Malta permanent residence programme
Malta permanent residence programme
With Malta’s citizenship route closed, the MPRP is what remains: a permanent-residence programme granting the right to settle in Malta and access the Schengen area. It combines a property requirement — rent or a purchase from 433,000 USD — with government contributions and a due-diligence process, and official processing runs to roughly twelve to eighteen months. It is residence, not a passport: naturalisation in Malta is now a separate, discretionary matter.
What the Malta Permanent Residence Programme is
With Malta's citizenship route closed by the 2025 CJEU ruling, the MPRP is what remains: a permanent-residence programme granting the right to settle in Malta and access the Schengen area. It is a residency-by-investment route — a durable EU residence for you and your family — and it is explicitly not a passport.
The requirements: property, contributions and due diligence
The MPRP combines several elements. There is a property requirement — you either rent a qualifying property or buy one from 433,000 USD (thresholds vary by region). On top sit government contributions and administrative fees, and a due-diligence process that vets every applicant. Because the exact contribution amounts, property thresholds and fees are set by the programme and revised over time, confirm the current figures with the Residency Malta Agency before you plan around a number.
What it grants — and what it does not
The permit gives permanent residence: the right to live in Malta and to travel in Schengen, for you and included family members. What it does not give is citizenship. After the 2025 ruling, Maltese naturalisation is a separate, discretionary matter, not something the MPRP converts into — we explain the change in Malta after the CJEU ruling. Treat the MPRP as an EU residence in its own right, valuable for that, not as a back door to a passport.
Timeline: roughly twelve to eighteen months
Official processing runs to about twelve to eighteen months — longer than a Caribbean passport, in keeping with a residence programme that includes property and thorough vetting. Treat that as the government's window and add your own document-preparation time on top; see the timeline, step by step for where delays hide, and how the vetting works for what investigators check.
Tax: understand Malta's system before you rely on it
Malta operates a distinctive tax system — including a remittance basis for certain non-domiciled residents, under which foreign income is taxed when brought into Malta, subject to a minimum. It can be efficient for the right profile, but it has conditions, and holding the residence permit is not the same as qualifying for a particular tax treatment or becoming tax-resident. See the detail on our Malta tax overview and read second citizenship and taxes before building a plan around it.
How it compares
As an EU residence, the MPRP sits alongside the golden visas of other member states. If your priority is a lower entry cost or a lighter presence, weigh a Portuguese golden visa or a Greek golden visa; if Malta's specific tax profile and small-island EU base appeal, the MPRP holds its own. Compare them side by side on our golden visa comparison.
Before you commit
The MPRP suits someone who wants a permanent EU residence with Schengen access, is comfortable with the property requirement and government contributions, and does not mistake it for a citizenship route. Confirm the current property thresholds, contribution amounts, fees and processing with the Residency Malta Agency, use only licensed advisers — our guide to risks, scams and vetting an agent applies — and see how we verify every figure on our methodology page.
Key figures
- From
- env. $80 800≈ $107 860 for a family of four, fees included
- Processing time
- 12–18 months
- Physical presence
- None. There is no minimum-stay requirement. The permit gives Schengen access for 90 days in any 180.
- Family
- Spouse, dependent children, and dependent parents and grandparents. Adult dependants are added at 8,700 USD each.
Investment routes and what each one really costs
| Route | Official minimum | Real total, family of four | Hold | Recoverable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real estatePurchase path: property of at least 433,000 USD, held five years. On top sit a 42,500 USD government contribution, a 2,300 USD charitable donation and 69,500 USD in administrative fees, none of which is refundable. 2025 figures; no 2026 revision found. | env. $433 000 | ≈ $577 821 | 5 yr | No |
| Real estateRental path: lease of at least 16,000 USD a year for five years (81,000 USD total), instead of a purchase. The same 42,500 USD contribution, 2,300 USD donation and 69,500 USD administrative fees apply, none refundable. 2025 figures; no 2026 revision found. | env. $80 800 | ≈ $107 860 | 5 yr | No |
Limits and drawbacks
- This is permanent residence, not citizenship. Malta’s citizenship-by-investment programme ended after the CJEU ruling of 29 April 2025 and was repealed on 24 July 2025.
- The MPRP does not lead to citizenship through any investment threshold; the discretionary merit-based naturalisation that remains is a separate framework with no fixed amount.
- Beyond the qualifying property, the non-refundable outlay is substantial: a 42,500 USD contribution, 69,500 USD in administrative fees and a 2,300 USD donation.
- The published figures date from 2025; no 2026 revision was found, so amounts should be reconfirmed with the agency before applying.
What it gets you
- Permanent residence in an EU member state with no minimum-stay requirement
- Schengen access for 90 days in any 180
- One application covering up to three generations of the family
Who else accepts the same kind of investment
See also
Frequently asked questions
Can I still buy Maltese citizenship?
What does the MPRP actually give me?
Freedom. Anywhere.
Find my programme
What we do for you
You are looking at a passport, not a brochure. We take the whole procedure with you — eligibility, the route that actually fits your situation, the file, the follow-up — with one person on your side from the first call to the oath.
For Malta specifically, you are talking to someone who already knows the file: who to speak to on the ground, what the unit actually asks for, and the points where applications stall.
- One point of contact, from the first call to the certificate
- Vetted partners on the ground — law firms, licensed agents, banks — introduced, not listed
- It starts with a short qualifying call, and no, it is not a sales call
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