Citizenship by investment is a mechanism aimed at facilitating the grant of Maltese citizenship to foreign High Net Worth Individuals of reputable standing and their families, who by their investment under the MIIP contribute significantly to the National Development and Social Fund established by the Government of Malta with the purpose of effecting qualitative improvements in Malta through public interest, social and capital projects. The Application process may take from a minimum of 6 months to a maximum of 2 years from the date of submission of Application.
Application Forms shall be completed in English or accompanied by an authenticated translation if this is not completed in English. Applications will only be accepted if properly completed, dated, signed and accompanied by all required documents and all declarations have been witnessed by a Commissioner for Oaths. The Commissioner for Oaths should be a person who under the law of the country where the oath is taken is empowered to administer oaths, for example a Lawyer or a Notary Public.
Any documents that are not in English must be accompanied by an authenticated translation. Translations must be prepared by a professional translator (officially recognized by a court of law), a government agency, an international organization or similar official institution. Translation requires authentication by Apostille.
An Applicant many be requested to attend an interview. Should such interview be required, the applicant will be notified after having submitted the Application.
The term ‘’Applicant’’ shall be understood as meaning the person who applies for or on whose behalf it is being applied for his naturalization as a citizen of Malta under the MIIP either as a Main Applicant or as a dependent.
Required Documents List
- One (1) Certified Copy of Passport for each Applicant. The Passport must show the passport number, date and place of issue and expiry, photograph, name, date and place of birth, issuing country and signature and passport amendment page(s) detailing any specification or revisions.
- Evidence of Residential Address which must be not more than six (6) months old as per below:
- A residence certificate from the Municipal/local Authorities;
- A utility bill;
- A statement from a recognized credit institution or
- Correspondence from a central or local government authority, to be stamped and dated by the Municipality.
- Original Bank Statements for the Main Applicant which must not be older than three months. The Original Bank Statements shall be submitted from the account from which funds for the MIIP are being remitted. Where the contribution shall be funded by a person other than the Main Applicant, the Benefactor must provide:
- A certified copy of his/her passport and other due diligence documentation;
- Fill in a statement of source of funds
- Fill in a form related to his/her personal details, family information, education and employment and
- Provide bank statements of the previous three months from the account from which funds for the MIIP are being remitted.
- Two (2) Original copies of Birth Certificates for each Applicant showing full birth record or original of full birth certificate, the birth certificate must include the parents’ details.
- Two (2) Original copies of Marriage Certificates or extracts of Marriage for a married Applicant.
- Original copy of police clearance certificate for all individuals above the age of16 years included in the Application
- For an Applicant who has been divorced, a certified copy of divorce document(s) shall be required.
- In the case of dependents, the Main Applicant must submit suitable documentary evidence of such dependency, in the case of parents and grandparents that the said individual(s) form part of the Main Applicant’s household.
- Certified Copies of the Policy document which demonstrates evidence of a comprehensive health insurance of EUR 50,000 minimum per Applicant per annum.
- Various Application Forms which we shall provide you with.
- The Main Applicant is required to prove that he/she has been a resident in Malta for a period of at least 12 months prior to the date of issuance of the certificate of Naturalisation.
- Due diligence fees, passport fees, bank charges as well as a non-refundable payment of EUR 10,000 from EUR 650,000 (the fee for Main Applicant) shall be submitted upon application. The contribution balance, once received in Malta, shall not be refundable after the letter of Approval in principle has been issued.
- Within four (4) months from the letter of Approval in principle, the Main Applicant has to show that an investment of EUR 150,000 has been made in stocks, bonds, debentures, special purpose vehicles or other investment vehicles in Malta. The investment will be held under pledge for a period of five years. We will guide you through this process.
- Within four (4) months from the letter of Approval in principle, the Main Applicant must provide a written undertaking to either:
- Acquire and hold a residential immovable property in Malta having a minimum value of EUR 350,000; or
- Take on lease a residential immovable property in Malta for a minimum annual rent of EUR 16,000.
Property purchased or taken on lease for the purposes of this Application must be held for 5 years, the property may not be sub-let.
- An Oath of Allegiance shall be taken, by Applicants over 18, prior to the Certificate of Naturalisation being issued.
Contribution requirements and schedule of fees
The following contributions shall be required to qualify under the programme:
- Main applicant: €650,000, of which €10,000 which is non-refundable;
- Spouse: €25,000;
- Children below 18 years of age: €25,000 each;
- Unmarried children between 18 and 26 years of age: €50,000;
- Dependant parent above 55 years of age: €50,000
The following application fees shall also be payable in respect of each application:
- Due Diligence Fees
- Main applicant: €7,500
- Spouse: €5,000
- Children between 13 and 18 years of age: €3,000
- Children between 18 and 26 years of age: €5,000
- Dependant parent above 55 years of age: €5,000
- Passport fees and bank charges fees
- Passport fee: €500 per person
- Bank charges: €200 per application
Tax Basis
The basis for taxation under the Maltese tax system is domicile and residence and not citizenship. The grant of Maltese citizenship to a non-domiciliary of Malta does not of itself cause the beneficiary to acquire a new domicile of choice in Malta. Tax residents of Malta who are not domiciled in Malta are taxable on a remittance basis. Thus such persons would only be subject to income/gains arising in Malta and income arising outside of Malta which is received in Malta. No Maltese tax shall be levied on foreign source income which is not received in or remitted to Malta.
Why Malta?
Malta, a member state of the European Union benefits from a stable political and economic climate and is considered to have one of the most favourable tax rates in Europe. Any individual that has been granted Maltese citizenship is entitled to benefit from all the rights that are granted to all Maltese nationals, including the right to enter, remain and reside in Malta, take up employment in Malta and enjoy rights of free movement derived under European law.
For latest updates on this scheme please refer to our news update through the following link:
