Malta Residence and Visa Programm

Investment migration to Malta has increased exponentially over the past four years, partly due to the introduction of the Malta Residency and Visa Program (MRVP). The MRVP was introduced in 2015 to provide another competitive immigration option. Since its introduction, the MRVP has been updated twice; the 2017 amendments helped to further consolidate the legislation, while the 2018 amendments focused on expanding the investment criteria of the program.

Originally, the MRVP program required the principal applicant to make an economic contribution of 30 000€, with 5 500€ being non-refundable and payable at the application stage, and the balance due upon approval in principle. The applicant was also required to purchase or lease residential property in Malta and invest 250 000€ in Maltese government bonds, which they were required to hold for a minimum of 5 years.

The 2017 updates introduced an additional economic contribution of 5 000€ per parent or grandparent of the main applicant or spouse, due upon approval in principle.

The 2018 amendments came into force after publication in the Malta Gazette (No. 20.056 of 14 September 2018) and mainly affected the investment requirements. The investment amount as well as the minimum term of 5 years remained the same, with the changes relating to the qualification criteria of the investment itself.

Whereas previously only Maltese Government Bonds (i.e., bonds issued by the Maltese Treasury) could be invested in, the 2018 amendments allow the lead applicant to acquire shares and corporate bonds listed on the Malta Stock Exchange to meet this requirement. Investment in these securities may also be made through an investment in collective investment schemes which are permitted and listed on the Official List of the Malta Stock Exchange.