Malta Residence and Visa Programme

Non-EU Nationals interested in taking up permanent residence in Malta can avail themselves of the Malta Residence and Visa Programme (MRVP), allowing the beneficiaries together with their registered dependents to reside, settle or stay indefinitely in Malta.

Table of Contents

Main Benefits

The right to reside indefinitely in Malta
Visa-free travel within Schengen Area
Ability to work in Malta
No minimum physical presence required to maintain immigration status
All family of applicant is eligible

Eligibility and Application Costs

For an applicant to qualify for the MRVP, one needs to meet the following qualifications and requirements:

Be at least 18 years of age;
Have an annual income of not less than €100,000 arising outside of Malta, or has in their possession a capital of not less than €500,000;
Has stable and regular resources which are sufficient to maintain him/herself and any of their dependants;
Possess valid travel documents, for both themselves and their dependents;
Be in possession of health insurance in respect of all risks covered for Maltese Nationals;
Have a Clean Police Conduct from one’s birth place as well as any country the applicant and their dependant/s have resided in for longer than 6 months in the past 10 years;
Has to provide a certificate from a reputable health system proving that main applicant and all their dependants are otherwise in good health and will not be an unreasonable burden on the national health system;
Must pay a non-refundable initial fee of €5,500 that is to be settled upon submission of application;
Must be a fit and proper person.

Subject to meeting all eligibility criteria, the applicant will be provided with a Residence Certificate. At this stage the applicant will then be required to pay a contribution of €30,000 less the non-refundable administrative fee of €5,500 referred to above.

The contribution of €30,000 covers the main applicant, spouse and the children of the main applicant and/or the spouse at application stage. An additional €5,000 is to be submitted per any other dependant , including parents, grandparents, as well as for the spouse if he/she was not included in the original application.

Property Requirements

To qualify for the MRVP, an applicant must also hold a qualifying property for a minimum of 5 years from the date of issuance of the Residence Certificate, by:

Purchasing – In this case, the minimum value must be of at least €270,000 for properties situated in Gozo and the South of Malta, or a minimum of €320,000 for properties situated in the rest of Malta; or

Renting – If the applicant opts to rent a property this must be of a minimum value of €10,000 per annum for properties situated in Gozo or the South of Malta, or a minimum of €12,000 per annum for properties situated in the rest of Malta.

Qualifying Investment

Applicants must hold a qualifying investment of not less than €250,000 for a minimum of 5 years from the date of issuance of the Residence Certificate.

Dependants

Dependants who may be included within the MRVP application of the main applicant include:

the spouse of the main applicant in a monogamous marriage or in another relationship having the same or a similar status to marriage;
the children of the main applicant or the spouse, under the age of 18;
the adult children of the main applicant or the spouse, over the age of 18, who at the time of the application are unmarried, not economically, active and are principally dependant on the main applicant;
the parent or grandparents of the main applicant or the spouse, who at the time of the application are not economically, active and are principally dependant on the main applicant.

Other Information

Once approved the residence permit is issued first for 5 years, freely renewable thereafter.

Applications are to be administered by a Registered Accredited Person (RAP) or a Registered Approved Agent (RAA) duly registered with the MRVA.

Once the Residence Certificate is issued, this will provide the beneficiary and their dependants the right to reside, settle or stay in Malta, indefinitely, plus the ability to freely move around the countries in the Schengen Area. It also provides them with the opportunity to live in a country with a moderate cost of living with a direct access for the beneficiary and any approved dependant of age, to apply for a work permit. It also provides the opportunity and the ability to live in a safe country which is both politically and economically stable, along with access to high level educational institutions and access to renowned English Schools.

This programme falls under the Immigration Act and excludes EU/EEA AND Swiss nationals. Applicant must not be under the Residents Scheme Regulations, the High Net Worth Individuals (EU/EEA/Swiss Nationals Rules), the Malta Retirement Programme Rules, the Residence Programme Rules, the Qualifying Employment in Innovation and Creativity Rules or the Highly Qualified Persons Rules.

Beneficiaries of the Global Residence Programme (GRP) are allowed to apply for a Certificate in terms of these rules, provided they satisfy all the additional eligibility requirements of these regulations.