Malta Residency/ Citizenship By Investment – Malta Golden Visa

A Malta Golden Visa is a path to Maltese (and EU) citizenship for affluent persons interested in investing overseas. Malta has two Golden Visa programs: one leads to citizenship and the other to permanent residence.

The citizenship by investment program in Malta provides investors with a Malta passport in exchange for investing at least €600,000 in a government-approved national fund. Citizenship can be obtained in as short as a year, depending on the amount invested.

You can obtain a Malta residency card as soon as your visa is processed under the permanent residence program.

Who Can Apply for a Malta Golden Visa?

To be granted a Golden Visa for Malta, you must fulfil the following eligibility requirements:

• You must be an adult (over 18).
• You must have the necessary funds to make your investment.
• You must have the necessary funds to maintain yourself and your family without relying on social assistance.
• You cannot have any criminal charges, be involved in an interrogation, or be a suspect in a criminal investigation.
• You cannot have a criminal conviction that led to imprisonment of more than one year.

Contact an expert service, such as La Vida – Golden Visas, to ensure your eligibility for the Golden Visa scheme in Malta. The experienced team of advisors has years of experience with Malta Golden Visas; they can assess your past, finances, family structure, and objectives to determine whether the Malta Golden Visa scheme is right for you.

Citizenship by Investment in Malta Program

The citizenship by investment program in Malta – officially called the “Maltese Citizenship by Naturalization for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment” – provides two pathways to citizenship:

• Invest at least €750,000 in the national development fund – obtain Malta citizenship in one year.
• Invest at least €600,000 in the national development fund – obtain Malta citizenship in three years.

However, because you have to live in Malta during those one-three years, you also have to invest in real estate.

One-Year Citizenship by Investment Program in Malta

To be eligible for citizenship by investment in Malta after one year, you must make the following investments:

• At least €750,000 to a government-approved national development fund.
• Additional €50,000 for each family member applying with you.
• At least €10,000 as a charitable donation to an approved artistic, philanthropic, cultural, or scientific organization.
• At least €700,000 to purchase a residential estate or sign a rental agreement of at least €16,000 per year and maintain it for five years minimum.

Three-Year Citizenship by Investment Program in Malta

To be eligible for Malta citizenship after three years, you have to make the following investments:

• Invest at least €600,000 in a government-approved national development fund.
• Invest an additional €50,000 for each accompanying family member.
• Donate at least €10,000 to an approved artistic, philanthropic, cultural, or scientific organization.
• Purchase real estate amounting to at least €700,000 or sign a rental agreement for at least €16,000 per year for five years.

Malta Permanent Residency by Investment Program

To receive permanent residency in Malta through investment, you have to make the following investments:

• Invest at least €98,000 into a government-approved fund.
• Donate at least €2,000 to a registered NGO in Malta.
• Sign a rental agreement for at least €10,000 per year for the next five years.

You do not need to live in Malta to keep your permanent residence status. Although the Malta Permanent Residency Program (MPRP) does not automatically lead to citizenship, you can apply for Malta citizenship if you have lived in Malta for at least five years and complete all other naturalization conditions.

Naturalization as a Maltese citizen requires integration into Maltese society, knowledge of the national language and culture, and having Malta as your principal abode.

Malta Golden Visa Application Steps

The process of obtaining a Golden Visa for Malta is divided into the following steps:

La Vida – Golden Visas has a great team of international investment and immigration law experts. They can help you choose an investment fund and guide you with your visa and Malta citizenship application.

Documents Required for a Malta Golden Visa Application

The documents needed when you apply for a Malta Golden Visa are:

• Passports of each family member.
• Biometric information. You and all family members over the age of 12 have to provide pictures and fingerprints.
• A cover letter, signed by you.
• Document of having complied with the process of due diligence.
• Proof of funds, along with documents proving the source of your funds.
• Bank statements from the bank in your home country.
• Marriage or civil partnership certificate (for spouses/partners).
• Birth certificate (for children, parents, grandparents).
• Divorce certificate (if applicable).
• Custody or court documents (if applicable).
• Documents that prove dependency. This is required for adult children or parents/grandparents who are applying alongside you.
• Documents proving you do not have a criminal background.
• Medical reports. Medical reports are necessary to prove no one in your family has a contagious disease that may endanger public health in Malta. Everyone in your application must submit a medical report.
• Any other supporting documents, as applicable.

Remember that the exact documents can vary greatly depending on your nationality, investment type, and family structure. For any queries, you can contact your advisors at La Vida – Golden Visas, who can help you assemble your visa application package.

What Are the Benefits of the Malta Golden Visa?

A Malta Golden Visa allows you and any of your family members to obtain EU citizenship quickly. As a Malta citizen, you enjoy the following benefits:

• You get access to the EU open market. You and your family members can live, study, work and invest anywhere in the European Union.
• You get a Malta passport and can travel visa-free to more than 185 countries worldwide.
• You can register a business in Malta at favorable tax rates (15%).
• Malta has a Mediterranean climate, so you can expect plenty of sunshine year-round and mild winters.
• You qualify for Malta’s healthcare system, known as one of the best in the world.

Can I Bring Family Members With Me?

Yes, you can include up to four generations of your family in your Malta Golden Visa application: your partner, children, parents, and grandparents.

Specifically, you can include the following family members as your dependents:

• Your spouse or long-term partner. You must be in a monogamous relationship.
• Your or your spouse’s minor children.
• Your or your spouse’s adult children who are still financially dependent on you. Financially dependent children (such as students) must be up to 29 years of age and unmarried.
• Adult children dependent on you or your spouse due to special needs (physical or mental).
• The dependent parents or grandparents of either you or your spouse.

In addition, all children born after you or your family obtain Malta citizenship will automatically be considered Maltese citizens by descent.

Can I Travel/Work in Europe With a Malta Golden Visa?

After obtaining a Malta Golden Visa, you will be able to travel freely throughout the EU. With the Malta passport, you would be able to travel over 140 countries without a visa.

Furthermore, Maltese people can freely move to and work in any EU country.

Do I Need Health Insurance For Malta Golden Visa?

Yes, you and your family should have health insurance when applying for a Malta Golden Visa. Once you become a citizen or permanent resident of Malta, you will be eligible for the national health insurance program (which is one of the best in the world); in the interim, you must obtain private international health insurance.

Does Malta Allow Dual Citizenship?

Yes, Malta allows dual citizenship, therefore you can preserve your natal nationality as well. However, in order for you to keep both, your present country of nationality must also accept dual citizenship.

Japan, Montenegro, the UAE, Indonesia, China, Thailand, and other countries, for example, do not accept dual citizenship. If you are from one of these countries and wish to receive a Malta passport, you must give up your current citizenship.

Could I Lose My Malta Golden Visa?

You could lose your Malta Golden Visa if:

• You obtained it illegally in the first place.
• You provided fraudulent information during your application.
• You withdraw your investment.
• You no longer meet the requirements of the initial investment.

Naturally, once you have a Malta passport, you are not at risk of losing it for minor offenses like as leaving the country for more than six months. If you gained your Malta citizenship unlawfully or become involved in terrorist organizations, your citizenship (obtained through naturalization) may be withdrawn.