Obtaining Maltese citizenship: 5 legal ways

Benefits of investing in Malta

This is a developed, innovative economy with a high level of income. It offers foreign investors a huge number of benefits in exchange for their contribution to the country's economic development.

• Residence card in 1-3 weeks for travel within the Schengen countries
• The right to live, study and work in Malta
• European passport for the whole family
• Productive English-speaking workforce
• Favorable geographical location
• Developed open market economy
• Political and economic stability
• High standards of education and healthcare
• Low crime rate
• No property taxes
• Low corporate income tax
• Growing tourism sector
• Stable real estate market
• Second passport in exchange for investment
• Developed transport connections with Europe and other neighboring countries
• Visa-free entry to more than 161 countries of the world

Stay in Malta by Naturalization

If you already live in Malta and have no plans to leave the country, this method may be suitable for you. You will need:

• Prove your residence for 5 years, describing it in chronological order (you can be absent for no more than 10 months). The chronology of residence will be confirmed by the marks in the passport.
• Confirm a regular income that will ensure a comfortable existence in the country for you and your family (20,000 euros and an additional 4,000 euros for each family member).
• Indicate your place of residence.
• Provide health insurance.
• A prerequisite is to complete training courses that include information about the historical, social, cultural and economic life of Malta. And pass the exams with a passing score of 75%.

The document must be reviewed according to Maltese laws within 3 months. The applicant will then take an oath, receive a certificate of naturalization and receive Maltese citizenship and a Maltese passport.

This method is available to several categories of foreigners:

• Those who have been living in Malta legally for 12 months.
• Having Maltese ancestors.
• Carrying out guardianship over citizens of Malta.

If there is proof of belonging to one of these categories, you can prepare documents for submission to the Citizenship Department.

Please note: naturalization goes through obtaining a residence permit and is a lengthy process full of legal nuances. May take up to 18 years.

Issues of naturalization are the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In practice, not all applicants' applications for citizenship of the country are resolved positively.

Terms and requirements

Program participants, in addition to financial conditions, must also fulfill the following requirements:

• The main applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
• Minimum investment amount €1.15 million.
• The returnable investment must be held by the applicant for at least 5 years.
• Confirmation of availability of funds for investment.
• A letter of guarantee of support for each dependent over 18 years of age, except spouses.
• Security check for all applicants over 13 years of age.
• Good health status for all applicants.
• No criminal record or violations of immigration laws.
• Availability of a 1-year residence permit in Malta.
• Regular visits to the country to get acquainted with the country’s culture and way of life.

Dependents

• Spouse and children under 18.
• Children from 18 to 26 years old, unmarried and financially dependent on the main applicant.
• Parents and grandparents, over 55 years of age, living with and financially dependent on the main applicant.

Procedure for obtaining citizenship

Decisions on the granting of Maltese citizenship are made directly by the Minister of Justice and Home Affairs. Therefore, the application and package of documents are submitted to the police department at the place of residence. Both parents must submit a petition to grant citizenship to a minor jointly. If one of them is absent for an objective reason (death, deprivation of parental rights, long-term imprisonment, etc.), then the second is obliged to provide documentary justification for his absence.

The application processing time varies for different programs. As a rule, it does not exceed one year.

The cost of obtaining citizenship is 460 euros for each applicant. An exception is made only for refugees and members of their families.

The passport is issued in a ceremonial ceremony in the municipal building. Before receiving it, you must take an oath of allegiance to the Republic and its people.

A Maltese passport is issued after taking the oath of allegiance to the country

Taking tests

Before applying for citizenship, you must pass exams on knowledge of English or Maltese language and on integration into the country's society. As a rule, immigrants from Russia and Ukraine choose English. You must pass an oral interview and a written test, in which you try to answer a number of questions correctly. During the exam for integration into society, the immigrant must show good knowledge of the traditions of the country, its state symbols, and be able to recite the Maltese anthem. The application will be accepted for consideration only after successfully passing the test.

Required documents

The basic package of documents for obtaining citizenship is generally standard for the entire European Union. It includes:

• the applicant's civil passport and its photocopy;
• birth certificates of the applicant and children who are applicants for citizenship along with him;
• valid international passport;
• four color passport size photographs;
• a document confirming the legality of residence in Malta;
• certificate of no criminal record in your home country;
• a certificate of no problems with Maltese law issued by the country's police;
• confirmation of the availability of housing within Malta. It can be either your own or rented;
• medical certificate of health issued by a medical institution in Malta;
• a certificate from the country's tax service confirming the absence of debt;
• Marriage certificate;
• bank account statement from a Maltese resident bank;
• a written explanation regarding the future fate of the previous citizenship.

It is possible that the authorities will require you to provide any additional papers, the list of which is directly related to the chosen immigration program. All documents must be submitted in English or Maltese. If they were originally written in another language, a notarized translation will be required.

Reasons for refusal and further actions

Maltese citizenship can be denied for several reasons. As a rule, denial of citizenship to an applicant due to his criminal history is standard in almost all EU countries. Also, the authorities may consider the applicant’s income insufficient for his residence in Malta and the life of his family members, if at the same time the need for social subsidies from the state is foreseen.

A significant reason for refusal will be systematic violation of the country’s immigration regulations or inaccurate data specified in the documents.

In any case, the applicant will receive a letter indicating the reason accordingly.

If the application for citizenship is not granted, this decision can be challenged in court

Denial of citizenship can be challenged in court. To do this, you should independently or with the participation of a lawyer prepare an appeal against a negative decision. It should indicate the violation of relevant laws and procedural norms that were committed when making a decision on the application. Very often, it is in court that a foreigner legally becomes a new citizen of Malta. The deadline for filing an appeal is no more than two months from the date of receipt of the refusal.

Malta residence permit for foreigners

Foreign nationals wishing to obtain citizenship of this country must first obtain an EU resident card through the Malta Residency Programme. The Malta Residency Program can be used on its own by those who wish to be a resident but not become a citizen, or obtaining a Resident Card can be the first step towards obtaining Maltese citizenship.

The resident card is issued for an indefinite period. It will be monitored annually for the first five years and then every five years. This means that the applicant will have to visit Malta to renew his status every year for the first five years and then once every five years.

Main ways to obtain Maltese citizenship

There are several ways to obtain Maltese citizenship. This:

1. Merit to the state. In this case, the President of Malta can grant citizenship to a person who has made an outstanding discovery for the state or raised the country's authority at the international level. Scientists, athletes, businessmen, etc. who have reached great heights can count on such a “privilege”.
2. Born in Malta. A child born on any island country in the Maltese archipelago to Maltese parents becomes unconditionally a citizen of Malta. Since 1989, a child born in Malta becomes a citizen of this country, provided that one or both parents have a Maltese passport. If Maltese parents become guardians or adopt a child from another country, and he is not yet 10 years old, then he automatically becomes a citizen of Malta.
3. For long-term residence on the islands. One of the most unpopular methods of obtaining Maltese citizenship is called naturalization, i.e. long-term residence of an immigrant on the territory of a foreign state. Malta breaks all records for the longevity of this method. To legally wait for your passport, a person must have lived in Malta for 18 years. First, an immigrant applies for a long-term or Schengen visa, then obtains a residence permit (the maximum period of a residence permit is 15 years), after which he submits documents for permanent residence, lives as a resident for 5 years, and only after that has the right to obtain citizenship. On a note! The described method is rarely used by our compatriots because of its duration.
4. Origin. Another method associated with tying a person to a territory. If a person was born outside the island state between 21 September 1964 and 31 July 1989, and his father was a citizen of Malta, then he automatically becomes a citizen of that country. Since 1989, Maltese women have also been able to transfer their citizenship.
5. Due to the country's independence from the United Kingdom. This event occurred in the life of the state on September 21, 1964. This category includes people who have chosen Maltese citizenship while simultaneously losing their UK passport.
6. Marriage to a Maltese man. This option can be considered one of the easiest ways to obtain citizenship of an island state. All that a happy spouse needs is to live in marriage for 5 years, and it does not matter in which country the newly-made family will be located. If for some reason it is not possible to wait for this period, then a Maltese citizen must write a statement stating that the marriage is de facto and its duration does not exceed 5 years. On a note! The widow/widower's spouse also receives a Maltese passport, but only if the marriage lasted longer than five years.
7. Family reunification. In this case, a Maltese passport will be received by those people who are in close family relationships with local residents permanently residing on the islands of the state. Close relatives include sisters and brothers, parents, and grandparents. In this case, the resident needs a written invitation from his relatives and a guarantee written by them for his foreign relative.
8. Making investments into the country's economy. Since 2014, everyone has the opportunity to become a citizen of Malta by investing in the development and prosperity of the island state. This is the option used by the majority of people seeking to become citizens of Malta. We will tell you more about investing in the country's economy below.

Investment requirements for Maltese citizenship

Investment consists of three parts: government donation, purchase or rental of real estate and purchase of approved financial instruments. In addition, there are additional fees and charges.

State donation

The main applicant and his financial dependents must make the following contributions:

• Main applicant: €650,000
• Spouse and dependent under 18: €25,000
• Dependents over 18 years of age: €50,000

Real Estate Investments

The main applicant must invest in property in Malta as follows:

• Buy real estate worth at least €350,000, or
• Rent a property for a minimum rental amount of €16,000 per year.

This property cannot be rented or re-let - it must remain in the ownership or use of the applicant for at least 5 years from the date of purchase or lease.

Purchase of securities

The applicant must invest a minimum of €150,000 in government bonds and other investment instruments. These instruments must be owned by the applicant for at least 5 years.

How to obtain Maltese citizenship

Official status in Malta can be obtained on the following grounds:

Since February 2000, Malta has no restrictions on dual citizenship. Therefore, many choose it as a second citizenship, if the country of origin allows it.

And on May 1, 2004, the country officially joined the European Union. This gives Maltese passport holders the freedom to travel throughout Europe and to work and live in any country.

And while older European countries may restrict the movement of labor from younger countries for the first seven years, this does not apply to Malta. Malta is also a country of the British Commonwealth of Nations, which gives it privileges.

See how to obtain Greek citizenship. Conditions for acquiring Russian citizenship. Find it at the link.

For Russians

When you receive a Maltese passport, you will not have to renounce your Russian citizenship. According to current legislation, Maltese citizens can have dual citizenship.

But according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to inform the Federal Migration Service of Russia about the presence of a residence permit and citizenship of another state. In this case, it is necessary to provide information twice - after receiving a residence permit and after receiving a Maltese passport.

Through the purchase of real estate

This option is suitable for those who can purchase residential real estate worth from 90,000 euros or other real estate worth 155,000. This must be done in the first year of your stay in the country.

Purchasing real estate for the authorities is the best proof of your desire to support the economy and solvency.

The Maltese authorities have not established the need for permanent residence in the country. It is enough to visit the island once a year to pay taxes on time and renew your residence permit.

If you have real estate on the island, you can apply for a multiple-entry visa. According to it, you can stay on the territory of the state for up to 90 days within 6 months.

Investing in real estate makes it possible to solve the housing issue in advance. When reviewing your case, the official will ask where you plan to live. Having your own home becomes a significant factor in making a positive decision.

Through marriage

This method is suitable for those planning a wedding with a citizen of Malta. But this is not the easiest thing, since you will have to confirm permanent residence with your spouse for the last 5 years.

The advantage of the program is that you do not have to reside permanently in the country. The main thing is that the applicant lives together with a citizen of this country.

For investment

Citizenship by investment is granted for a period of 12 to 14 months for the whole family. But this program has a limit of 1800 applicants. 900 investors have already received Maltese passports.

The offer is unique in that passports are issued not only to the investor, his spouse and children. Parents can also be included in the application.

To implement the program, the government created the National Development Fund. His accounts receive funds from foreign investors. After this they receive a Maltese passport.

The provision of passports is carried out in two stages, which are as follows:

• obtaining registration, the period of which must be at least 1 year;
• granting citizenship and obtaining a Maltese passport.

To obtain registration, you need to enter into an agreement with the owner of the property in the country. The contract price must be more than 16 thousand euros. After this, the candidate is tested for the truth of the data provided and reliability.

The total price of the initial stage is more than 50 thousand euros.

It includes costs for the following:

• renting an apartment or house;
• property management;
• administrative fees;
• registration.

Note! Personal presence will be required to obtain registration.

Before obtaining citizenship, the following costs will be required:

Malta and dual citizenship

Currently, the Maltese government has no restrictions on obtaining either Maltese citizenship or citizenship of another country. It is absolutely correct, at least as far as Malta is concerned, to hold and use both a Maltese and another country's passport.

But this was not always the case. Between independence in 1964 and the first set of reforms in 1989, thousands of Maltese citizens faced the dilemma of giving up their second citizenship in order to retain their Maltese passport.

Between '89 and the subsequent set of reforms in 2000, only Maltese emigrants were born in Malta and met certain strict criteria that could retain Maltese citizenship when they moved abroad.

Rules introduced in 2000 allow most people who have lost their citizenship to regain it either automatically or by registering with the Maltese government.