Citizenship by Investment Malta

In recent years Malta has experienced exceptional economic growth and positioned itself as an important international business hub. Strategically located at the crossroads between Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Malta is considered an ideal investment gateway for those wishing to gain access to these markets and also benefit from Malta’s numerous personal and corporate tax-efficient policies.

The Malta Individual Investor Programme (MIIP) provides investors and their families with the ability to gain Maltese, and therefore European Union (EU) citizenship. Successful applicants gain the rights and freedom to live, work or study in Malta and/or any other EU member state.

Advantages of Obtaining Citizenship from Malta:

• Citizenship of a well-respected and stable EU country.
• Efficient application process.
• World’s strictest due diligence standards and vetting of applicants, thus ensuring only the most suitable applicants will be admitted.
• Visa-free travel to 183 destinations.
• EU Citizenship gives right of establishment in all 28 EU countries and Switzerland.
• Malta is an attractive place to live or to own a second home and its strategically located with excellent air links.

Requirements to obtain the Maltese Citizenship are:

• Donate € 650,000 non-refundable to the National Development and Social Fund (NDSF).
• Acquire a real estate with a minimum value of € 350,000 to be held for at least 5 years; OR lease a residential real estate for a period of 5 years, at an annual rent of at least € 16,000. Please note that the property cannot be let during this five-year period.
• Invest in stocks, bonds or other special purpose vehicles to be identified by Identity Malta, at a minimum value of € 150,000 and to be held for five years.
• Obtain Global health insurance coverage for at least € 50,000 for all named applicant.
• Residency: the applicants must have been a legal resident of Malta for one year prior to the issue of the Certificate of Naturalization.

The main Applicant can include dependents in the MIIP for which the following additional non-refundable donations apply:

• An additional contribution of € 25,000 is required for a spouse and for each child under the age of 18.
• The application may include children between the ages of 18 and 26 years if they are financially dependent on the main Applicant and are not married; in such cases, the additional contribution is set at € 50,000 for each dependent.
• Parents over the age of 55 may also be included in the application as dependents, if they are living with and are fully supported by the main Applicant. In such cases, an additional contribution of € 50,000 per person is required.

Required Documents:

• Birth certificate of all applicants
• Marriage Certificate
• Clear criminal records
• A bank financial statement with proof of a legal source of income
• Medical examination (health certificate that it is free of diseases)
• CV and recommendation letters

Application Procedure:

1. KYC of Applicant

   KYC and initial background verification of the applicant, if there are no issues documentation will be forwarded to Government Authority for Pre-clearance.

2. Residency application stage:

   2.1 Filing of application for residency
   2.2 Applicant and dependents over 6 years travels to Malta for signing a lease agreement for a min. of 18 months and sign a rental declaration form as a proof of address in Malta (at this stage, it does not have to be a qualifying property). Note, such agreement could be arranged remotely through local partners.
   2.3 Submission of residency application to the Government (MIIPA) which will take usually 2-3 days for approval.
   2.4 Completion of biometrics for their residency Card (picture, e-signature, finger prints).
   2.5 Signing of Citizenship application form in presence of a local lawyer.
   2.6 Collection of Residency cards

3. Citizenship approval stage:

   3.1 Finalizing the Citizenhsip-related Government application forms and documentation. This includes the criminal record and medical check up for all applicants.
   3.2 Filing the application to MIIPA and payment of due diligence and government administration fees.
   3.3 Issuance of Letter of Approval in Principle (approx. within 120 days after submission of application).

4. Citizenship confirmation stage:

   4.1 Applicant to remit € 640,000 plus € 25,000 and € 50,000 for respective dependents as balance of the contribution / donation to the National Development and Social Fund, which must be paid within 25 days of the receipt of the Letter of Approval in Principle. (Note: Donation amount is non-refundable).
   4.2 Within 4 months from the date of the issuance of the Letter of Approval in Principle, proof must be submitted to MIIPA that the Applicant fulfills the remaining qualifying criteria out of which stand out:

   • Certified copy of the lease (>€ 16,000 p.a.) or purchase (>€ 350,000) agreement of qualifying property and architect appraisal. Applicants may visit Malta to choose their property or lease.
   • Certified true copy of Investment Certificate of Government Stock / Bonds of € 150,000.
   • Certified true copy of Investment Certificate of Government Stock / Bonds of € 150,000.
   • Obtaining comprehensive Health Insurance (coverage of € 50,000) for all applicants (if not already done so).
   • Proof of having established links in Malta including having stayed 10 days in Malta over the course of one year: airplane tickets, hotel / restaurant invoices, bank account opening, donation to a Maltese Charitable Fund, copy of membership cards etc.

   4.3 After 12 months of the issuance of the Residence Card, the Applicant and his dependents above 12 years are invited to take the Oath of Allegiance and to take the biometric data (fingerprints and iris scan) for the Passport and National Identity Card.
   4.4 The applicants will be able to collect their Passport, National Identity Card and Certificate of Naturalization after 2-5 working days.

Timeframe:

The timeframe for the completion of the process is approximately 12 months from submission of the application to issuance of the passport, assuming there are no areas of concern with the application.

The following basic fees apply to all investment options and shall be quoted at the time of application:

• Due Diligence Fees
• Processing Fee
• Passport Fees
• Professional Fees

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the details contained herein are correct and up-to-date, it does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice. We do not accept any responsibility, legal or otherwise, for any errors or omissions. We also suggest that independent legal, tax, professional advice be obtained by the user of this information before proceeding with the application.