Overview
Introduced at the beginning of 2014, the Malta Individual Investor Programme (MIIP) offers high and ultra-high net worth foreign individuals and families Malta Citizenship by making investments in designated instruments. The MIIP is the first Citizenship by Investment Program of its kind to be recognized by the European Commission. The Malta Citizenship by Investment application process is extremely efficient, and the government of Malta is committed to the highest standards of due diligence and vetting of investor applicants ensuring only persons of impeccable standing and repute are admitted.
Once a candidate is awarded Malta citizenship, which includes EU citizenship, they have the right to live, work or study in all 27 EU countries and Switzerland. They also have the ability to set up business in Malta, and can get a Malta Second Passport enabling them to enjoy visa-free travel to more than 184 countries across the world including the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, all EU & Schengen countries, Singapore, most of South America & Africa, most of the Middle East and a host of other countires across the world.
A new Citizenship by Investment Program has been launched by the Maltese government under Regulation L.N 437 of 2020 on 20 November 2020. Also, a new agency has been setup for administrating the scheme & processing applications.
Eligibility
The following are eligible to apply for the Malta Citizenship Program :
- Main Applicant, over the age of 18 years
- Spouse / Partner of the main applicant
- Dependant child of the main applicant or spouse under the age of 18
- Dependant & unmarried child of the main applicant or spouse between the ages of 18-29
- Dependant child of the main applicant or spouse over the age of 18, who is physically or mentally challenged
- Parent and/or grandparent of the main applicant or spouse above the age of 55 years who prove that they are wholly maintained or supported by the main applicant & form part of the household of the main applicant
Qualifying Criteria
The following criteria have to be met by the main applicant :
- Donation : Each applicant has to make a non-refundable contribution to the government of Malta. You can either make a contribution of Euro 600,000 + 10,000 and be eligible for citizenship after 3 years or make a contribution of Euro 750,000 + 10,000 and be eligible for citizenship after 1 year. In addition, you must contribute Euro 50,000 for each family member (dependent) who applies with you.
- Real Estate Purchase or rental : The main applicant must either purchase a residential property for at least € 700,000 or lease a property with a minimum annual rent of € 16,000. The property purchased or leased must be held for a minimum period of 5 years from the date of receiving Citizenship Certificate.
- You & all family members must maintain adequate health coverage.
- Due Diligence : Every applicant will be subjected to a four-tier due diligence process carried out by the government of Malta.
- Oath : You must take the Oath of Allegiance within 6 months from the date your citizenship has been approved.
Application Process
Malta has a stringent application process, normally taking about 12 months to complete. Due Diligence is an integral & critical part of the entire process, with each applicant being subjected to a four-tier due diligence process. The due diligence process ensures that only the most reputable applicants are admitted to its exclusive citizenship programme.
The Malta Citizenship Act stipulates that all applications for the Malta Citizenship Programme must be submitted only through “Approved Agents” who have been authorized to act for this purpose by the government of Malta.
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