Malta Citizenship

Dr. Antoine Saliba Haig | 20 Nov 2020

The Malta Residence  Citizenship Programmes  A comparison

Malta Citizenship can be acquired by virtue of the Citizenship by Investment Programme which was launched in 2013, whereby an individual and his dependents can acquire Maltese citizenship after contributing to the economic development of Malta. 

Eligibility for Malta Citizenship

Malta Citizenship

An application for Malta citizenship by investment can be made by a single applicant or a head of family, who is at least eighteen years of age, meets the application requirements, proposes to make a contribution, provides proof of investment and residence in Malta and signs the relevant agreements and undertakings on behalf of his dependants. Dependents include the spouse or partner of the main applicant, children under the age of 18 and unmarried children children of the main applicant or of his spouse who are between the age of eighteen and twenty six, provided that these are economically dependent on their parent. In addition, once can also include the parent or grandparents of the main applicant or his spouse above the age of fifty five provided that they are also wholly maintained by the main applicant.

A main applicant for Malta citizenship is required to contribute €650,000 to the Maltese National Development and Social Fund. Spouses and children under the age of eighteen are required to contribute €25,000 while dependant parents over the age of fifty five and unmarried children between eighteen and twenty six years of age are required to contribute €50,000 each. Apart from these contributions, the main applicant is also required to invest at least €150,000 at market value in bonds, shares, stocks, debentures, special purpose vehicles or other investment vehicles as approved from time to time by the government. Apart from the acquisition of bonds, a main applicant is also required to acquire and hold a property in Malta having a minimum value of at least €350,000 or else rent a residential property for a minimum annual rent of €16,000. Both the investment in bonds and the sale or rent of property in Malta are to be kept for a minimum period of 5 years.  

 

Benefits of Malta Citizenship

Malta Citizenship

One of the main benefits of the Malta Citizenship programme is that this is the only citizenship by investment programme which is approved by the European Commission. Other benefits include:

  • Automatic grant of EU citizenship
  • Issue of a residence card granting visa free travel within Schengen within 1-3 weeks from applying
  • Free public healthcare and education
  • Family members included
  • Citizenship for life and passed down to future generations
  • Visa-free travel to over 166 countries including the EU, USA and Canada
  • Right to live, work and study in any of the EU Member states

Why Chetcuti Cauchi

The law firm is a leader in investment migration law and advises international families on all aspects of taxation, citizenship and residence law.  The law firm's Maltese citizenship law practice is lead by immigration lawyer Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti and senior partner Dr Priscilla Mifsud Partner.

Law Firm

  • Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates is a law firm bound by professional secrecy: lawyer-client privilege is fully protected under Maltese law,
  • The law firm covers the full spectrum of private client law services.

Quality Service

  • Full partner attention on all matters.
  • Full concierge services available in a friendly and personalised environment.
  • Full-service multi-disciplinary law firm specialising in the use of Malta in international legal and tax planning, company & trust formation & management.

Experience:

  • Chetcuti Cauchi enjoys a sterling reputation in the areas of citizenship and residence planning and in the handling of legal and tax matters relevant to the structuring and planning of personal wealth and personal interests and business worldwide.
  • Over ten years’ experience in citizenship and residency applications, specialising exclusively on Malta in an international context.

 

 

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