Acquisition of Maltese Citizenship: All Possible Ways
Investors consider Malta for numerous reasons including seamless procedure, the possibility of dual citizenship, access to many countries without special permits, and ample opportunities for business growth. Moreover, there are several legal ways to acquire a local passport. Let’s look through their benefits and key features.
Citizenship Through the Malta Exceptional Investor Naturalization (MEIN)
If you wish to become an investor, there is the easiest and quickest way to get a Maltese nationality through the dedicated program. The local Golden Visa proposal was introduced in 2014. In 2020, the government changed the rules and created a proposal that considers up to 400 applicants per year and is designed to host 1500 investors.
Imin Malta expert Albert Loffe explains that to become a participant one needs to be:
- full of age;
- ready to make certain donations and provide information about the sources of these funds and income;
- have good health and a clear criminal record.
The funding that is associated with this program has two options:
- A person with a current residency that lasted for 1 year can donate 750,000 euros to the local authorities for a single person and an additional 50,000 euros for the inclusion of each relative.
- The donation comprises 600,000 euros after 3 years of residency with the same additional cost for more than 1 person.
Furthermore, one has to donate 10,000 euros to some local NGO.
At last, one more requirement concerns property purchase or renting, namely:
- buying it for 700,000 euros;
- renting for 5 years for a minimum of 16,000 euros annually.
The purchased property should be also kept for the following 5 years.
Thus, the person who wishes to become a participant should be ready to make all these transactions after the approval of his or her candidacy. During the submission phase, only processing and due diligence fees are paid. The package of documents includes basic personal data, insurance, evidence of financial sustainability, and a clean criminal record.
The obtained document is valid for up to 10 years and opens access to 169 other countries. In addition, one can move in and out of the island anytime. Combined with favorable taxation, affordable cost of living in Malta, and high-quality standards of medical care and education, no wonder the program has gained huge popularity.
The whole procedure usually takes up to 6 months only and is described in detail on imin-malta.com.
Citizenship by Birth in Malta
Earlier, any child who was born on the territory of the island automatically got a local passport. Since 1989, the situation has changed. Now, this document is issued only for those babies who have at least one parent with local citizenship.
Citizenship by Descent for Individuals with Maltese Ancestors
Only those who have parents of local origin can get Maltese citizenship by descent. Those who were born before 1964 should have a local mother for this.
After in 1989 the birth acquisition rules changed, any person who has local ancestors is able to provide documents and receive a passport from this country. There are no additional requirements in this case.
Citizenship by Marriage to a Maltese National
It is possible to get Malta citizenship by marriage with a local person. For this, the couple should be together for at least 5 years. They undergo many inspections, so sham marriages are easily recognized and are punished with imprisonment.
However, if after 5 years of a real marriage, the couple has broken up or the spouse died, the partner can still apply for citizenship. Thus, if the marriage is real, one can become an applicant and owner of the local passport in 5 years.
Citizenship by Naturalization for Long-Term Residents
At last, one can obtain Malta citizenship by naturalization but it is the longest and the most difficult option. The whole process takes a minimum of 7 years.
One has to live here for 4 years as a permanent resident and stay in the country for the last half a year or live 6 years with a permit for residency with the last 10 months spent on the island.
The applicant has to provide:
- letters of two local guarantors who are not relatives to him and prove his personality and reputation;
- local health insurance;
- data on the sources of income;
- results of the law, language, and history exams.
After the application is approved, one has to stay here for 12 more years in order not to lose the acquired status.
Conclusion
Altogether, there are several applicable ways toward a Maltese passport. They differ greatly in the rules and requirements, as well as terms and opportunities. For investors, this region provides one of the best conditions in Europe. The local program was named a golden standard long ago and retains this status. Therefore, consider your possibilities and become a holder of the passport that opens up the whole world.
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