Requirements for investors who want to obtain permanent residency in Malta
Investors can apply for a permanent residency under the MPRP if they fit several requirements:
- they are non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals;
- age over 18 years old;
- can prove the legality of income;
- have no visa denials in countries with visa waiver agreements with Malta;
- confirm having no criminal records, prosecutions and sanctions;
- own capital of €500,000, and at least €150,000 must be financial assets.
One needs to fulfil some conditions to obtain Malta permanent residency by investment. They include the purchase or rent of real estate, an administrative fee, and contributions to government and charity.
Other investments don’t imply the choice of options:
- an administrative fee — €40,000;
- a charitable donation — €2,000;
- a contribution fee — €28,000 or €58,000, for real estate purchase and rent, respectively.
If investors decide to add their parents or grandparents to the application, they need to pay an additional €7,500 of the contribution fee for each added person.
Investment conditions under the Malta Permanent Residency Program
| Condition | Purchase of a property in the north or centre of Malta | Purchase of a property in the south of Malta or Gozo | Rent of a property in the north or centre of Malta | Rent of a property in the south of Malta or Gozo |
| Property | €350,000+ | €300,000+ | €12,000+ per year | €10,000+ per year |
| Contribution fee | €28,000+ | €28,000+ | €58,000+ | €58,000+ |
| Administrative fee | €40,000 | €40,000 | €40,000 | €40,000 |
| Charitable donation | €2,000 | €2,000 | €2,000 | €2,000 |
The investor is also required to provide a package of documents. It includes proof of no criminal records, financial documents, medical insurance, etc. The programme’s licenced agent provides the exact list of documents which depends on each investor’s background.
Translating, apostilling and notarising documents and buying medical insurance with minimum coverage of €30,000 per person are the additional costs for obtaining Malta PR. The exact prices depend on the service providers: licensed agents, insurance companies, and others.
Who can obtain Malta permanent residency alongside the investor?
Besides the investors, their close family members can also participate in the application for permanent residency in Malta under the MPRP. That includes the spouse of the investor, their children and parents.
Spouse. An investor and their spouse can be either officially married or be in a registered partnership. Same-sex unions are also allowed.
If the couple divorces, the partner of the investor loses their permanent residence. That also affects the children: the spouse’s or partner’s child will lose their permanent residence alongside their parent.
Children of the investors or their spouses are allowed to participate in the programme. They must be unmarried and principally dependent on their parents, who get Malta PR.
Parents and grandparents of the investor and their spouse participating in the application must be principally dependent on the investor.
There are no age restrictions for investors’ family members.
If an investor has already obtained Malta permanent residence, their relatives can still get it. The investor can apply for a residence permit for the following family members:
- A spouse. The additional fee is €7,500; it is also applicable if the investor divorces the previous partner and marries another person;
- The investor’s or their spouse’s minor children. No additional fee is required for them.
- Children of the investor or their spouse over 18 years old. The fee is €5,000 for each child, and they must be principally dependent on the investor.
- Children of the investor or their spouse, over 18 years old, with disabilities. No additional fee is required.
- Parents and grandparents of the investor or their spouse. The additional fee is €7,500, and they must be principally dependent on the investor.
- Daughters-in-law and sons-in-law, with the condition that their spouses have already got Malta permanent residence. The additional fee is €7,500.
- Grandchildren from the investor’s or their spouse’s child that has already been approved for getting a Malta PR permit. The additional fee is €5,000.
Igor Buglo
Head of the Maltese office, MBA
How to get Malta permanent residency: a step-by-step procedure
The process of obtaining Malta permanent residence takes several months. The longest part of it is Due Diligence conducted by the Malta authorities; the application processing lasts 4—6 months.
1. Preliminary Due Diligence.
1 day
When the investor turns to Immigrant Invest to apply for Malta permanent residency, the first thing that we do is the preliminary Due Diligence. Certified Anti Money Laundering Officers check the investor’s and their family members’ documents and biographies against international databases and on the Internet.
This procedure helps us to find possible issues and decrease the risk of refusal to our clients to 1%.
2. Gathering the documents
4—5 weeks
The Immigrant Invest lawyers prepare the list of the documents that an investor has to provide. They also take care of all the translations, notarization and filling in government forms. When everything is done, the application is submitted to the Residency Malta Agency.
3. Application processing
4—6 months
The Residency Malta Agency conducts Due Diligence. The applicants’ biographies are checked against international databases. The process usually takes around 4—6 months, and if some additional requests appear, it might extend.
4. Fulfilment of the investment conditions
Up to 8 months
If the application is approved, the Residency Malta Agency sends a notification to Immigrant Invest. After that, the investor needs to fulfil investment conditions: to buy or rent housing, pay the government and administrative fees and contribute to the charity.
5. Submitting fingerprints
At least 1 day
All the people who were included in the application must come to Malta and submit their biometrics. They can do it before or after the fulfilment of the investment conditions.
6. Final approval
1 month
When the applicant has made all the investments in Malta’s economy are made, Immigrant Invest lawyers send additional documents to the Residency Malta Agency. The agency checks them and gives final approval.
7. Collecting the permanent residency cards
2 weeks
To collect the documents for permanent residency, the investor doesn’t need to come to Malta again. The Certificate of Residence and permanent residence cards are sent to the Immigrant Invest lawyers in Malta and then — to the applicants.
The cards are valid for five years. Children’s residence cards must be changed when children turn 14 and 18 years old, no matter how long they hold their cards.
Explore the benefits and requirements of the Maltese investment programme in a couple of minutes
Benefits of Malta permanent residence by investment
Visa-free access to the Schengen Area. Malta permanent residency holders may visit other Schengen countries and stay there for 90 days out of 180.
The fast and simple procedure of obtaining. According to our experience, it takes about eight months to get Malta permanent residence. One doesn’t need to pass any language or culture exams and live in the country for five years to get their card.
A licenced agent, which is a consulting company approved by Malta’s government, supports investors throughout the process. The help of experienced and thorough lawyers makes the procedure easier for applicants.
Participation of family members. An investor’s spouse, children, parents and grandparents can also participate in the application. There’s no age limit for them.
The Malta Permanent Residence Programme offers a wide list of relatives that can be added to the application. In comparison, most residency-by-investment programmes in other European countries have restrictions on age.
Investment return. If investors buy properties, they can sell them after five years and get their money back.
While the investor holds Malta permanent residence, they need to have a registered address in the country. However, after the first five years, they can buy or rent property without price limits.
Opportunity to gain profits. Prices on real estate in Malta increase each year. That means the investor gets an opportunity to sell the property and gain additional profits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is possible to obtain permanent residency in Malta by investment. To do so, one needs to buy or rent a property, pay administrative and government fees, and contribute to charity. Then the investor needs to undergo the application process and finally obtain permanent residence cards.
Due Diligence is an essential part of obtaining Malta permanent residency. It is conducted by the Residency Malta Agency and usually takes 4 to 6 months. This check is needed to confirm that the applicants meet all the Malta Permanent Residency Programme requirements.
The process of obtaining Malta permanent residency takes several months. Out of this period, the application processing takes the longest, up to 4—6 months.
Foreigners can get Malta residency to work, study or live in the country. One of the most convenient ways is to get permanent residency by investment under the Malta Permanent Residence Programme.
To participate in the MPRP, you need to fulfil the following criteria:
- Be 18 years or older.
- Have no criminal records or prosecutions.
- Have legal income and be able to prove it.
- Have no visa denials in countries that have a visa-free regime with Malta.
- Own capital of €500,000, and at least €150,000 must be financial assets.
You will need to get through an application process to acquire a Maltese residence permit. It includes:
- Preliminary Due Diligence. Immigrant Invest lawyers check investors’ backgrounds against international databases to decrease the refusal risk to 1%.
- Gathering of all the required documents.
- Main Due Diligence that the Residency Malta Agency conducts.
- Fulfilment of all the investment requirements.
- Submitting biometrics. All investor’s family members need to come to Malta.
- Final approval and getting the permanent residence cards by mail.
The amount of investment under the MPRP depends on whether you buy or rent a property. The property for purchase must cost €350,000+ or €300,000+ if it’s in the South of Malta or on Gozo. The cost of renting a property must be €12,000+ per year or €10,000+ if it’s in the South of Malta or on Gozo.
The amount of the government contribution depends on the property investment and the composition of the family. If you buy real estate, you must pay €28,000; if you rent it, you’ll need to contribute €58,000. If an investor adds parents or grandparents, they must pay an additional €7,500 for each added family member.
Additional investments include an administrative fee of €40,000 and a charitable contribution of €2,000.
One of the most convenient ways to get the right to immigrate to Malta is to get permanent residency by investment.
An investor needs to buy or rent housing for a certain sum, pay administrative and government fees and contribute to the charity. Also, they need to go through the application process, which takes several months.
Obtaining Malta residency for USA citizens is the same as for other nationalities. If an investor decides to move to Malta from the USA, they need to fulfil investment requirements and undergo Due Diligence to get a permanent residence permit by investment.
