Malta citizenship by investment - April 10, 2024

Malta is an EU country in the heart of the Mediterranean, renowned for its beautiful landscapes, rich culture and high level of security.

Malta's citizenship-by-investment programme allows investors to become full citizens of the country by contributing financially to its economy.

The benefits of Maltese citizenship

• Visa-free access to 187 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Schengen Area, Japan and Hong Kong
• The right to relocate to any EU country
• Access to high-quality healthcare across the EU
• Access to high-quality education across the EU
• The ability to launch an international business anywhere in the EU
• The right to hold dual citizenship
• The option to obtain citizenship together with your family
• A reliable second home base

What are the investment options?

To qualify for Maltese citizenship by investment, an applicant must meet three requirements:

1. A contribution to the National Development Fund (600,000 or 750,000 euros)
2. A charitable donation to a non-governmental organisation (150,000 euros)
3. The purchase or lease of real estate (purchase from 350,000 euros; lease from 16,000 euros per year)

The size of the contribution to the National Development Fund determines how soon the investor can apply for citizenship. With a contribution of 600,000 euros, the applicant must reside in the country as a resident for three years before applying; with a contribution of 750,000 euros, the residency requirement drops to one year.

Who is eligible for citizenship?

• The main investor, who has no criminal record, is over 18, is not subject to sanctions, and has a legal, verifiable source of income
• The investor's spouse
• Minor children
• Children up to the age of 29 who are financially dependent on the investor

Status in 2026: the programme has been abolished

The conditions in the article above no longer apply. A Maltese passport can no longer be obtained for a fund contribution, a donation and a property: the investment route to citizenship closed in summer 2025.

The Court held that granting a passport in exchange for predetermined payments turns EU citizenship into a commodity. The ruling is final, so Malta abolished the programme in less than three months. A detailed analysis is on the page about Maltese citizenship.

What happened to pending applications

• Citizenship already granted - retained on the original terms.
• Application approved by the minister before 29 April 2025 - continues under the old rules.
• Application filed but not approved by that date - has lapsed and is not automatically moved to the merit route.

The published rules contain no mechanism for refunding fees already paid. If you are in this group, it is worth reviewing what was paid and to whom, and on what basis you are currently in Malta.

Citizenship by merit is not a replacement

The law left the minister the power to grant citizenship to people with exceptional merit for Malta or humanity: scientists, athletes, cultural figures, entrepreneurs, philanthropists. There is no fixed price and no guarantee, decisions are strictly individual, and the state prohibits marketing this procedure as a programme. Any offer to buy a Maltese passport for a known sum in 2026 is outdated information or misleading.

What remains in Malta: permanent residence

Permanent residence through investment still works in Malta, but it does not give citizenship and is closed to citizens of Russia and Belarus.

More on the page about Maltese permanent residence.

Where a passport is granted for investment in 2026

There are no such programmes left inside the EU: Cyprus closed its scheme in 2020, Bulgaria in 2022 and Malta in 2025. Outside the EU there are options, each with its own conditions and risks.

• Turkey - from $400,000 in property, deposits, bonds or business, 6-8 months.
• Vanuatu - a contribution from $130,000, usually 1-3 months, but a Vanuatu passport now needs a visa for Schengen and the UK.
• Grenada and other Caribbean countries - from $200,000, but the EU has demanded that these programmes close by 1 June 2028, and they do not accept Russian or Belarusian citizens.

How we help

We check which programmes are open to your nationality on the filing date, calculate the full cost including government fees and checks, and support the process from collecting documents to receiving the passport or residence permit. If you applied for Maltese citizenship and your application lapsed, we review the documents and propose the next step. Write in the chat.

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