Malta
Two routes into Malta, and they are not alike
One is a residence card earned with capital and decided in months. The other is citizenship granted for exceptional contribution, judged case by case, promised to nobody. This page keeps them apart.
Side by side
Families arrive calling both of these "Malta citizenship by investment". They differ on every point that matters.
| Point | MPRP | Citizenship by merit |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | A residence programme with published criteria | A discretionary case-by-case decision, not a programme |
| Basis of assessment | Net worth and the contributions set in law | Exceptional contribution to Malta or to humanity |
| Outcome | EU permanent residence card | Maltese citizenship and an EU passport |
| Timescale | Around 4–6 months | No fixed timeline; at least 8 months of residence in Malta |
| Published cost | A defined schedule of fees | No fee schedule and no capital threshold |
| Right of appeal | Ordinary administrative process | None; the Minister need give no reasons |
Residence
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)
Permanent residence in an EU member state, granted to the whole family, with no requirement to live in Malta. This is a residence programme — not citizenship.
Legal basis
Established by Legal Notice 121 of 2021, as amended by Legal Notice 146/25. Regulator: Residency Malta Agency.
- Net worth
- EUR 500,000, of which EUR 150,000 in liquid assetsOr EUR 650,000, of which EUR 75,000 in financial assets
- Property
- Purchase from EUR 375,000, or rent from EUR 14,000 a yearIn Malta or Gozo
- Government contribution
- EUR 37,000Payable whether you buy or rent
- Donation
- EUR 2,000To a registered Maltese non-governmental organisation
- Administrative fee
- EUR 60,000Covers the main applicant, spouse and minor children
- Adult dependants
- EUR 7,500 eachChildren aged 18 to 29, unmarried and financially dependent
- Processing time
- Around 4–6 monthsFrom submission to issue of the eResidence cards
What the card gives a family
- The right to settle and reside in Malta indefinitely
- Visa-free travel across the Schengen area, 90 days in any 180
- Up to four generations of one family on a single application
- No minimum stay required to keep the card
And what it does not
- It is not citizenship and carries no Maltese passport. Naturalisation is a separate route.
- It is not a work permit. Working in Malta requires a separate permit, and the card confers no right to work in another EU country.
- The property may only be let out if it sits in a Special Designated Area, and then only for a limited number of days a year.
- The property must be held for as long as the card is held; it cannot be sold early.
Citizenship
Maltese citizenship on the basis of merit
Malta may grant citizenship to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to Malta or to humanity more broadly. It is not an investment route, and it is not a programme.
What to understand before anything else
Malta's citizenship-by-investment route ended in 2025 following a ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union. What remains is something else entirely: each case considered individually on the value the applicant brings — social, cultural, scientific, humanitarian — rather than on a sum of money. There is no fee schedule, no capital threshold, and nobody may promise an outcome.
Governed by Subsidiary Legislation 188.06 — Granting of Citizenship by Naturalisation on the Basis of Merit, issued under the Maltese Citizenship Act (Cap. 188). Applications go to the Community Malta Agency.
Fields that may be considered
- Science and research
- Arts, culture and the creative industries
- Sport and athletics
- Technology and innovation
- Entrepreneurship with demonstrable impact
- Philanthropy and humanitarian work
The legislation restricts eligibility to no particular sector. Both internationally established individuals and those showing exceptional future potential may be considered, provided the contribution is of clear interest to Malta.
Five stages
- 01
Proposal letter
A detailed letter to the Community Malta Agency setting out who the applicant is and what they have achieved, the exceptional contribution already made or intended to Malta or to humanity, how they plan to continue contributing, supporting documentation, and any dependants to be included.
- 02
Evaluation and due diligence
An autonomous specialised evaluation board assesses the proposal alongside a comprehensive due diligence process run by the Community Malta Agency. The board submits its recommendation to the Agency, which forwards it to the Minister.
- 03
Approval in principle
The Minister decides whether to approve or refuse. The decision is fully discretionary: it carries no right of appeal, the Minister is not required to give reasons, and there is no automatic entitlement to proceed.
- 04
Formal application
Once approval in principle is granted and the statutory requirements are met, the applicant may file the formal naturalisation application. The evaluation board reviews it again and submits a final recommendation.
- 05
Grant of citizenship
If approved, the applicant and any included dependants take the Oath of Allegiance and a certificate of naturalisation is issued. From that point they are full Maltese citizens with all rights and obligations under Maltese law.
The statutory requirements at stage four
- At least eight months of residence in Malta
- Owning or leasing adequate residential property in Malta
- An endorsement from a competent Maltese body confirming the applicant as a leading talent, a person of exceptional promise, or a case of exceptional interest to Malta
- Demonstrated knowledge of Maltese or English
- Evidence of the ties established with Malta, in line with the proposal letter
Dependants who may be included
- A spouse
- Minor children
- Adult children, in limited circumstances
- Financially dependent parents
Every dependant goes through the same assessment, due diligence and discretionary approval as the main applicant.
The part rarely mentioned
Citizenship granted on the basis of specific commitments has to be honoured. Where material obligations are not met, Malta may withdraw it. This is not a transaction that ends at the ceremony.
Our partner in Malta
Who actually files your application
CSB Group is a Malta-based professional services group established in 1987. On Maltese files they are a licensed agent — meaning your application is filed by a firm answerable to the Maltese authorities, not passed through an intermediary.
It is not the licence alone that decided us. A family moving to Malta needs more than a card: the right property at the right threshold, a company and its tax, a bank account, schools, and later the question of succession. CSB does all of it under one roof, so a file is not handed between five different providers.
- Established
- 1987A family-owned business headquartered in Malta
- Head office
- The Penthouse, Tower Business Centre, Tower Street, Swatar BKR 4013, Malta
Licences and legal entities
CSB International LimitedC38923
Licensed Agent for the Malta Permanent Residence Programme — licence no. AKM-CSBI-21, issued by the Community Malta Agency
CSB International LimitedC38923
Company Service Provider authorised by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA)
CSB International LimitedC38923
Authorised Registered Mandatory appointed by the Maltese tax authorities to file under The Residence Programme and the Global Residence Programme
CSB Trustees & Fiduciaries LimitedC40390
Trustee Company and Administrator of Private Foundations, authorised by the MFSA
CSBL Advisory LimitedC36669
Company Service Provider authorised by the MFSA
Every reference below is printed in CSB Group's own official documentation, May 2026 edition.
What CSB does beyond the residence file
Malta Sotheby's International Realty
Launched in 2013, with offices at Tigné Point (Sliema) and Portomaso (St Julian's). This is the arm that finds and vets the property that satisfies a file's investment threshold, inside a Sotheby's network of more than 26,100 associates and 1,100 offices across 84 countries.
Corporate, tax and accounting
Company formation and administration, directorship and company secretarial services, accounting, tax and VAT, AML/CFT compliance. CSB Group is an independent member of EuraAudit International, a network of over 320 offices worldwide.
Trusts, foundations and family office
Setting up trusts and foundations, escrow services, succession planning and multi-generational wealth administration — the work a substantial family needs as soon as the residence card is in hand.
Relocation and settling in
Tax registration and work permits, bank account opening, schooling, insurance and healthcare, residential and commercial property, concierge services.
Specialist practices
Regulated financial services, fintech and crypto assets, iGaming, shipping and yachting through Unico Yachting, aviation, intellectual property, and flexible workspace through Regus, which has operated in Malta since 2008.
Is Malta the right country for your family?
The answer depends on whether you need a residence card or a passport — two very different problems. We read the file before saying anything about your chances.