Citizenship by Investment in Malta
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Malta Investor Visa
MALTA CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT PROGRAM
Malta Individual Investor Program (MIIP) or Malta Citizenship Program:
MALTA INDIVIDUAL INVESTOR PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
- nvestors must be at least 18 years of age
- Applicants must have no criminal record and must be of good health
- Applicant’s spouse and dependent children under the age of 18 years, unmarried children between 18 and 26 years of age (financially dependent on the main applicant) and dependent parents above the age of 55 years can also be included in the same application provided an additional contribution is made
Investor can invest inherited money, gift money or loan taken from relatives and friends provided he/she is able to establish legal source of funds.
MIIP Investment Requirements:
MIIP Processing time:
The entire process from submitting the citizenship application and supporting documents to acquiring a Maltese passport takes 12-14 months.
Benefits of Citizenship by Investment program of Malta:
- Full citizenship for life. Can be passed on to future generations by descent
- Citizens have the right to live, work and do business anywhere within the European Union
- Citizens have the right to study for free or at special tuition rates at schools and universities within any EU country
- Free access to well-established EU healthcare and education system
- Visa free travel to more than 182 countries including USA, UK and Canada
- No language requirements
- Dual citizenship allowed
- Malta offers favourable tax regime to investors
The Malta Residence and Visa Program (MRVP):
This program offers non-Maltese persons the possibility of acquiring an EU Residence Card by investing in real estate (purchase or rent). This residence card offers visa-free travel within the Schengen area. Under the Maltese Residence Program, candidates are required to maintain a permanent address in Malta in the form of a residential property purchased or rented in Malta or Gozo.
Malta Residence and Visa Program requirements:
- Applicants are required to make the qualifying investment
- Applicants must be self-sufficient
- Applicants must have net assets with a minimum value of not less than €500,000, out of which a minimum of €150,000 shall be in the form of financial assets.
- Applicants must not have any criminal record
- Children over the age of 18 years old, not married, and principally dependent on the principal applicant, financially dependent parents or grandparents of the principal applicant or of his spouse; or disabled adult children of the principal applicant or spouse can be included in the same application.
MRVP Investment requirements:
To qualify for residence under the new Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) regulations, successful applicants will need to:
1.) Hold a qualifying property, which can be purchased or rented.
- If purchased, the property value must be a minimum of €350,000 for a property situated in Malta or €300,000 for a property situated in Gozo or the South of Malta.
- If rented, the lease value must be for a minimum of €12,000 per year for a property situated in Malta or €10,000 for a property situated in Gozo or the South of Malta.
2. ) Make a ‘Government Contribution’whose amount will depend on whether the qualifying property is rented or purchased, and it is as follows:
- If the property is purchased, the contribution will be €28,000 plus €7,500 for every parent or grandparent of the principal applicant or spouse.
- If the property is rented, the contribution will be €58,000 plus €7,500 for every parent or grandparent of the principal applicant or spouse.
- Make a donationof €2,000 to a local non-governmental organisation registered with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, or as otherwise approved by the Agency.
Also, an administrative fee of €40,000 per application will be charged – €10,000 when application is submitted and balance of €30,000 when application is approved.
MRVP Procedures and Time Frame:
The MRVP application requirements and procedures are reasonable and straightforward. All applications must be submitted to Residency Malta Agency by an approved agent who will then perform due diligence checks to ensure authenticity of the applicant. After stringent due diligence checks, successful applicants will be requested to complete the qualifying investments and will then be issued a Residence Permit. Residency Malta Agency will issue successful applicants with a Maltese Residence Certificate which will be deemed to be a permit. The certificate will be monitored annually for the first five years from its issue, and every five years thereafter.
Benefits of MRVP:
- EU Residence Card gives visa-free travel within Schengen area
- Applicants can live, work, study and settle in Malta for an indefinite time
- May qualify for citizenship after 5 years
- Five years’ permanent residence, renewable indefinitely
- Investment required only for first 5 years
- No minimum stay requirement
- Family members can be included
- Source and remittance taxation only