Legal residence in Malta via the MRVP program

Are you considering the possibility to relocate to a safe and prosperous country? We suggest that you should take a close look at the Malta Residency Visa Program (MRVP) that allows acquiring legal residence in this European country by making an investment. Below please find the information about the advantages of the Program, its conditions, the legislation behind it, and other useful facts.

Malta is very popular with wealthy foreigners acquiring legal residence there. As far as foreign investors are concerned, the Maltese authorities have laid a red carpet for them in the form of the Malta Residency Visa Program.

Basic facts about the MRVP that allows acquiring a ‘golden visa’ to Malta

The MRVP allows acquiring legal residence in Malta in exchange for an investment into stocks and/ or government bonds. The money will be returned to the investor after five years. The investor and his/ her family members including spouses, children, parents, and grandparents obtain Maltese residence permits.

The Maltese Government launched the MRVP in 2015 in order to attract highly qualified foreign individuals from non-EU countries. The permanent residence permit in an EU member state serves as the main incentive.

Candidates for Maltese golden visa undergo scrupulous security checks. If they are successful in passing the tests, however, they and their dependent family members acquire legal residence permits that will remain valid for indefinite time.

The MRVP scheme has not become too popular so far mainly because many potential investors simply do not know about it. The Portuguese and Greek golden visa programs are well publicized while the Maltese program is only starting to catch up. But the popularity of the MRVP is growing with time!

Key advantages of applying for a golden visa the MRVP

Acquiring a legal residence permit in Malta brings several weighty advantages:

• It is a very competitive offer: the required investment amount is considerably lower than that required by other European countries running golden visa programs;
• Legal residence in Malta can be granted to all members of the investor’s family;  
• Maltese legal residence permit holders are free to move around the Schengen zone spending up to 90 days in other countries per half a year;
• The investments are returnable after five years;
• Legal residence in Malta provides for a wonderful opportunity to enter the European markets if you are an entrepreneur;
• There are no age restrictions applicable to the investor’s family members. Consequently, the Program should be attractive for large families;
• Malta is a democratic, politically stable, and safe European country with a constantly growing economy;
• Multicultural environment is found in Malta and a high level of diversity in all aspects of life;
• Both economically active foreigners and pensioners wishing to reside in Malta can apply for the residence permit;
• There are schools and universities in Malta where English is the language of instruction;
• Malta is the only member of the Schengen agreement where English is an official language, which is an advantage if you speak English;
• There are no requirements as to the minimum number of days the legal residence permit holder has to stay in Malta;
• A top-quality healthcare system and access to the best medical services is found in Malta.

Disadvantages of Malta Residency Visa Program

The advantages of the MRVP describes above are serious indeed but the program also has some characteristics that can be referred to as its disadvantages:

• The candidates for legal residence in Malta have to undergo very stringent security checks;
• The legality of the sources of income has to be conclusively shown;
• The Maltese legal residence permit allows travelling freely across the Schengen zone but if you would like to visit the USA, Canada, Australia, or Japan, you have to apply for a visa (full citizens of Malta have visa-free access to all these countries);
• The participation in the Malta Residency Visa Program does not lead to full citizenship of the country. The latter can be acquired by following a different route;
• The stock and bonds that the Program participant invests into have to remain in his/ her possession for five years if he/ she is to preserve the legal residence permit. Therefore, the money will have to be ‘frozen’ for a considerable period of time.
• Senior relatives of the main applicant can be included in the application only if they are financially dependent on the main applicant.

The conditions of acquiring a Maltese golden visa via the MRVP

It is important to understand that Malta is one of very few countries that allows acquiring legal residence there in exchange for zero-risk investments. You can put money into government bonds that the Maltese Government undertakes to buy out after the five-year period elapses. Thus, the investor gets back 100% of his/ her investments eventually. Besides, there is an opportunity to take a loan for investing into government bonds in order to acquire legal residence in Malta. The loan will naturally entail some pay.

Prospective candidates for the Maltese legal residence permit have to meet ALL the conditions specified below. If one of the conditions cannot be satisfied, the application for legal residence will be rejected.

• Net assets: The candidate for legal residence in Malta has to confirm having an annual income outside Malta of more than 100,000 euros. An alternative option is the confirmation of possessing capital assets whose worth exceeds 500,000 euros.  
• Investment requirements:  Purchase of government bonds worth 250,000 euros (a fully returnable investment) or purchase of securities traded in the Maltese stock exchange that are worth as much.
• Accommodations:  You have to make a 10,000-euro rent agreement if the accommodations are located in the south of the island and a 12,000-euro rent agreement if the accommodations are located in the north. Alternatively, you can buy residential property for at least 270,000 euros if it is located in the south or for at least 320,000 euros if it is in the north.  
• State duties: The administrative fee is 30,000 euros. It covers the main applicant, the spouse, and the children. Additional 5,000 euros are due per every dependent parent, grandparent, or grandchild.
• Terms of property ownership: Similarly to the stocks and bonds ownership terms, the property purchased in Malta has to remain in the Program participant’s possession for five years. If the residential accommodations are rented, the rent agreement has to be extended until the five-year period is over.
• Medical insurance: You have to buy a medical insurance policy that will cover the health-related costs on the territory of the European Union.

Why should you choose to apply for legal residence in Malta?

Malta has a very rich and vivid history. Strategically placed between Europe, Africa, and the East, the island attracted conquerors from different shores. Malta became a British colony in 1815 and remained a British overseas territory for nearly 150 years until it became an independent state in 1964. In 1974, Malta was turned into a Republic.

Today, Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and the UN. The country joined the European Union in 2004, became part of the Schengen zone in 2007, and joined the Eurozone in 2008. Acquiring legal residence in Malta id beneficial for the following main reasons:

• The small European state has been demonstrating unparalleled stability over the years.
• Malta is one of the fastest growing economies in the EU and it is always ranked high in various international ratings. A great number of Fintech, financial service, gambling, aviation, and ship companies are based in Malta.
• It is a resort country with a warm sea, bright life, and Mediterranean climate.
• Top-quality educational institutions can be found in Malta including several English-language business schools.
• Malta is an ideal country for living with moderate living costs and a friendly local population.
• State and private medical clinics in Malta provide medical services of the highest quality.

The legal frameworks of Malta Residency Visa Program

The MRVP is gaining more and more popularity in the world due to the favorable conditions that it offers and the transparency of the application process. The Malta Residency Visa Agency (MRVA) is the legal agent of the Maltese government responsible for administering the Program. The Agency makes every effort to attract wealthy foreign investors to Malta. It uses a four-layer applicant identification process to make sure that only the most trustworthy people are admitted to the country.

The process of the acquisition of the Maltese golden visa via the MRVP is regulated by the national legislation. The laws governing the process can be found at the official MRVA website and downloaded in the .pdf format.

Professional assistance in applying for legal residence in Malta

Would you like to learn more about the opportunity to acquire a legal residence permit in an EU member state? Please contact us by email, WhatsApp or our live chat and ask us any questions about the Malta Residence Visa Program. You are also welcome to subscribe to our newsletter to keep track of the new opportunities that frequently arise.