Malta Permanent Residency Cost Rises From January 2025: New Thresholds for the Permanent Residence Programme
November 25, 2024 · Malta · 6 min read
The Residency Malta Agency has announced significant changes to the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP). Taking effect in January 2025, the changes raise the investment thresholds, increasing the overall Malta permanent residency cost, and revise the assessment criteria to keep the program competitive and credible in the market while reflecting current economic conditions.
What changes under the new MPRP rules
From January 1, 2025, the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) applies new criteria and investment thresholds, with the following adjustments:
Real estate investment (one of the following options):
- Purchase a property worth at least €375,000 (approximately US$420,000); previously €300,000 or €350,000, depending on location
- Or lease a property for at least €14,000 per year; previously €10,000 or €12,000, depending on location
Government contribution:
- €30,000 if you purchase property (previously €28,000)
- €60,000 if you lease property (previously €58,000)
- Non-refundable government administration fee: €50,000 (previously €40,000)
- Charitable donation of at least €2,000 (unchanged)
- €10,000 for each accompanying dependent (previously, an additional €7,500 per person applied only to accompanying parents or grandparents)
- Proof of assets worth at least €500,000, of which at least €150,000 must be held in financial assets, OR at least €650,000, of which at least €75,000 must be held in financial assets.
The new rules do not affect applications filed before January 1, 2025. Those applications continue to be assessed under the rules in force at the time of filing.
Malta remains an attractive route to permanent residence in Europe for the whole family
Despite the higher thresholds, the MPRP remains one of the most reasonably priced residence programs in Europe, starting from €212,000 for a family of four. Through the program, investors and their families have the opportunity to obtain Malta permanent residence cards, which allow visa-free short stays in other Schengen countries (up to 90 days in any 180-day period), and to enjoy a safe, high-quality living environment with European-standard healthcare and education.
Key advantages of the Malta Permanent Residence Programme:
- One of the faster routes to permanent residence in Europe, with processing times of around 8–10 months.
- Permanent residence is granted for an indefinite period, provided the program’s ongoing requirements continue to be met; the residence card itself is renewed every 5 years. Investors and their families are not required to live in Malta to maintain their status.
- The property purchase or lease, the government contribution, and the charitable donation are completed only after the application receives approval in principle.
- A potential pathway to Maltese citizenship by naturalization, subject to meeting physical residence and language requirements, with no additional investment; naturalization remains at the discretion of the Maltese authorities. Once naturalized, you would enjoy the full rights of an EU citizen, including the freedom to live in any EU member state.
- For those who naturalize: at the time of writing, the Maltese passport ranked 7th in the world, with visa-free access to 187 destinations, including the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
- Four generations can be included in one application: grandparents and parents of both the main applicant and the spouse, the spouse, and children, including adult children who are unmarried and financially dependent.
- No upper age limit, and no education, work experience, or English language requirements for the main applicant.
- The investment and application process can be completed entirely from your home country. Only after approval do the main applicant and family members travel to Malta to provide biometrics, then collect their permanent residence cards about 1 month later.
If you are interested in Malta permanent residence by investment, contact IMM Group or leave your details below. Our experienced advisors will provide detailed guidance and help assess the prospects of your application. We are committed to keeping your personal data confidential and use the information you provide only to advise on your family’s case.
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