Malta · Startup Visa
Malta's Startup Residence Programme
Malta's Startup Residence Programme, run by Residency Malta Agency with Malta Enterprise, grants non-EU founders, co-founders and core employees of innovative startups a three-year residence permit that can be extended for five more years.
- Startup route
- Malta Startup Residence Programme
- Minimum capital
- EUR 25,000 investment or paid-up share capital
- Permanent residence
- 5 years; MPRP grants permanent residence directly
- Citizenship
- 5 years within 7, including the final 12 months
Malta Startup Residence Programme
The Malta Startup Residence Programme targets innovative startups and scale-ups that want to build their business in Malta. Founders, co-founders and core employees from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland can apply, together with immediate family. The company must have been registered for no more than seven years anywhere in the world and must not result from a takeover or merger. It needs tangible investment or paid-up share capital of at least EUR 25,000, rising by EUR 10,000 for each co-founder beyond four, up to a maximum of six. Beneficiaries must live and pay tax in Malta. Applications go through Malta Enterprise, and both Malta Enterprise and Residency Malta must approve before a permit is issued.
- Permit
- 3 years, extendable by a further 5 years
- Capital
- EUR 25,000; plus EUR 10,000 per co-founder after 4
- Company age
- Registered no more than 7 years ago
- Co-founders
- Up to 6 per startup
- Who qualifies
- Non-EU/EEA/Swiss founders, core staff and family
- Government fee
- Varies; confirm with Residency Malta
- Leads to
- Long-term residence once the 5-year rule is met
Requirements
- Be a founder, co-founder or core employee aged 18 or over, from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
- The company was registered no more than seven years ago and was not formed by a takeover or merger.
- Tangible investment or paid-up share capital of at least EUR 25,000, plus EUR 10,000 per co-founder beyond four.
- Health insurance covering Malta and other European countries for the applicant and all dependents.
- Sufficient funds in the applicant's own bank account to support the household.
- Clean criminal record, no security risk and no earlier refusal of residence or citizenship in Malta or abroad.
- Not a national of a country on the program's ineligible list, which can change.
How to apply
- Register on the Malta Enterprise client portal and submit the startup and founder details.
- Malta Enterprise evaluates the startup, while Residency Malta carries out its own checks on applicants and dependents.
- After both approvals, complete the residence permit formalities with Residency Malta.
- Move to Malta, live and pay tax there, and seek the five-year extension before the first three years end.
How the program fits Malta's startup support
The residence permit is only one part of the offer. Malta Enterprise, the national economic development agency, is the main point of contact for startups and scale-ups and administers non-dilutive support measures alongside the permit. The program expects a real presence on the islands: beneficiaries are required to live in Malta and pay their taxes there, and co-founder status is checked against the cap table, with disputes reviewed up to the second year. Nationals of certain countries, such as Afghanistan, Iran and Venezuela, are not eligible, and Residency Malta reserves the right to revise that list.
Questions and answers
How much capital does a Malta startup permit require?
The startup must show tangible investment or paid-up share capital of at least EUR 25,000. If there are more than four co-founders, an extra EUR 10,000 is needed for each additional co-founder, and the program allows a maximum of six. Applicants also need personal funds to support themselves and their dependents.
Can an older company qualify for Malta's startup program?
Only if it was registered no more than seven years ago, wherever that registration took place. Companies formed through the takeover of another enterprise or through a merger are excluded, which keeps the program focused on young ventures and scale-ups rather than restructured businesses.
Can family members join a founder in Malta?
Yes. Immediate family members can be included as dependents, provided that each holds health insurance covering Malta and other European countries and the main applicant has enough funds to support them within existing regulations. The same permit rules then apply to the household as a whole.
Is Malta's startup permit the same as the Nomad Residence Permit?
No. The Nomad Residence Permit is for people who keep working remotely for an employer or clients abroad, requires gross income of at least EUR 42,000 a year and does not lead to long-term residence. The startup program is for founders building a company in Malta and is administered with Malta Enterprise.
Official sources
- Malta Startup Residence Programmestartup.residencymalta.gov.mt
- Eligibility - Malta Startup Residence Programmestartup.residencymalta.gov.mt
- Residency Malta Agencyresidencymalta.gov.mt
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Malta.
Startup visa
Malta Enterprise and Residency Malta approve a startup under 7 years old
02Temporary residence
3-year residence permit, extendable for a further 5 years
03Permanent residence
Long-term residence after 5 years; the MPRP grants it on investment
04Citizenship
Naturalization after 5 years within 7; investment route repealed in 2025