Permanent Residence in Europe, in One Application
For families outside the European Union seeking a secure, long-term base in Europe, the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) offers something few jurisdictions can match: the right to live, settle, and stay in Malta indefinitely from the moment of approval, extended to up to four generations of the family in a single application, with no minimum stay requirement.
Equally important, MPRP is rules-based and transparent, with published thresholds, a fixed fee schedule, and a single regulator, the Residency Malta Agency (the “Agency”), administering it under Legal Notice 121 of 2021, as amended, so that applicants know from the outset exactly what is required of them and what it will cost.
Who Can Apply
The Programme is designed for non-EU, non-EEA, and non-Swiss nationals who can demonstrate financial self-sufficiency, and eligibility rests on a short, clearly defined set of criteria that apply both to the main applicant and to the family members included in the application.
The main applicant
- Is a non-EU, non-EEA, and non-Swiss national who does not already hold Maltese citizenship.
- Meets one of the two capital thresholds set out below, each of which pairs a level of total capital assets with a minimum level of financial assets.
- Holds health insurance that covers every member of the family for all risks in Malta.
- Clears, together with every family member included in the application, the Agency’s due diligence.
The family
- The spouse or partner of the main applicant.
- Children of the main applicant or spouse who are under 29 at the time of application, unmarried, and financially dependent.
- Adult children with a disability, who are also exempt from the additional administration fee.
- Parents and grandparents of the main applicant or spouse who are financially dependent on the main applicant.
A Clear, Fixed Cost
For a family, comprising the main applicant, spouse, and minor children, the fixed, non-refundable payments to the Government and to charity total EUR 99,000, so the full cost of entry is clear and predictable before any commitment is made.
Capital (choose one route)
| Route | Total capital assets | Of which financial assets |
| Option A | EUR 500,000 | EUR 150,000 |
| Option B | EUR 650,000 | EUR 75,000 |
Property (buy or lease, anywhere in Malta or Gozo)
- Purchase a residential property worth at least EUR 375,000; or
- Lease a residential property at an annual rent of at least EUR 14,000.
Fees and contributions
| Item | Amount (EUR) | When payable |
| Administration fee, main applicant | 60,000 | 15,000 within one month of submission; 45,000 after approval in principle |
| Administration fee, each additional adult dependent | 7,500 | With the main applicant’s fee |
| Government contribution (buy or lease) | 37,000 | Within eight months of approval in principle |
| Donation to a Malta-registered NGO | 2,000 | Before final approval |
Spouses, minor children, and adult children with a disability carry no additional administration fee, and because buying and leasing now attract the same EUR 37,000 Government contribution, leasing has become the most capital-efficient way to secure residence while deciding whether, and where, to buy.
Six Steps to Residence
Each application follows a defined six-step sequence, and because majority of the investment falls due only after the Agency grants approval in principle, applicants commit the bulk of their funds only once the application is on track.
- Pre-screening. We review eligibility, family composition, and source of funds in detail, so that every file starts on a sound footing.
- Submission. We file the application with the Agency, and the first EUR 15,000 of the administration fee falls due within one month of submission.
- Temporary permit. Once initial checks clear and the first fee is paid, the family can obtain a one-year residence permit, renewable annually, allowing relocation to Malta while the application proceeds.
- Due diligence. The Agency conducts due diligence on every person included in the application, and we manage all correspondence and requests for information on the client’s behalf.
- Approval in principle. The applicant pays the EUR 45,000 balance of the administration fee and the EUR 37,000 contribution, secures the qualifying property, makes the EUR 2,000 donation, and confirms health insurance, with each step coordinated by our team.
- Residence granted. The Agency issues the residence certificate, and the family receives residence cards that are valid for five years and renewable thereafter.
Applications typically take four to six months from submission, and because the quality of the file is the single largest factor within the applicant’s control, we invest heavily in preparation before anything is filed.
Keeping Your Status
Permanent residence continues indefinitely, provided the beneficiary keeps meeting a small number of straightforward conditions, each of which we monitor on our clients’ behalf so that nothing is left to chance.
- Property. The qualifying property is held for at least five years, after which a residential address in Malta is maintained.
- Capital. The applicable capital threshold is maintained.
- Insurance. Health insurance remains in force for every member of the family.
- ResCards. Residence cards are renewed every five years, a largely administrative step for compliant families.
- Flexibility. Owners may let the qualifying property while away from Malta, and tenants may sub-let after five years with the landlord’s consent.
Residence Plus Tax Planning
Residence under the Programme is an immigration status and, on its own, does not change a client’s tax position, which continues to turn on Malta’s domestic rules and any applicable double tax treaty.
Clients seeking a preferential tax rate need a separate tax status, and from January 1, 2027, the Individual Tax Programme Rules, 2026 will replace Malta’s special tax schemes with a single framework that retains the 15% rate on qualifying foreign-source income remitted to Malta, while the current schemes remain open to new applicants until December 31, 2026.
Pairing residence with the right tax status is where the real planning value lies, and because we advise on both, our clients receive a single, coherent strategy rather than two separate processes.
What to Know Before Applying
A smooth application turns on clear expectations and a well-documented file, and the following points are the ones we address with every family at the outset.
- Residence, not citizenship. The Programme grants permanent residence, and citizenship remains a separate process with its own criteria, so the Programme is best viewed as a secure European base for the family rather than a route to a passport.
- No automatic tax benefit. Residence alone confers no tax benefit, and any preferential tax status is a distinct application under its own rules, which we can plan alongside the residence application.
- Current figures. Thresholds and fees changed twice in 2025 alone, so we confirm every figure against the Agency’s current requirements before any commitment is made.
- The age cutoff. Children qualify only if they are under 29 at the time of application, which makes timing important for families with older children.
- Property value. The Agency retains discretion over property valuation, so a purchase priced at or near the EUR 375,000 minimum may draw closer review.
- Source of funds. Gaps in source-of-wealth evidence are a frequent cause of delay, so we help clients assemble this evidence before submission to keep the file moving.
Why Finco Trust
Finco Trust brings residence, tax, trust, and family office expertise together under one roof, so each family receives a single, coordinated plan rather than a series of disconnected filings.
Finco Trust is a licensed agent (RES-FINC) with the Residency Malta Agency and acts as an Authorised Registered Mandatary (ARM00192) under Malta’s special tax schemes.
We support clients and their families at every stage, from the first conversation through long-term compliance, including:
- A detailed eligibility and structuring review before any fee is committed, so that clients proceed with clarity.
- Preparation of source-of-funds evidence and end-to-end management of the application with the Agency.
- Coordination of the property purchase or lease, together with relocation logistics, across Malta and Gozo.
- Tax status planning, including the transition to the Individual Tax Programme from January 1, 2027.
- Ongoing compliance support through the five-year monitoring period and beyond.
Start with a confidential eligibility review. Contact our Global Mobility team at globalmobility@fincotrust.com to discuss eligibility and the most efficient route to residence in Malta.