Many people interested in European investor immigration search for the topic online, and decide that they are well suited to immigrate to Malta by investment, but then are not sure how to start the application. It is not possible to apply for Maltese citizenship by investing on your own. Under the requirements of Malta’s Citizenship by Naturalization for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment, a prospective applicant is required to use a franchisor or authorized agent in order to begin the application process. This means that the only way to apply for Malta citizenship by investment is through an approved person, so B&G Immigration Teams is the best team to start that.
General information about Malta
Malta is highly respected for individuals and families around the world who contribute to the economic development of the country. A member of the European Union since 2004, Malta enjoys a stable political climate, a two-party political scene, a growing economy, and has some of the best banks in the world. The Maltese citizenship by investment application process is very efficient and the Government of Malta adheres to the highest standards of due diligence and screening of investor applicants to ensure that only people of good standing and reputation are accepted.
The new Maltese Citizenship by Investment Act increasingly focuses on ensuring that applicants have a genuine connection to the country. Successful candidates will be granted citizenship in Malta by naturalization certificate, which can also be extended to include their family. Once the candidate is granted Maltese citizenship, he has the ability to set up business in the country and can obtain a Malta passport which enables him to enjoy visa-free travel to more than 160 countries across the world including the United States.
Fit Test
Malta citizenship by investment regulations include some of the most stringent due diligence standards of any immigrant investor program in the world to ensure that only deserving and reputable applicants are granted Maltese citizenship. As part of the application process, there are four levels of due diligence process directly implemented by the government to comprehensively assess candidates. Applicants must have a clean criminal record , and the Government of Malta conducts extensive criminal checks with Interpol, the International Criminal Court and various other sources and authorities. As part of the due diligence process, applicants must also provide a police certificate before being approved for Maltese citizenship.
In order to be accepted for citizenship by investment in Malta, applicants must prove that they do not suffer from any communicable diseases. All applicants must also be covered by an international health insurance policy in order to be granted citizenship.
Direct investment As a means of immigration to Malta
, all individuals and families applying for economic Maltese citizenship are required to make a significant non-refundable investment in the National Development and Social Fund (NDSF) established by the Government of Malta and managed by a Board of Trustees. The fund, which is on the same level as the central bank, finances projects in the country related to public health, education, job creation, social improvement and innovation. The following investments must be made within four months of issuance of the Maltese citizenship approval letter in principle:
3-year residency or €75,000 for the main candidate (1-year residency)
€50,000 for spouse
Each dependent child receives €50,000.
Both dependent parents and grandparents receive 50,000 euros.
Buying or renting real estate as a mean of immigration to Malta
applicants must commit to maintaining an immovable residence in Malta for a period of at least five years . This can be achieved either by buying property in Malta for €700,000 or more and keeping the property for 5 years or more, or by renting a property for at least five years with a minimum annual rent of €16,000 . Applicants must provide proof of owning or renting property on the islands within four months of receiving Maltese citizenship letter of approval in principle, and they are not allowed to sublet the property.
Donations as a means of immigration to Malta
Once a Maltese investment citizenship applicant is approved in principle, he or she must donate at least €10,000 to a local non-profit organization. This charitable donation must be made within four months of formal approval in principle, and the applicant can choose from among many charitable, artistic, sports, scientific or cultural non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and associations registered in Malta.
Tax Consequences of Citizenship in Malta
Obtaining Maltese citizenship through the country’s “Citizenship by Exceptional Services by Direct Investment” regulations has no tax consequences ! Even if an individual moves his or her primary residence to Malta, he may be able to retain the status of a “non-resident” person and thus have a very beneficial tax exposure. Candidates who have become resident in Malta but are not resident in the country are required to pay tax on any income they earn or receive in the country. Malta has no municipal taxes, no inheritance taxes, no death or inheritance taxes, and no wealth or net worth taxes. Malta also has double taxation treaties with nearly 60 countries around the world. The corporate tax rate in Malta is 35%, but special tax concessions apply to non-resident or non-resident corporate owners.
Dual Citizenship Malta
Individuals who have acquired a second citizenship by investing in Malta are not required under Maltese law to renounce their current citizenship. Malta does not have any restrictions on holding dual citizenship, in fact, the country’s citizenship law specifically states that dual citizenship is allowed in Malta. However, your current country of citizenship may have restrictions that prevent you from holding a second Maltese passport.
Will my future children/grandchildren be citizens of Malta?
Any child born to a father who holds Maltese citizenship will also be a Maltese citizen. This means that children born to men or women who have acquired Maltese citizenship under the country’s citizenship under the Investment Regulations will be full citizens of Malta even if their place of birth is not in Europe. Thus, if your family gets Maltese investor citizenship, then when your children grow up and have families from their grandchildren, your grandchildren can also get a Maltese passport. Participating in Maltese citizenship by investment can give future generations of your family more political and economic freedom, as well as greatly increase educational opportunities in the West. Many investors cite “family inheritance” and “providing a better life for children and grandchildren” as factors influencing their decision to sponsor their families for second citizenship in Malta.
Is Malta citizenship for investment permanent?
Maltese citizenship is granted through investment by naturalization certificate and once you get Maltese citizenship by naturalization for exceptional services you will have it forever and you can even pass it on to future generations.
How fast to obtain a second citizenship?
If you have not already obtained Maltese residency, the minimum time required to obtain Maltese citizenship by investment is 12 months . If you have already fulfilled the residency requirement for citizenship of the country by investment regulations, you can obtain citizenship in Malta in less than six months.
Is Malta citizenship by investment available to everyone?
Any honest person who is at least 18 years of age and has a clean police record is eligible to apply for a second citizenship in Malta under the Citizenship by Naturalization for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment regulations. The exception is citizens of Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Venezuela, who are not allowed to apply. Persons who have close ties to any of these countries are also not eligible to apply for Malta citizenship by investment. This list of restricted countries can be changed at any time upon consultation with the Sanctions Oversight Board, and nationals of any US travel ban countries are also automatically excluded.
Should I buy or rent an apartment in Malta?
Applicants for Maltese citizenship by investment must purchase or rent immovable residential property. This leads us to the question, is it better for an investor interested in citizenship to buy a house in Malta or rent a house? If the investor buys an apartment on the islands, he must spend at least 700 thousand euros on the property. If the investor rents or rents an apartment on the islands, the minimum annual rent should be 16,000 euros. There are pros and cons to both options.
Buying property in Malta
By far the biggest benefit of buying property in Malta is that the investment is not very expensive and can be recovered after fulfilling the five-year commitment. The Maltese economy is growing at more than 3% annually, and the small size of the islands means that the land is very limited. With a very healthy banking system and strong immigration numbers, applicants who buy real estate in order to qualify for Maltese citizenship are very likely to make a profit on the home when they finally go on sale after more than 5 years. The biggest disadvantage of buying property in Malta is that it increases the total investment required to obtain citizenship in Malta. Depending on your current business situation, the opportunity cost of this money may invalidate any appreciation of the property’s value. It can also be difficult to obtain a mortgage on property in Malta as a foreign buyer, so the purchase may be made with cash or financing in your home country.
Renting an Apartment in Malta
The main reason why someone interested in qualifying for citizenship by investing in Malta would consider renting property on the islands instead of buying property is that it requires much less money . The minimum monthly rent required for immovable residence under the Maltese citizenship program is only €1334, and even if you pay for all five years up front, the total commitment will be €80,000 which is just a fraction of the amount required to purchase real estate. Renting an apartment in Malta is also quick and easy; There is much less paperwork involved than buying a condo, and you don’t need to be as meticulous when choosing a home because you won’t own it (many investors rent an unseen apartment). The biggest drawback to renting a house instead of buying it is that all the money you spend on rent is expensive, and you won’t be able to get any of that money back. Paying rent is an expense, but buying a property in a strong real estate market like Malta is an investment. However, part of the reason one pays this rent is to have a strong passport, so in the end even though it is an exorbitant cost that cannot be recovered, it can still be an excellent investment.
Are there language requirements when immigrating to Malta?
There are no language tests when a person applies for Maltese citizenship by investment, and applicants are not required to know Maltese or even English in order to be accepted for Maltese citizenship.
Can my Malta passport be cancelled?
Maltese citizenship granted under the ‘Citizenship by Naturalization by Naturalization for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment’ laws can be revoked to the nation if the applicant does not follow all the requirements set forth in the regulations. To obtain citizenship, applicants are obligated to maintain residency in Malta for a period of five years from the date of issuance of their official citizenship certificate. If a person does not comply with these requirements and stops renting an apartment or sells their home in Malta before the five years are up, they can withdraw their citizenship in addition to an EU passport. Investors who have successfully become citizens of Malta are required to submit an Agency Compliance Form on a general basis, for a period of five years from the date they were granted citizenship, showing that they comply with all requirements set forth in the Citizenship Act under the Investment Act.
What due diligence is applied when assessing applicants for immigration to Malta?
As a premium investment citizenship body, the Government of Malta will only accept immigration candidates who are highly respected investors who have nothing to do with criminal activity. As part of the Malta immigration due diligence process, detailed background checks are carried out to determine if the candidates are reputable and that all funds are derived from legal means. The due diligence fee paid when the Maltese citizenship application is officially covered covers the expenses incurred while verifying that the investor’s money is clean and that he is a reliable person. The Maltese investor citizenship has a good reputation and the most stringent standards of due diligence in the world and will reject any applicant who cannot identify and prove the legitimate source of their funds. Requests with false information or omissions will also be rejected.
The Maltese government has an impressive four-tiered due diligence system which is considered the most advanced in the industry and anyone deemed a potential reputational risk, a national security risk or currently under criminal investigation will be denied citizenship. Also, applicants who have been refused a visa to any country with which Malta shares visa-free travel arrangements will not be eligible for citizenship unless they have since successfully obtained a visa from that country. The due diligence team in Malta consists of several former Risk and Compliance Officers from major banks. The experienced team has developed a risk matrix that includes a seven-step verification process for each applicant. In addition to a comprehensive background check and anti-money laundering audit, immigration officers in Malta even have journalists from Thomson Reuters and Exige build a detailed assessment of each individual to be considered in their overall risk profile.
Tourism Malta
Malta issmall island nation inmiddleMediterranean Seaa popular tourist destination thanksvery beautiful architecture and many historical monumentswonderful weather. Although their current population does not exceed 520,000, the islands have been inhabited for more than 7,000 years and have been home to one of the most advanced civilizations on Earth. Today there are 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites on the islands, and people travel from all over the world to visit the country making tourism one of the largest economic sectors in Malta accounting for 15% of the country’s GDP.
European Union
Malta became a full member of the European Union in 2004. The EU’s freedom of movement treaties allow Maltese citizens to live, work and study in any other EU country including Switzerland . This means that people with Maltese passports are allowed to move to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
Schengen Area
Malta has been a member of the Schengen Area of Europe since 2007. This allows a Maltese citizen to travel to 26 European countries without going through any border controls . The countries that make up the non-border area include members of the European Union Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden, as well as the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and Switzerland. Individuals who hold a passport from any country in the Schengen area can visit any other country in the borderless zone without the inconvenience of a border check.
Biometric data
All applicants for Maltese citizenship, with the exception of children under six years of age, must visit a Maltese Embassy or Malta Passport Office in Valletta in person at some point to give their biometrics. Biometrics include facial features as well as fingerprint scans for applicants 12 years of age and older. Biometric data submitted as part of the Maltese citizenship by investment application process can be stored for up to six months.
