Malta Citizenship By Investment

Malta is arguably the most selective program on Earth and conducts the most rigorous due diligence and acceptance process in the industry. The granting of citizenship by the community of Malta will only be conveyed to applicants that exceed the country’s standards and expectations. Seasoned in-country representation is key, but every applicant must – at a minimum – demonstrate:

• Commitment: Malta requires applicants to establish their value to the Maltese community. The Malta CIP first grants 3-year residency which can then be approved to transform to citizenship after the residency period successfully ends. Citizenship can be accelerated to following a 1-year residency grant using the program’s Fast Track option.
• Investment Tolerance: All applicants must donate €600,000 (standard option of 36-month residency) or €750,000 (Fast Track option with 12-month residency) as a non-refundable contribution to the government fund.
• Charitable Donation: All applicants must donate €10,000 to a registered and compliant charitable organization.
• Investment Options: Applicants have the flexibility to channel their investment into either purchasing a property (minimum value of €700,000) or renting a property (minimum lease value of €16,000 per year). The property, rental or owned, must be held for five years.
• Due Diligence: Malta implements the most rigorous due diligence standards – a four-tier process paired with a risk matrix. All applicants must provide – at a minimum:
  Proof of a clean legal record for every country where they resided at least a year – this includes both criminal and civil matters
  A list of every country where the applicants resided in the past decade
  A passport from their birth country and all passports and residencies they hold
  Employment records or business documents if they own a company
  Details about their banking including any/all offshore activities
  Reputation and social perception of the applicants – including no-fly lists, denied entry to any country, sanctions lists, etc.
  Any additional documentation that is requested
• Source of Funds: A central element of due diligence is establishing the source and legality of the applicant’s/family’s wealth. This includes the investment funds, all monies used to pay program-related fees, service fees, and the overall wealth profile of the applicant. Applicants must evidence absolute legal ownership over their wealth, that it was generated from only legal sources, and that the main applicant not only has the necessary funds to cover the application process but an additional €50,000 for each dependent (children and parents) and spouse. Tax evasion risks are considered as well.
• Proof of Health: While the health demands for the Malta CIP aren’t as strict as some citizenship programs, you must prove that you have international health insurance for the duration of the residency period.
• Physical Residency: All applicants must physically reside in Malta during the residency period. The date of residency begins with the issuance of the residency permit.