Legal Notice 437 of 2020 Malta regulates the Granting of Maltese Citizenship for Exceptional Services in line with Article 10 (9) of the Maltese Citizenship Act. This follows the introduction of a new agency called Komunita Malta, which is responsible for all citizenship applications including those submitted through naturalisation, marriage, descent, adoption and investment.
Check the eligibility requirements below, to see if you qualify for Maltese citizenship through investment.
Malta Citizenship Eligibility
Who is eligible to apply under the Malta Citizenship by Direct Investment Regulations? To be eligible under the Malta Citizenship by Direct Investment Regulations, the main applicant needs to fulfil the following requirements:
- Undertakes to take an Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of Malta
- Undertakes to render an exceptional contribution to the Republic of Malta through an exceptional direct investment, investment in property in Malta as well as a donation to charity.
- Undertakes to submit a medical examination report attesting that the applicant and his dependants are in good health and not suffering from any contagious disease and not likely to become a burden on Malta’s public health system
- Undertakes to submit a police conduct certificate
- Be at least 18 years of age and in good standing
- Provide evidence of 36 months or with an exception of 12 months of residence in Malta.
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Malta Citizenship Eligibilty: Direct Investment
To qualify for Maltese Citizenship by Direct Investment, applicants who can prove residency status in Malta for thirty-six (36) months prior to the naturalization are required to make a direct investment of €600,000 whilst applicants who by exception, prove a residency status in Malta for at least twelve (12) months are required to make an exceptional direct investment of €750,000.
If the applicant is accompanied by qualifying dependants, a further investment of €50,000 per dependent is to be made. An application for a certificate of citizenship by naturalisation for exceptional services cannot be submitted before the applicant completes the residence requirement and pass the Eligibility stage.
Malta Citizenship Eligibility: Investment in Property
Once an application is approved and prior to the granting of Maltese citizenship, the applicant must either purchase or rent residential property in Malta. If the applicant opts to purchase a property, an investment of at least seven hundred thousand euro (€700,000) is to be made. An applicant may also rent a residential immovable property in Malta for a minimum annual rent of sixteen thousand euro (€16,000).
The property must be kept for at least five (5) years from the date of the certificate of Maltese citizenship.
Malta Citizenship Eligibility: Philanthropic Donation
Applicants are also required to donate at least €10,000 to a local registered philanthropic, cultural sport, scientific, animal welfare or artistic NGO registered with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations or as otherwise approved by the Community Malta Agency.
Requirements to apply for the Malta Citizenship by Direct Investments
Family Members
Family applications are allowed under the Malta Citizenship by Direct Investment regulations. The applicant can include the following family members in one application:
- The spouse in a monogamous marriage or partner having the same or similar status. The term spouse shall be construed as gender neutral.
- A child of the Main Applicant or the spouse under the age of eighteen (18)
- An economically dependent and unmarried child of the Main Applicant or the spouse who has not yet attained the age of twenty-nine (29), at the time when the citizenship application is accepted by the Agency
- A child of the Main Applicant or the spouse, including an adopted child who at the time of the application has attained the age of eighteen (18) and is qualified as a person with a disability
- An economically dependent parent or grandparent of the Main Applicant or the spouse above the age of 55
Fit and Proper Test
Community Malta Agency is committed to the highest standard of due diligence to ensure only deserving and reputable applicants are allowed to proceed for the grant of Maltese citizenship. Community Malta Agency shall cause due diligence checks to be performed also by third parties including specialised due diligence service providers.
Who is ineligible to apply under the Malta Citizenship by Direct Investment Regulations?
A prospective applicant may not apply under these regulations if:
- The person is a national of Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, or Yemen.
- The person or any of the dependants is or was indicted of an offence before an International Criminal Court or has been arraigned at any time before an International Criminal Court, whether such person has been found guilty or otherwise.
- The person or any of the dependants are listed with INTERPOL or EUROPOL
- The person or any of the dependants is an actual or potential threat to Malta’s national security, public policy or public health
- The person or any of the dependants has been charged or found guilty of terrorism, money laundering, funding of terrorism, crimes against humanity, war crimes, defilement of minors, indecent assault and other serious crimes
- The person or any of the dependants has been found guilty or suspected or has criminal charges brought against him for any criminal offence punishable with more than one (1) year imprisonment, other than an involuntary offence.
- The person or any of the dependants is or is likely to be involved in any activity which may cause disrepute to the Republic of Malta
- The person or any of the dependants has been denied a visa to a country with whom Malta has visa-free travel arrangements with, and has not subsequently obtained a visa from that country
- The person or any of the dependants is named or listed in international sanctions
Get in Touch
Managing Partner of ACC Advisors Ltd. Dr Mifsud Parker is a member of the Malta Chamber of Advocates and is an accredited Malta Citizenship Agent by Agenzija Komunita Malta holding licence AKM-ACCA. ACC’s team of Malta Citizenship lawyers has several years of experience in Malta citizenship law, immigration, taxation, trusts and estates and property law.