Malta EU Permanent Residency & Visa Rules For Non-EU Nationals
Malta EU Permanent Residency
The Malta Residence & Visa Programme Regulations have come into force via Legal Notice 288 of 2015 (Malta Residence & Visa Programme Regulations 2015), providing Malta EU permanent residency for non-EU nationals.
Applying to 3rd country nationals (non-EU/EEA/Swiss), the regulations set out new rules as to who may be entitled to a Residency Certificate conferring upon them and their dependants the right to reside, settle and stay indefinitely in Malta, provided that certain conditions are satisfied.
Upon approval the Residency Certificate will be reviewed annually for 5 years, then every 5 years thereafter, to ensure adherence to the regulations.
Qualification Conditions
To qualify for the Malta Residence Certificate, the main applicant must:
- be a third country national and not a Maltese, EEA or Swiss national;
- not be benefiting from any other Maltese tax or residency programme;
- must be a fit and proper person.
Main applicant must attest via affidavit that he/she has:
- €100,000 annual salary; or
- €5000,0000 in assets
Financial Contribution – €30,000 contribution to the Maltese Government
Property – Rental: minimum annual rental payment has to be at least €12,000 if the immovable property is situated in Malta or €10,000 if in Gozo or in the south of Malta, OR, Purchase: minimum value must be €320,000 or if property is in the south of Malta or in Gozo, the minimum value can be €270,000
Investment – €250,000 in Malta for a minimum of 5 years.
Further Conditions
The main applicant must:
- have a valid travel document for himself and his dependants;
- have an ‘all-risks’ EU wide health insurance for himself and his dependants;
- provide an affidavit stating that from the date of application he has EITHER an annual income of not less than €100,000 arising outside Malta, OR has capital of not less than €500,000.
Current beneficiaries of the Global Residence Programme are allowed to apply for the issuance of this Certificate, provided they satisfy all the additional eligibility requirements of these regulations.
Dependants
The rules establish that dependants must be:
- a)the main applicant’s spouse in a monogamous marriage, or in another relationship having the same or a similar status to marriage;
- b)a child, including an adopted child, of the main applicant or of his spouse who is less than 18 years of age;
- c)a child of the main applicant, or of his spouse, between the age of 18 and 26 and is not married and not economically active;
- d)a parent or grandparent of the main applicant or the spouse, who is not economically active;
- e)a child of the main applicant or spouse, who is at least 18 years of age, and who has been certified by a recognised medical professional as having a disability in terms of the Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act and who is living with, and is fully supported by, the main applicant.
Submission of applications
A non-refundable administrative fee of €5,500 is to be paid upon application. Upon the applicant’s acceptance under the Malta Residence & Visa Programme Regulations and the issue of a Letter of Approval by Identity Malta, the €5,000 is deducted from the contribution of €30,000.
Applications, must be represented by a registered approved agent or an accredited person.
Geraldine Noel of Acumum – Legal & Advisory is an accredited agent of the Malta Individual Investor Programme (Maltese Citizenship), as well as a Registered Mandatory Agent for all Malta Residency Programmes.