Malta — Residency: Permanent Residency

Key facts

• Property requirement: rent a qualifying residential property in Malta or Gozo for at least EUR 14,000 a year, or buy one worth at least EUR 375,000.
• The property must be retained for at least five years, after which a residential property must still be maintained in Malta.
• Fees: a non-refundable administrative fee of EUR 60,000 and a government contribution of EUR 37,000; each adult dependant beyond the spouse adds EUR 7,500.
• Capital: not less than EUR 500,000 including EUR 150,000 of financial assets, or not less than EUR 650,000 including EUR 75,000 of financial assets.
• Switching from renting to buying is possible if the criteria are met in both cases; switching from owning to renting within the first five years is not allowed.
• The property can be secured after approval in principle; it is not needed at application stage.

Steps

1. Step 1: Meet Eligibility Criteria — Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a clean criminal record, and not be a national of a country with which Malta has a visa-free regime.
2. Step 2: Submit Application — A full application, including supporting documents and a non-refundable application fee, must be submitted to the Malta Residence Agency.

Costs

• Administrative fee: EUR 60,000
• Government contribution: EUR 37,000
• Extra adult dependant: EUR 7,500

Common mistakes

• Quoting older MPRP thresholds (EUR 350,000 purchase, EUR 12,000 rent, EUR 28,000/58,000 contributions) from superseded regulations.