The Malta Individual Investor Programme (the Programme or IIP) is intended to enable High Net Worth Individuals to acquire Maltese citizenship. The main applicant can also extend such application for his/her families who are of a reputable standing (such as the parents and grandparents of the main applicant and the spouse).

Following a thorough due diligence and upon the issuance of the approval to obtain a Maltese Citizenship the applicant, together with his/her dependents, will automatically benefit from all rights accessible to Malta citizens, including the right to vote in Maltese general elections and VISA-free travel for more than 150 counties including European Union member states.

Basic Facts about Malta

Distinguished in the region by its strong growing economic performance, Malta`s pro-business attitude, its historical legacy and modest operational costs, makes this European Union member state the ideal country to settle. Malta offers investors a secure and transparent environment in which to build and expand a business.

The country has also introduced business friendly policies underpinned by a distinct legal and regulatory framework. The legal system in Malta is a hybrid jurisdiction having the Continental Civil Law system ingrained in its foundations with specific elements of English law influences, particularly in its Commercial and Public Law sphere.

Over the years Malta has evidenced a growth at a time when Europe and the western countries were facing severe constraints. The gross domestic product results in an average growth rate of GDP 0.67% between 2000 until 2016, reaching an all-time high of 4.10% percent in the first quarter of 2002.

The below are bullet points from the European Commission’s Country Report Malta 2016:

-          Economic performance has been robust over the recent years;

-          Growth has been job-rich and broad-based;

-          The favourable macroeconomic conditions have contributed to an improvement in public finances, although faster correction would reduce risks from the inherent vulnerabilities;

-          Maintaining competitiveness to support the current growth momentum is a continuous challenge;

-          Overall, some progress has been made in addressing the 2015 country-specific recommendations.

Having 300 days of sunshine, today tourism accounts for 28% of the country’s GDP, whilst the financial services sector accounts from some 13% of the Maltese GDP. On the 2nd September, Moody’s affirmed Malta’s A3 credit rating with a stable outlook, citing the country’s recent structural reforms, decreasing debt levels and banking sector resilience as the factors underpinning its decision. On the 11 August 2017, Fitch Ratings has upgraded Malta's Long-Term Foreign and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) to 'A+' from 'A' citing a stable outlook.

Minimum Criteria 

The said programme is intrinsically tied to an investment injected by the applicant into the Maltese economy. The applicant is also to establish strong ties to the country, including the requirement to:

a)       Acquire / rent an immovable property; and

b)      Invest and hold an Investment Portfolio of a minimum value of €150,000 for at least five (5) years.

The Individual Investor Programme can be divided into three phases.

In the first phase, the applicant is required to hold an immovable property (the property investment obligation). The following minimum property or lease values apply:

 Option 1: Purchase of Residential Property in excess of:  Euro 350,000
 Option 2: Lease of Residential Property of minimum rent of: Euro 16,000 p.a. 

The initial stages involve the completion of application form and due diligence documentation relating to the applicant's source of wealth, subject to the payment of the following fees: 

 Passport Fee  Euro 500
 Bank Charges  Euro 200
 Due Diligence - Main Applicant  Euro 7,500
 Due Diligence - Spouse  Euro 5,000
 Due Diligence - Children under 18   Euro 3,000
 Due Diligence - Unmarried Children between 18 and 26  Euro 5,000
 Due Diligence - dependent parents and grand parents  Euro 5,000

The second phase involves a thorough due diligence process conducted by the Maltese Government agency (Identity Malta) which is the administrative arm of the IIP. The IIP applicants are required to provide for the following minimum level of contribution in the National Development and Social Fund, as follows: 

 Main Applicant  Euro 650,000
 Spouse  Euro 25,000
 Children under 18  Euro 25,000
 Unmarried children between 18 and 26  Euro 50,000
 Dependent parents and grand parents  Euro 50,000

The applicant is also subject to a further investment obligation requiring the holding, for a minimum period of 5 years, of an Investment Portfolio of a minimum value of Euro150,000. 

IIP applicants must also satisfy a twelve-month minimum residence requirement in Malta prior being eligible for naturalisation. As accredited agents, we at Camilleri Cassar Advocates can assist and guide prospective applicants through all stages of the application process. Should you require a fact sheet regarding the IIP programme translated into Mandarin, please contact us on info@camillericassar.com