The Malta Individual Investor Programme offers many benefits to investors. The processing time for the application of the Malta Citizenship Programme is that of four months, following which, the approval in principle letter is issued. The passport is granted after a period of 12 months, making time to citizenship 1 year from the date of application. Malta also offers visa free travel to over 182 countries including all Schengen countries, the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Citizens can also live, work, study in any of the 28 EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland & Liechtenstein.

Moreover, Maltese citizens are also granted access to free, premier health care and education. Malta also boasts a high quality of life, an excellent international reputation with very good diplomatic ties and low crime rates making it the ideal place to raise a family. Malta also recognises dual citizenship, meaning that previous citizenships need not be discarded. 

The Malta Citizenship programme requires  applicants to meet certain criteria prior to the granting of citizenship. The main applicant must be at least 18 years of age. In the case of a family application the dependants may include the following; a spouse, children who are dependent on the main applicant who are under 26 years of age and parents of the main applicant/spouse who are at least 55 years of age, who are also financially dependent on the main applicant. This must be corroborated with signed affidavits, together with supporting documents by the adult dependants stating that they are financially dependent on the main applicant, with the exception of the spouse. The spouse has to prove that s/he is in fact the spouse of the main applicant by producing the marriage certificate.

The main applicant must also prove that all applicants are of good health.  This is further ensured through the requirement that the main applicant together with the dependents must be covered by global health insurance.

The Maltese government also has a thorough due diligence process in place so as to maintain the highest reputation of the programme. Applicants must undergo a ‘Fit and Proper’ test which establishes that the main applicant together with the dependants have a clean criminal record. This includes verification with the International Criminal Court, INTERPOL and other authorities. 

Under the Malta citizenship programme, applicants are required to invest in 3 different ways; in the form of a contribution, property purchase or rental and in government bonds.

The applicant must make a contribution of €650,000, 70% of which goes to the National Development and Social Fund which has been set up by the Government of Malta and is being run by a board of trustees, whilst the remaining 30% goes into the government consolidated fund. To include dependants to the applicant an additional contribution of €25,000 is required for the spouse and an additional €50,000 for dependent parents and unmarried children between the ages of 18 to 26. For children over the age of 13 yet under the age of 18, an additional contribution of €3,000 is required.  

The applicant must also invest in property in Malta via one of the two options available; either purchasing a property for a minimum value of €350,000 or entering into a rental agreement for a minimum value of €16,000 a year, both of which must be kept for a minimum period of 5 years.  

Furthermore, the applicant must invest a minimum of €150,000 in government bonds or shares which must also be kept for a minimum of 5 years.

Applications for the Malta Individual Investor Programme are received and processed by Identity Malta.  Individuals who are interested in the Malta citizenship programme must be represented by an accredited person/agency which must be authorised by Identity Malta.