10,737) per annum
• Property situated in the rest of Malta – €12,000 ($12,880) per annum

Administration fees:

Initial fee*: €10,000 ($10,737)

Final fee**: €30,000 ($32,000)

*must be paid within one month from submission of the application

**must be paid within two months from the issuance of the Letter of Approval in Principle

***additional fees may apply for extra dependents***

Government contribution

Contribution of €58,000 ($62,000), which will also cover the following applicants:

• Main applicant
• Spouse
• Children under 18
• Children over 18 who are married and are primarily dependent on the main applicant
• Children with special needs

A cost of €7,500 ($8,500) for the following applicants (note it’s per applicant)

• Parent or grandparent of the Main Applicant

The contribution must be paid within eight months of receiving the Letter of Approval in Principle

Donation

Donation of €2,000 ($2,150) to a local NGO/organization of choice

*Donations must be conducted after the Letter of Approval has been issued, proof of which must be submitted together with the final proof pack. The licensed agent must ask for clearance from the Residency Malta Agency with respect to the chosen NGO/organization of choice.

2. Property purchase option

Purchased property

• Property located in the South of Malta or Gozo – €300,000 ($322,000)
• Property situated in the rest of Malta – €350,000 ($376,000)

Administration fees

Initial fee*: €10,000 ($10,737)

Final fee**: €30,000 ($32,000)

*must be paid within one month from submission of the application

**must be paid within two months from the issuance of the Letter of Approval in Principle

***additional fees may apply for extra dependents***

Government contribution

Contribution of €28,000 ($30,000), which will also cover the following applicants:

• Main applicant
• Spouse
• Children under 18
• Children over 18 who are married and are primarily dependent on the main applicant
• Children with special needs

A cost of €7,500 ($8,500) for the following applicants (note it’s per applicant)

• Parent or grandparent of the Main Applicant

The contribution must be paid within eight months of receiving the Letter of Approval in Principle

Donation

Donation of €2,000 ($2,150) to a local NGO/organization of choice

*Donations must be conducted after the Letter of Approval has been issued, proof of which must be submitted together with the final proof pack. The licensed agent must ask for clearance from the Residency Malta Agency with respect to the chosen NGO/organization of choice. Note that these fees don’t include agent processing fees. 

Additional dependents fees – post-approval stage

The below fee schedule refers to additional dependents added after the Certificate of Residence for the main applicant has been issued.

Parent or grandparent of the main applicant or spouse who is entirely dependent on the main applicant	€7,500 ($8,500)
Spouse of an already approved main applicant	€7,500 ($8,500)
Minor child of the main applicant or their approved spouse	Free
Child of the main applicant and/or his spouse, born or adopted after the certificate is issued	Free
Adult child of the main applicant or his approved spouse, who is over 18 years old, not married, and principally dependent on the main applicant	€5,000 ($5,370)
Adult child of the main applicant or their approved spouse who is over 18 years old and who has been certified by a recognized medical professional or authority as having a disability in terms of the Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act	Free
Spouse of an already approved dependent child	€7,500 ($8,500)
Minor child of an already approved dependent child and/or their already approved spouse	€5,000 ($5,370)

All fees are per applicant and must be paid within one month of the submission of the application.

Speak to Us Today

Global Citizen Solutions is a boutique investment migration consultancy firm focused on finding the right residency or citizenship by investment program for individuals wishing to secure their future and become global citizens.

With offices in Portugal, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Brazil, our multilingual team guides individuals and families from start to finish, providing expert advice concerning freedom, mobility, taxation, and security.

From helping individuals find their dream homes or investment to providing successful immigration and relocation services, our international team is with you every step of the way.

Fill in the contact form below and schedule a 30-minute complimentary call with one of our specialists and start your pathway to Maltese residency today.

Frequently Asked Questions about Malta Residency by Investment

What is the Malta Residency Visa Program?

The Malta Permanent Residence Program (MPRP) is a residency by investment program that grants successful individuals a Certificate of Maltese Residence, entitling them to reside in Malta with their family members indefinitely.

Who is eligible to apply for the Malta residency visa program?

Third-country nationals (non-EU, non-EEA, or non-Swiss nationals) are eligible to apply for the Malta residency visa investment program. Note there are additional requirements to pass, including but not limited to:

• Having a clean criminal record
• Sufficient financial means
• A valid travel document
• Not being from or having strong connections to a sanctioned country

How do I become a resident of Malta?

To become a resident of Malta and the European Union through the residency by investment program, you must appoint a Licensed Authorized Agent to handle your application on your behalf, complete all the documentation requirements, and make the respective investment. The investment must be maintained for five years as a prerequisite to keeping your residency status in Malta.

How much does it cost to get residency in Malta?

There are two different real estate investment options to secure permanent residency in Malta. The real estate rental option will cost €120,000 ($129,000) over five years [or €110,000 ($118,000) if investing in South Malta/Gozo]. Alternatively, the real estate purchase option will cost €380,000 ($408,000) [or €320,000 ($343,000) if investing in South Malta/Gozo].

Is it easy to get residency in Malta?

Getting residency in Malta isn’t considered ‘easy.’ Malta’s residency program is a respected, vigorous program with a four-tier due diligence process to ensure only high-caliber individuals are accepted. The procedures in place ensure only legitimate investors can gain permanent residency rights.

What qualifies as a dependent on the application?

There are intricacies to what qualifies an individual as a dependent; they’re typically immediate family members, including a spouse and children under 18. In other circumstances, the classification of a dependent would be tied to their age, health, or financial capabilities.

What is the usual residency by investment processing time frame?

From onboarding to issuing the Malta residence certificate, the process takes, more or less, one year. This is dependent on the investor and their family members’ ability to travel to Malta for the biometrics and the validity of the documents submitted to the Maltese authorities.

Do I need to show the source of funds for the investment?

Applicants to the Malta residency by investment program will have to show that they have sufficient funds to make the investment. The documents that you will need to present to authorities in Malta will vary, depending on the source of the investment funds.

What is the validity period of the residency certificate and the residence card?

Concerning Malta residence, residency cards are valid for five years and renewable after this period. Minors approaching their 14th or 18th birthday will have their residency cards valid up until a month before their birth date.

What does the MPRP grant?

The MPRP (Malta Permanent Residence Program) grants permanent residency rights in Malta to the primary applicant and their immediate family members in exchange for a qualifying financial contribution to the Maltese economy.

Who can apply as the main applicant under the MPRP?

Any non-EU, non-EEA, or non-Swiss national who is over 18, has a clean criminal record, and has sufficient financial means may be considered eligible for the MPRP (Malta Permanent Residence Program). You must also not be from or have strong connections to a sanctioned country, as stipulated by the Residency Malta Agency (RMA).

What obligations must be satisfied by the main applicant to obtain Maltese Residence?

To satisfy a Maltese residence application, the primary applicant must hold a clean criminal record, make the minimum qualifying investment from their legal assets, pass a stringent due diligence process, and pose no political or medical health risk to Malta.

When is the contribution payable by the main applicant?

The government contribution required for the Maltese Permanent Residence Program must be paid by the tenth month after receipt of the Letter of Approval in Principle.

What type of property can the main applicant buy or rent?

For a real estate property to qualify under the Maltese Permanent Residence Permit program, it must be a residential property, not a commercial one.

How much time is allowed to satisfy the obligations?

The primary applicant must make the qualifying investments within a maximum of eight months from the date of receiving their Letter of Approval in Principle.

Can I get residency in Malta if I buy a house?

You can gain residency in Malta by buying a house worth a minimum value of €300,000 ($322,000) in the South of Malta/Gozo or €350,000 ($376,000) in the rest of Malta. You must also make two further investments: A non-refundable government contribution of €28,000 ($30,000) and a charitable donation of €2,000 ($2,150) to a local NGO registered with the Commissioner of Voluntary Organizations.