Malta · Permanent Residence
Permanent Residence in Malta
Malta offers two routes to permanent status. Residents who have lived in Malta legally and continuously for five years can apply to Identità for long-term residence, while investors can obtain it directly through the Malta Permanent Residence Programme.
- 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
Long-term residence
Third-country nationals who have lived in Malta legally and continuously for five years or more can apply to the Expatriates Unit of Identità for long-term residence. They must have stable and regular resources and their own accommodation, and must complete the integration measures set out in Subsidiary Legislation 217.05. The fee is EUR 500. The status is permanent, while the residence document itself is issued for five years. Applications are filed online through the Expatriates Unit portal, and travel documents must be valid for at least six months on submission. Time on the Nomad Residence Permit does not lead to this status.
- Qualifying period
- 5 years of legal, continuous residence
- Fee
- EUR 500
- Integration
- Measures under Subsidiary Legislation 217.05
- Document
- Issued for 5 years; the status is permanent
- Applying
- Online via the Expatriates Unit portal
Requirements
- Five or more years of legal and continuous residence in Malta.
- Stable and regular resources and your own accommodation.
- Completion of the integration measures in Subsidiary Legislation 217.05.
- A travel document valid for at least six months at the time of submission.
How to apply
- Confirm five years of continuous legal residence on qualifying permits.
- Complete the required integration measures.
- Apply online through the Expatriates Unit portal and pay the EUR 500 fee.
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)
The MPRP is Malta's permanent residence by investment route, set out in Subsidiary Legislation 217.26 as amended by Legal Notice 146 of 2025. Instead of waiting five years, successful applicants receive a permanent residence certificate once due diligence, fees, the EUR 37,000 contribution, the NGO donation and the property condition are completed. Obligations continue afterwards: Residency Malta monitors compliance every year for the first five years, the qualifying property must be kept for at least five years, and a residential property in Malta must be held after that. The certificate does not, by itself, confer every right listed in the immigration regulations.
- Legal basis
- S.L. 217.26, amended by L.N. 146 of 2025
- Status
- Permanent residence from approval
- Monitoring
- Annual compliance checks for the first 5 years
- Property
- Keep qualifying property 5 years, then a home in Malta
- Core costs
- EUR 60,000 fee plus EUR 37,000 contribution
- Card
- EUR 500 per person, covering 5 years
Requirements
- Meet the MPRP capital test and complete the government contribution, administrative fee and NGO donation.
- Hold the qualifying property for five years, then keep a residential property in Malta.
- Keep health insurance and comply with annual monitoring for the first five years.
- Maintain a clean record, since the certificate can be withdrawn in the cases the regulations set out.
How to apply
- Obtain approval in principle after due diligence and pay the balance of the administrative fee.
- Pay the contribution and complete the property and donation conditions within the deadlines.
- Receive the certificate and comply with yearly monitoring and property obligations.
Long-term residence versus the MPRP
The two routes differ mainly in time and money. Long-term residence costs EUR 500 in fees but requires five years of continuous legal residence, stable resources, housing and integration measures, so founders on the startup permit reach it only after building a track record in Malta. The MPRP compresses that wait into a single application, at an outlay that begins at EUR 99,000 across the administrative fee, contribution and donation before property costs, together with continuing property and monitoring obligations. Neither route leads automatically to citizenship, which follows separate naturalization rules.
Questions and answers
Does the MPRP give permanent residence immediately?
Yes, once the application is approved and all payments and property conditions are met, the investor receives a permanent residence certificate. Residency Malta then checks compliance every year for the first five years, and the qualifying property must be kept for at least five years.
What do I need for long-term residence in Malta?
Five or more years of legal and continuous residence, stable and regular resources, your own accommodation and completion of the integration measures in Subsidiary Legislation 217.05. The application is made online to the Expatriates Unit of Identità, with a fee of EUR 500, and the document is issued for five years.
Does time on the Nomad Residence Permit count toward permanent residence?
Residency Malta's guidance states that the Nomad Residence Permit does not lead to any form of permanent or long-term residence or to citizenship. Remote workers who want permanent status need a different permit, such as the startup route for founders or the MPRP for investors.
Official sources
- Expatriates Unit Non-Employment Permits - Long-Term Residenceidentita.gov.mt
- Malta Permanent Residence Programme - Legal Frameworkresidencymalta.gov.mt
- S.L. 217.26 Malta Permanent Residence Programme Regulations (amended by LN 310 of 2024 and LN 146 of 2025)residencymalta.gov.mt
- Nomad Residence Permit - FAQsnomad.residencymalta.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