Frequently Asked Questions

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Property investment

 

Are there any restrictions on what type of property I can buy or rent?
The property must be a residential immovable property. This means that its primary purpose must be for living, and it must be fixed to land. Beyond this, the choice is yours – and your chosen property can be situated on Gozo as well as the main island of Malta.

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Can I purchase more than one property?

No – you are limited to buying one property only, unless it is in a special designated area.

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Can I initially rent a property and then buy a year or two later?
Yes. You are required to retain a qualifying property for a minimum period of five years. This means that you can change your rented property or buy a new one before selling and/or acquiring previous one.

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Can I let or sub-let my property?
Unfortunately not. You cannot let the property you purchase or sub-let any property you rent – even if you don’t intend to make it your permanent residence. If you’d like to be able to rent out your property investment, you might wish to consider Portugal’s Golden Visa instead.

National Development and Social Fund contribution

 

What is the National Development and Social Fund?
The contribution you make goes toward financing various projects in Malta aimed at improving public health, education, and innovation. Essentially, you are helping to fund initiatives that are of national importance and of great public interest.

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I want to add my spouse and child to my application – do I need to make a contribution for them as well?
Yes, although the amount is much less. For your spouse and any children under 18 years of age, a €25,000 contribution each is required. Any adult dependents will require a contribution of €50,000 each.

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Will I receive any of this money back?
No – this is a one-off and non-refundable contribution to the National Development and Social Fund.

Read more about the charges relating to Malta’s Individual Investor Program: Requirements and Costs

Malta residency

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Do I need to apply for residency to gain citizenship?
Yes. You should ensure that you hold Maltese residency prior to applying for citizenship. However, you may apply for residency and citizenship at the same time and these applications may be processed simultaneously.

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What about my dependants? Do they have to apply for residency to gain citizenship?

No. Your dependants do not need to apply residency. Moreover, they dont have to be in Malta in order to apply for citizenship. They will only be required to go to Malta once to obtain their passports.

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Is there a minimum stay requirement?
No, there is no requirement to reside in Malta before applying for citizenship.

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But how can I be considered a resident of Malta if I don’t permanently reside there?
It might sound confusing but to be considered a resident of Malta you don’t actually need to live there. Instead, you will need to show that you have established strong links with Malta. There are no specific rules about satisfying this requirement. However, the following list indicates what kind of things may demonstrate links with Malta:

• Acquiring property in the country

• Setting up a bank account

• Taking out a mobile phone or broadband contract

• Making regular donations to a local charity

 

Other requirements

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How do they determine if I am a reputable individual?
As part of the application process, ‘Identity Malta’ carries out an extensive due diligence process in addition to criminal record checks. These checks aim to confirm the information you provide in your application, ensure that you are a person of good standing, as well as verify the source of your funds.

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Does my family also require Global Health Insurance coverage?
Yes – each family member you add to your application will also require Global Health Insurance with at least €50,000 coverage included.

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We can help you to become an EU Citizen in just 12 months. Please contact us for further information.