PortugalResidency
- Min. investment
- €500,000+routes from €250,000
- Time to approval
- 10–14 months
- You receive
- Residence permit
Residency by Investment
Malta Golden Visa
Permanent residence in an EU member state through Malta's Permanent Residence Programme, with no physical stay requirement.
Time to residency
6–8 months
Minimum investment
€375,000+
Figures as of September 2026, per the official program source — confirmed on application.
Program Overview
About the Malta program
In brief
The Malta program is a residency-by-investment program that grants the right to live in Malta. The minimum qualifying investment is €375,000+, and approvals typically take 6–8 months. It requires no residence or relocation. Figures are indicative minimums for the main applicant.
The Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) grants qualified investors and their families permanent residence in an EU member state, with the associated Schengen mobility, through a combination of a qualifying property and government contributions.
Note: Malta's former citizenship-by-investment framework was discontinued following the 2025 ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU; the MPRP is a residence — not citizenship — program.
Presence requirement
No minimum stay to maintain the status
Document validity
Permanent residence certificate is granted for life; cards renew every 5 years
Dual nationality
Residence status — your current citizenship is unaffected
Program Finder
Plan Malta for your family
Estimate the total cost with every government fee, check who in your family can be included, get the document checklist for everyone applying, and see how Malta ranks against the other 17 programs.
What Malta permanent residence unlocks
The MPRP grants the right to settle in Malta indefinitely — residence, not citizenship. What the certificate changes from day one:
- Settle indefinitelyThe certificate lets you reside, settle, or stay in Malta indefinitely while its conditions are met — the card itself renews five-yearly.
- Schengen on a Maltese cardVisa-free travel across the Schengen Area, 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Four generations, one applicationSpouse, children under 29 (unmarried, dependent), parents, and grandparents can all be included — and a dependent child's own minor child can be added later.
- No minimum stayThe regulations impose no physical-presence requirement — the status survives however you split your year.
- A permit while you waitSince the 2025 amendment, applicants receive a one-year renewable temporary residence permit as soon as the application is submitted.
- Work needs its own permitThe MPRP certificate carries no employment licence — working in Malta requires a standard work permit, and naturalization remains a separate, discretionary process.
Capabilities follow from the status itself — citizenship or residence as the program grants it; specifics are confirmed during your assessment.
Investment Pathways
Property Purchase Route
From €375,000
Purchase of a qualifying residential property in Malta for at least €375,000, plus a €60,000 administrative fee, a €37,000 government contribution and a €2,000 donation to a registered NGO.
Held for a minimum of 5 years
Property Lease Route
From €99,000
Lease of a qualifying residential property at a rent of at least €14,000 a year for five years, instead of buying. Government costs are identical to the purchase route — a €60,000 administrative fee, a €37,000 contribution and a €2,000 NGO donation — so the €99,000 shown is the minimum non-recoverable outlay, with rent on top.
Lease maintained for a minimum of 5 years
Explore your route
From (indicative)
$436,000
Capital treatment
Held for a minimum of 5 years
Purchase of a qualifying residential property in Malta for at least €375,000, plus a €60,000 administrative fee, a €37,000 government contribution and a €2,000 donation to a registered NGO.
Who comes with you
- Spouse of the main applicant
- Financially dependent children
- Dependent parents and grandparents
Family additions are quoted individually — request your exact figure
Application Timeline
Government processing time
The Malta authorities publish a processing time for complete files — the numbered stages below show where those months go. Here is the figure to plan around.
6–8 months
Official processing time, complete files
Plan around the top of the range — 8 months end to end leaves room for queries without changing your plans.
Your dates
Complete files are typically processed in 6–8 months.
Based on the officially published range — last re-verified September 2026. Government timelines are not guaranteed.
- 1
Month 1
Preparation
Document collection, KYC checks, and application preparation.
- 2
Months 2–5
Submission & due diligence
Application submitted to Residency Malta; four-tier due diligence conducted.
- 3
Month 6
Approval in principle
Letter of approval issued; contributions paid and the qualifying property secured.
- 4
Months 7–8
Residence certificate
Issuance of the certificate of permanent residence and residence cards.
Requirements
- Assets of at least the program's stipulated threshold, with evidence
- Clean criminal record and successful due diligence
- Qualifying property purchased or leased for at least five years
- Valid health insurance covering Malta
Family Eligibility
- Spouse of the main applicant
- Financially dependent children
- Dependent parents and grandparents
Required documents
The standard checklist for a single applicant. Get the checklist for your whole family in the Program Finder.
- Forms MPRP 1–10 Every applicant
- Passport Every applicant
- Birth certificate Every applicant
- Marriage certificate If married
- Police conduct certificate Adult applicants
- Health insurance & medical Every applicant
- Asset & income evidence Main applicant
- Property & contribution undertakings Main applicant
- Dependant papers Dependants
Exact formats — apostille or legalization, sworn translation, issue dates — vary by your country of origin and are confirmed document-by-document during your engagement.
What to Weigh
Honest advice includes the trade-offs. Before committing to the Malta program, consider:
- This is permanent residence, not citizenship — it does not itself lead to a Maltese passport.
- Beyond the property, budget for the government contribution, administration fee, and a mandatory NGO donation.
- The qualifying property must be maintained for five years; switching between lease and purchase mid-way is restricted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maltese citizenship by investment still available?
No. Malta's citizenship-by-investment framework was discontinued after the Court of Justice of the EU ruled against it in 2025. The MPRP — permanent residence — is the current investment route, and this page describes it.
Can I live anywhere in the EU with the MPRP?
The MPRP grants the right to reside in Malta and travel visa-free within the Schengen Area for 90 in every 180 days. It does not grant the right to settle in other EU states.
Lease or purchase — which route is better?
Leasing needs less capital up front; the government fees are the same on both routes, so the choice is rent against tying up capital in a property. We model both across your five-year horizon.
Regulatory framework
Subsidiary Legislation 217.26
Malta Permanent Residence Programme Regulations
In force 29 March 2021 · restructured 22 July 2025
Made under article 7A of the Immigration Act (Cap. 217) — L.N. 121 of 2021, amended by L.N. 146 of 2025
The Regulations let the Residency Malta Agency grant third-country nationals a certificate to reside, settle, or stay indefinitely in Malta against a qualifying property, a €37,000 government contribution, fees, a donation, and proven assets — subject to due diligence and ongoing compliance. This is permanent residence; it is not a citizenship program.
View the law (opens in a new tab)Official consolidated text — legislation.mt
Sources & verification
Program terms are set by the issuing government and may change without notice — figures last re-verified against the official source in September 2026. Investment figures are indicative minimums for the main applicant; fees, due diligence, and family additions are quoted individually. Government timelines are not guaranteed.
Alternatives
Related Programs
Families often weigh this program against these alternatives.
GreeceResidency
- Min. investment
- €400,000+routes from €250,000
- Time to approval
- 3–6 months
- You receive
- Residence permit
HungaryResidency
- Min. investment
- €250,000+
- Time to approval
- 3–6 months
- You receive
- Residence permit
Is Malta right for your family?
A private assessment covers eligibility, total cost, and timeline for your situation — and says so if another route fits better.