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Visa and Citizenship

Investor Visa Program Malta

Whether you are looking for a visa program that will open the gates of Europe for you and your family or a Citizenship by Investment program that will safeguard your future and protect you and your family, Malta has a plethora of options to consider.

Malta is a very appealing country for private residency. The country offers a stable political system and excellent travel connections, as it is strategically and centrally located on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a highly sought-after destination with a proactive, business-oriented government and a proven record of financial success.

Why You Need an Accounting Services Company in Malta

Whether you are looking for a visa program that will open the gates of Europe for you and your family or a Citizenship by Investment program that will safeguard your future and protect you and your family, Malta has a plethora of options to consider.

Malta is a very appealing country for private residency. The country offers a stable political system and excellent travel connections, as it is strategically and centrally located on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a highly sought-after destination with a proactive, business-oriented government and a proven record of financial success.

Income tax Malta planning Income tax act

Eligible Persons

  • Main applicant.
  • Spouse.
  • Unmarried children up to the age of 26.
  • Dependent parents and grandparents over the age of 55.
  • Foundations Registration - Links to the foundations page.
  • Fiduciary Services

Requirements

  • The main applicant should be at least 18 years of age
  • Applicant must be in good standing with a clean criminal record, and they must perform a ‘fit and proper’ test as part of the 4-tier due diligence process.
  • Proof that the applicant has been a resident of Malta for at least 12 months preceding the issuance of the passport .
  • Acquiring and holding residential property in Malta (having a minimum value of €350,000) or renting property (for a minimum annual rent of €16,000). The property must be retained by the applicant for at least 5 years from the date of purchase or lease.
  • Invest a minimum of €150,000, which must be placed in investment vehicles designated by the Government of Malta. The qualifying investment must be held for 5 years.
  • Perform a government contribution in an amount depending on the application structure, starting at €650,000 for the Main Applicant and including additional amounts for spouse, children, and parental dependents.

Benefits

  • Visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to 182 destinations, including Canada and the EU.
  • The right to live, work, and study in any of the 28 EU countries and Switzerland.
  • World’s strictest due diligence standards and vetting of applicants, thus ensuring only highly respectable applicants.
  • Citizenship of a well-respected EU country.
  • Reasonable contributions and an efficient application process.
  • An attractive place to live or own a second home, strategically located and with excellent air links

Fees and Costs

Contribution to the National Economic and Social Development Fund. Main Applicant €650,000
Contribution to the National Economic and Social Development Fund. Spouse and any dependent aged under 18. €25,000
Contribution to the National Economic and Social Development Fund. Any dependent aged 18 and over. €50,000
Purchasing Immovable Property; or >€350,000
Leasing Immovable Property >€16,000 annually
5-year investment in stocks, bonds, or debentures >€150,000
Due diligence fees for the main applicant €7,500
Due diligence fees for the spouse €5,000
Due diligence fees for every child aged between 13 and 18 years of age €3,000
Due diligence fees for every child aged between 18 and 26 years of age €5,000
Due diligence fees for dependent parents above 55 years of age €5,000
Passport fees €500 per person
Bank charges €200 per application

The Malta Global Residence Programme

The Malta Global Residence Programme was launched to attract foreign entrepreneurs – high net worth individuals and investors who are not nationals of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland and also not long-term residents. The programme grants successful applicants residency and special tax status by setting the personal tax rate on external sources of income remitted to Malta at only 15%. Individuals benefiting from the Malta Global Residence Programme are not precluded from working in Malta, provided they satisfy the requisite conditions for obtaining a work permit.

Who can apply for The Malta Global Residence Programme

Eligible Persons

  • Main applicant
  • The applicant's spouse
  • Minor children in the care of the applicant.
  • Persons under the age of 25, including adopted children, who are in the custody of the applicant.
  • Children, including adopted children, who are not minors but who, because of illness or disability are unable to support themselves.

Benefits

  • Main applicant.
  • The applicant's spouse.
  • Minor children in the care of the applicant
  • Persons under the age of 25, including adopted children, who are in the custody of the applicant
  • Children, including adopted children, who are not minors but who, because of illness or disability are unable to support themselves.

Requirements

  • Not a national of Malta or any other EU/EEA state.
  • Hold a qualifying property by way of purchase at a minimum value of €220,000 or by way of lease at a minimum rent of €8,750 per annum for properties in Gozo or the South of Malta. For properties purchased anywhere else, the minimum property value must be €275,000 or a minimum rent of €9,600 per annum for leaseholds.
  • The beneficiary is not benefitting from any other special tax status or residence programme.
  • Persons under Pay an annual minimum tax of at least €15,000 on income arising outside of Malta that is received in/remitted to Malta
  • Receive regular and stable income to maintain applicant and their dependents.
  • Does not spend more than 183 days in any other single jurisdiction
  • Holds comprehensive health insurance covering himself and all dependents for all risks across the whole of the EU
  • Can adequately communicate in one of Malta’s official languages (Maltese or English)
  • Is of good character

Fees and Costs

Purchasing Immovable Property Malta / Southern Region of Malta, Gozo; or €275,000 / €220,000
Leasing Immovable Property Malta / Southern Region of Malta, Gozo €9,600 / €8,750 per annum
Application fee €6,000
Minimum Annual Tax €15,000

Tax implications for The Malta Global Residence Programme

Malta’s remittance basis of taxation means non-domiciled individuals are subject to Maltese tax only on income arising outside of Malta that is also received in Malta. The status grants the beneficiaries and their qualifying dependents a flat 15% Malta tax rate on any such income that is remitted to/received in Malta, subject to the payment of the minimum tax (payable in full in both the year when the tax status is received and the year when it ceases to apply, as well as each full tax year for which the status applies). Any chargeable income and gains arising in Malta would generally be taxable at a flat 35% tax rate. Finally, any capital gains arising outside of Malta would not be subject to Maltese tax.

GRP only gives you a Special Tax Status with a tax number in order to remit your income in Malta. Should you wish to obtain a Residence Permit in Malta, you can combine the GRP with the Malta Residence and Visa Program (MRVP) to acquire both tax status and a residency card.

Malta Residence & Visa Programme (MRVP)

Launched in August 2015, the Malta Residence and Visa Programme (MRVP) is a fast and efficient way for foreign investors from non-EU countries to obtain a valid European residence permit. Under the Malta golden visa programme, non-EU citizens can acquire a Malta residence permit, which promptly allows the investors and their families to reside, settle, or stay in Malta indefinitely, plus the ability to travel freely to all EU Schengen Area countries, including Switzerland.

The MRVP application requirements and procedures are reasonable and straightforward. The application is submitted to the IIP Agency, the government agency responsible for applications, with a non-refundable deposit of the contribution amount of EUR 5,500. After stringent due diligence checks, successful applicants will be requested to complete the qualifying investments and will then be issued a residence permit. The IIP Agency will issue successful applicants with a Maltese residence certificate, which acts as a permit. The certificate will be monitored annually for the first five years of its issue and every five years thereafter.

Who can apply for The Malta Global Residence Programme

  • Main applicant.
  • The spouse of the main applicant in a monogamous marriage or in another relationship having the same or a similar status to marriage.
  • The children under the age of 18 of the main applicant or the spouse.
  • The adult children of the main applicant or the spouse, who are over the age of 18 and who, at the time of the application, are unmarried, not economically active, and principally dependent on the main applicant.
  • The parent or grandparents of the main applicant or spouse who, at the time of the application, are not economically active and are principally dependent on the main applicant.

Requirements

  • Main applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Have a clean medical and criminal record.
  • Obtain health insurance for the main applicant and accompanying family members.
  • Prove a minimum annual income of EUR 100,000 earned from outside Malta, or a minimum of EUR 500,000 in net assets.
  • Not be considered a potential national security risk.
  • Not be persons benefiting from another Malta residence or employment programme
  • Buy or rent a qualifying property for a minimum period of five years
  • Invest at least €250,000 in debt or equity securities listed on the Official List of the Malta Stock Exchange and hold these investments for at least five years

Benefits

  • Right to reside indefinitely in Malta.
  • Five years of permanent residence, renewable indefinitely.
  • EU residence card granting visa-free travel across Europe’s Schengen Area.
  • Investment required only for the first five years.
  • No minimum stay requirement.
  • Family members can apply in a single application, including the parents and grandparents of the spouse and beneficiary.
  • Buy or rent a qualifying property for a minimum period of five years
  • Live in a safe place with a very stable economy.
  • Access to high-level educational institutions and renowned English schools
  • Access to a multicultural environment that accepts diversity

Fees and Costs

Purchasing Immovable Property in Malta / Southern Region of Malta, Gozo; or €320,000 / €270,000
Leasing Immovable Property in Malta / Southern Region of Malta, Gozo €12,000 / €10,000 per annum
Investment of EUR 250,000 in government bonds, held for a minimum period of 5 years €250,000
Application fee €5,500
Non-refundable contribution to the government €24,500
Contribution of €5,000 for every parent or grandparent €5,000

Tax implications for Malta Residence & Visa Programme (MRVP)

A person taking up residency through the MRVP will not automatically be considered a tax resident in Malta and is therefore not necessarily subject to tax in Malta. Tax residence in Malta is established by demonstrating an intention to reside in Malta indefinitely or by establishing a physical presence in Malta of at least 183 days per year.

Taxation under the Malta tax system is based on residence and domicile. Maltese tax residents who are not domiciled in Malta are taxable on a remittance basis. This means that applicants of the MRVP are taxable only on foreign-sourced income that is remitted to Malta. Income and capital gains that arise outside of Malta and remain outside the country will not be subject to tax in Malta.

Capital gains arising elsewhere fall outside the scope of Maltese tax, whether they are remitted to Malta or otherwise.