Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)
Malta MLT
Malta's Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) is an investment-based residency route for non-EU/EEA nationals that grants permanent residence immediately on approval, not a renewable temporary visa. Applicants combine a government contribution (€58,000 if buying property, €68,000 if renting), a €2,000 NGO donation, qualifying real estate — purchase at €375,000+ (€300,000 in South Malta/Gozo) or rent at €14,000+/year held 5 years — and proof of €500,000+ in assets, of which €150,000 must be financial.
The non-refundable application fee is €40,000. Dependents are added for roughly €7,500 each. No minimum annual stay is required to keep status active. MPRP does not grant EU-wide freedom of movement, and it is not a direct citizenship route — naturalisation separately requires 5+ years of actual physical residence, which the programme itself does not mandate.
Malta taxes non-dom residents only on Malta-source and remitted foreign income, often around 15% effective, rather than worldwide income. Due diligence is unusually strict, covering residence history in every country over the past decade.
Program Details
- Category
- Investment
- Est. total time
- ~6 months (indicative)
- Application Fee
- $40,000
- Minimum Income
- —
- Minimum Investment
- $150,000
- Family Included
- €7,500 additional government contribution per additional adult dependent
- Path to PR
- Yes — 0 years
- Path to Citizenship
- No
- Physical Presence
- No minimum annual stay required to maintain permanent residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
- Tax Impact
- Permanent residency does not automatically create tax residency; Malta's tax system is favorable, and residents who remit income may benefit from low effective rates
Processing time above is an indicative end-to-end estimate, not an official government figure. Official government processing times →
Application Timeline
Apply
~6mo (indicative)
Visa Granted
Initial permit
Permanent Residency
After 0 years
Key Requirements
- ✓Government contribution: €58,000 if purchasing property, or €68,000 if renting
- ✓Donation to a registered Maltese NGO or philanthropic organization: €2,000
- ✓Real estate: purchase at minimum €375,000 (€300,000 in South Malta/Gozo), OR rent at minimum €14,000/year (€12,000 in South Malta/Gozo) for 5 years
- ✓Proof of assets of at least €500,000, of which €150,000 must be financial assets
- ✓Clean criminal record
- ✓Valid health insurance
- ✓Application fee: €40,000 (non-refundable)
Am I eligible for Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)?
Quick self-check based on the published criteria. Not legal advice. No data leaves your browser.
Nationality eligibility
Select your nationality to check.
Minimum investment / capital
Programme requires $150,000.
Fill in the fields above to see a verdict.
This is a heuristic, not a determination. Final eligibility depends on full documentation and immigration-officer discretion.
Nationality Restrictions
This program restricts applications from nationals of: EU/EEA and Swiss nationals are not eligible, Nationals of sanctioned countries are not eligible
Application Process — Step by Step
- 01
Appoint an Agent / Advisor (required)
onlineMPRP applications must be submitted through a licensed Maltese authorised agent; direct applications are not accepted.
Typical duration: 1-2 weekssource ↗
- 02
Pre-application compliance check
home countryAgent conducts initial due diligence. Applicant must have €500,000+ capital (of which €150,000 in financial assets).
Typical duration: 2-4 weeks
- 03
Lodge application + fees
onlineSubmit application with €10,000 non-refundable administrative fee. Residency Malta Agency conducts enhanced due diligence (3-6 months).
Typical duration: 12-24 weeks due diligencesource ↗
- 04
Approval + financial contribution + property
destinationIf approved, complete: €28,000 (property purchase) OR €58,000 (property rental) non-refundable government contribution; €2,000 NGO donation; property purchase €375,000+ (south) or €350,000+ (north) OR property rental €14,000/yr (south) or €12,000/yr (north) for 5+ years.
Typical duration: 4-8 weeks
- 05
Receive residence certificate + cards
destinationResidence cards issued for main applicant + family after investment completion.
Typical duration: 2-4 weeks
Documents Required
| Document | Issued By | Apostille | Translate to | Validity (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valid passport | Home country | No | — | 180 |
| Proof of €500k+ capital (€150k liquid) | Bank/asset statements | Yes | en | 90 |
| Clean criminal record | Home country + all countries of prior residence | Yes | en | 90 |
| Health insurance (EU-wide coverage) | Insurer | No | — | 365 |
| Source of funds declaration with evidence | Professional/bank | Yes | en | 90 |
Realistic Costs
Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_low, lawyer_fee_high, translations, apostilles, health_insurance_first_year, total_first_year_low, total_first_year_high, total_5_year_low, total_5_year_high.
Excludes government contribution (€28k buy / €58k rent), NGO donation (€2k), and property investment itself. Agent + lawyer fees are substantial.
Realistic Timeline
- Consulate wait0–0 weeks
- Residence card issuance30 weeks
- Total to residence card24–40 weeks
Residency Malta Agency has maintained consistent processing; due diligence takes 12-24 weeks.
Renewal
- First renewal after
- 60 months
- Subsequent cycle
- 60 months
- Renewal fee
- $2,000
- Requirements
- Maintain property investment for full 5-year period; card issuance is effectively permanent subject to this.
Path to Permanent Residency — Details
- Years required
- 0
- Integration test
- Not required
Path to Citizenship — Details
- Years required
- 5
- Processing time
- 36 months
- Language test
- No
- Civic test
- Not required
- Oath
- Required
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed
Tax Residency
- Trigger
- 183 days/year of presence
- Taxation scope
- Territorial (in-country only)
- Exit-tax country
- No
Special regimes
- Malta Residence Programme (non-dom)15% flat on foreign income remitted to Malta; 0% on foreign income not remitted
Non-dom status; minimum €15,000/year tax payment
source ↗
Health Insurance
Some details in this section are industry estimates or general guidance rather than officially verified — confirm against the official source before relying on them.
- Mandatory
- Yes
- No co-pay required
- No
- Minimum coverage
- $30,000
Examples: Bupa International, Cigna Global, Allianz Care
Banking Setup
Some details in this section are industry estimates or general guidance rather than officially verified — confirm against the official source before relying on them.
- Open account before arrival
- Not typically possible before arrival
Bridge fintechs
Local banks accepting applicants
Bank of Valletta, HSBC Malta, APS Bank
Family Specifics
- Spouse work rights
- Spouse included in application; work in Malta requires separate authorisation
- Child school enrolment
- Public + international schools in Malta
- Parent inclusion
- Eligible
- Sibling inclusion
- Not eligible
Gotchas — Things to Watch For
- ⚠MPRP grants permanent residence but NOT EU free movement to work/live in other EU states
- ⚠Malta citizenship by naturalisation for residents requires 5+ years + oath + language (different from the former Malta CBI route, struck down by the CJEU on 29 April 2025 and closed to new applicants)
- ⚠Enhanced due diligence is among the strictest globally — prior residency in 10 countries each requires separate criminal records
- ⚠Property must be maintained for full 5 years; selling earlier risks residence withdrawal
- ⚠Malta taxes non-dom residents on Malta-sourced income + foreign income remitted to Malta only
What This Visa Does NOT Allow
- ×Work/residence in other EU states without separate authorisation
- ×Short-selling of purchased property before 5-year mark
Before You Arrive — Checklist
- Engage licensed Maltese agent
- Prepare comprehensive source-of-funds documentation
- Obtain criminal records from every country of residence in past 10 years
After You Arrive — Checklist
- Complete property purchase/rental
- Register residence card
- Fulfil government contribution
- Complete NGO donation
Common Rejection Reasons
- •AML issues on source of funds
- •Criminal record disclosure in any prior country of residence
- •Previous visa denials in EU states
- •Being from a restricted nationality
Recent Legislative Changes
2024-01-01
MPRP government contribution increased; property thresholds adjusted.source ↗
Last known legislative update for this programme: 2024-01-01.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as Maltese citizenship?+
No. MPRP provides permanent residence — not citizenship. Malta citizenship can be obtained through naturalisation (after 5 years residence) or, until 2025, through the Maltese Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services (investor citizenship, CBI). The Court of Justice of the EU struck that route down on 29 April 2025 (Case C-181/23) and it is closed to new applicants.
What is the total real cost?+
Minimum cost profile for property purchase route: €28,000 government contribution + €2,000 NGO + €10,000 admin fee + €350,000 property purchase + agent/legal fees (€15-40k) + due diligence fees. Total typically €420,000-€500,000. Rental route costs less upfront but property rental costs run €60,000+ over 5 years.
Can I live anywhere in the EU with Malta residence?+
No. Malta residence grants you 90/180 Schengen travel rights but not EU-wide living/working rights. To live in another EU country, you need that country's own residence permit.
Good Fit For
Applying from a specific country? Your home-country tax rules, banking access, and dual-citizenship options affect every programme differently. Browse nationality guides → for tax obligations, renunciation rules, and second-passport routes.
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Sources & last verified
- Official source
- Last verified