Residency & Golden Visas / Malta / Route
Malta · Residency route
Malta permanent residence by leasing a qualifying property at €14,000 a year or more, anywhere in Malta or Gozo, with family inclusion.
Last updated: 2026-10-01
Programme overviewنظرة عامة
Advising UAE residents on European residency from our Dubai office.
The current MPRP figures
Malta's Permanent Residence Programme was repriced twice, by Legal Notice 310/2024 and Legal Notice 146/2025. As the consolidated law stands today:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Administrative fee — main applicant | €60,000 (€15,000 within 1 month of submission; €45,000 within 2 months of the Letter of Approval in Principle) |
| Administrative fee — each dependant | €7,500 |
| Government contribution | €37,000 |
| Qualifying property — purchase | €375,000 |
| Qualifying property — lease | €14,000 per year |
| Property retention | 5 years |
| Donation | €2,000 |
| Capital requirement | €500,000 in assets (€150,000 financial), or €650,000 (€75,000 financial) |
| Residence card | €500 per person, valid 5 years |
The Gozo and South Malta discount has been abolished — there is a single national threshold now.
A caution: Residency Malta's January 2025 brochure and agents' handbook still show superseded figures. The consolidated Subsidiary Legislation 217.26 governs, and the figures above are taken from it.
One thing to settle before you start
These are residency programmes, not citizenship. That distinction matters more for an Indian passport holder than for most, because India does not permit dual citizenship: under Section 9(1) of the Citizenship Act 1955, voluntarily acquiring another citizenship ends your Indian citizenship automatically.
Holding European residency does not affect your Indian citizenship at all. Only naturalising would. So the residence permit is the safe part; the decision point comes years later, if and when you choose to naturalise.
About Maltese citizenship by investment
On 29 April 2025 the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled against Malta in Case C-181/23, holding that its investor naturalisation scheme breached Article 20 TFEU and Article 4(3) TEU — the Court described it as the commercialisation of the grant of Member State nationality.
Malta responded with Act XXI of 2025, published 24 July 2025. The Government's own statement is that the amendments discontinue the programme entirely, and that the law no longer contains any reference to the programme, the transaction or the agents involved.
A route called "citizenship by merit" exists under older legislation, but the Maltese agency responsible states expressly that it does not permit any marketing or promotion of it, and that it is neither a programme nor a scheme, pathway, continuation, or alternative.
So there is no Maltese citizenship-by-investment product, and we will not market one. If you have been offered Maltese citizenship for an investment by anyone in 2026, that is a reason to walk away. The MPRP described on this page is a residence programme and is unaffected by the ruling.
Talk to a European residency consultant in Dubai
XIPHIAS Immigration has guided families into Europe since 2009, and our Dubai team works with UAE residents. We were named Best Immigration Consultant by The Times of India in 2022. Our immigration consultants in Dubai will take you through the current rules, costs and timeline.
Sources
- Subsidiary Legislation 217.26 — Malta Permanent Residence Programme Regulations (consolidated)
- Residency Malta Agency
- Court of Justice of the EU — Case C-181/23, Commission v Malta, 29 April 2025
Verified against government and EU sources on 30 September 2026.
What you getالمزايا
Lower upfront costs compared to property purchase
Flexible housing options without long-term ownership
Schengen visa-free travel for 90 days within 180 days
Family-inclusive program covering spouse, children, parents, and grandparents
No mandatory minimum stay requirement
Access to Malta’s healthcare, education, and stable Mediterranean lifestyle
Investment & costsالتكاليف
Qualifying investment
Minimum annual lease (Malta or Gozo)
Each year of the lease · The lease must be retained for at least 5 years.
Administrative fee — main applicant
€15,000 within 1 month of submission; €45,000 within 2 months of approval in principle · Non-refundable.
Administrative fee — each dependant
During the application · Non-refundable.
Government contribution
Payable during application · Non-refundable contribution.
NGO donation
Payable during application · To a registered philanthropic, cultural, scientific, artistic, sport or animal-welfare NGO.
Residence card
On issuance · Per person; valid 5 years.
Figures are indicative and exclusive of professional fees. Your advisor confirms an exact, written cost breakdown for your family size.
Eligibilityالأهلية
Requirements
Applicant must be 18 years or older
Lease a qualifying property in Malta or Gozo at €14,000 a year or more, retained for at least 5 years
Pay the €60,000 administrative fee (plus €7,500 per dependant), the €37,000 government contribution and the €2,000 NGO donation
Capital of €500,000 (at least €150,000 financial assets), or €650,000 (at least €75,000 financial assets)
Comprehensive health insurance for applicant and dependents
Clean criminal record and compliance with due diligence
Proof of funds
Who cannot apply
Criminal record or pending legal issues
Insufficient proof of funds or assets
Failure to provide required documents
The processكيف نعمل
Submit application
File identity, financial and compliance documents; €15,000 of the €60,000 administrative fee is due within 1 month of submission.
Due diligence
Background screening of the main applicant and every dependant.
Approval in principle
Receive the Letter of Approval in Principle; the €45,000 balance of the administrative fee is due within 2 months.
Secure the qualifying lease
Lease a property in Malta or Gozo at €14,000 a year or more, for at least 5 years.
Pay contribution and donation
Pay the €37,000 government contribution and the €2,000 NGO donation.
Residence certificate and cards
Receive the residence certificate; residence cards cost €500 per person and are valid for 5 years.
Document checklistالوثائق
Identity
- ✦Valid passport copies for applicant and all dependents
- ✦Birth certificates
- ✦Marriage certificate (if including spouse)
Financial
- ✦Bank statements showing proof of assets
- ✦Investment account statements
Compliance
- ✦Police clearance certificate
- ✦Health insurance proof
- ✦Signed declarations and application forms
Your XIPHIAS advisor prepares a personalised document list at onboarding. The checklist above is indicative and may vary by family size.
Family scopeالأسرة
All eligible dependants can be included in one application or added after approval.
Age limits, dependency definitions, and addition fees vary by jurisdiction. Your advisor confirms exact rules at onboarding.
Approved projectsالمشاريع
Residential Lease Property
Minimum €14,000 a year anywhere in Malta or Gozo; lease retained for at least 5 years.
Project availability and inventory change. Your advisor confirms current options and any exclusive allocations at onboarding.
Risk notes
The administrative fee is €60,000 for the main applicant, as set by Legal Notice 310/2024 and Legal Notice 146/2025, plus €7,500 for each dependant.
There is a single property threshold for Malta and Gozo: €375,000 to buy or €14,000 a year to lease. The former Gozo and South Malta discount no longer applies.
Residency Malta's January 2025 brochure and agents' handbook still show superseded figures. Work from the consolidated Subsidiary Legislation 217.26, which sets the figures on this page.
This is a residence programme. Malta's citizenship-by-investment scheme was discontinued entirely in 2025 — see the note below — and we do not offer a Maltese citizenship product.
Compliance
Current MPRP terms under Subsidiary Legislation 217.26: administrative fee €60,000 (main applicant) and €7,500 per dependant; government contribution €37,000; qualifying property €375,000 purchase or €14,000 per year lease, retained for 5 years; donation €2,000.
Financial capital requirement: €500,000 in assets of which €150,000 financial, or €650,000 of which €75,000 financial.
The separate Gozo and South Malta thresholds no longer exist.
Residence cards cost €500 per person and are valid for 5 years.
Malta is a Schengen member.
Questionsأسئلة شائعة
This route, answered.
Yes, parents aged 55+ and dependent grandparents can be included; an administrative fee of €7,500 applies for each dependant.
Start the Malta route.
A senior advisor will confirm the exact costs, timeline and documents for your case — privately, and entirely off the record.