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The Maltese Parliament has unanimously passed a bill to amend its Citizenship by Investment program, which was put on pause earlier this year following a ruling by the European Union Court of Justice. The bill addresses the Court's concerns regarding acquiring citizenship by investment, changing the program's title to the "Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services (Amendment) Regulations, 2025," under the Maltese Citizenship Act. The amendments replace the investment-based scheme with a merit-based naturalization pathway.
The fees and application forms have not yet been released but are expected to be published within the next several weeks. Applicants may include their spouse and children under the age of eighteen (18), as well as any unmarried children under the age of twenty-nine (29) who are financially dependent on the parent.
Eligibility:
Applicants must demonstrate "exceptional services", make "exceptional contributions" to Malta or humanity, or be of "exceptional interest" to the Republic of Malta. The law clarifies that "exceptional services" and "exceptional contributions" refer to services rendered and contributions made by scientists, researchers, athletes, sportspersons, artists, cultural performers, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and technologists, amongst other persons of interest to the Republic of Malta. "Exceptional interest" refers to any person deemed by the Minister to possess the necessary skills, profile, qualities, talents and expertise that are considered to significantly advance or benefit the national interest of the Republic of Malta.
Application Process
1. Residency Stage
Applicants are required to obtain a residency permit to reside in Malta. There are several programs to acquire this, including "economic self-sufficiency" where the applicant presents documents to show economic self-sufficiency, including bank statements showing significant net worth. A letter of intent for citizenship outlining how they will satisfy the requirements will also be submitted.
Once granted, the applicant will begin accumulating the residency time needed for the citizenship application, which requires a minimum of eight (8) months. While there is no minimum physical residency requirement, this may be considered as a factor demonstrating ties to Malta. Applicants must prove that he/she has a residence in Malta, either by renting or owning, and the property should be comparable to the lifestyle of the applicant.
2. Proposal Letter
A proposal letter will then be submitted that sets out information about the applicant and his/her family, explaining how the applicant qualifies for citizenship under the Regulations (including the exceptional service, contribution, or exceptional interest to Malta), along with supporting documentation.
3. Approval in Principle
Once the Minister approves the application in principle, the applicant would be able to submit the application for naturalization. The application will include:
- Proof of residence in Malta for at least eight (8) months preceding the application date
- Proof of title (rental or ownership) to adequate property in Malta
- Evidence of exceptional service or contribution to Malta or humanity, or endorsement of the exceptional interest to Malta of the applicant's naturalization
- Evidence of ties to Malta as set forth in the proposal letter
- Proof of adequate knowledge of English or Maltese.
4. Final Evaluation and Decision
The Agency will recommend the application to the Evaluation Board for final approval. If approved, the applicant will receive a letter granting citizenship and may then apply for a Maltese passport, which is a member of the European Union.
The expected timeline from application submission to the grant of citizenship is 12-14 months.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
