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    Programme openOfficial sources checked 23 September 2026

    Malta Permanent Residence: The MPRP in 2026

    Malta permanent residence through the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) gives qualifying non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss applicants permanent residence, not citizenship. A single applicant on the minimum five-year rental route starts at about €169,500 in published amounts, and every application must be filed through a Residency Malta Licensed Agent.

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    The short answer

    A single applicant using the minimum five-year rental route starts at approximately €169,500 in published programme and housing amounts: €60,000 administration, €37,000 contribution, €2,000 donation, €70,000 rent and one €500 residence card. Professional fees, VAT, insurance, documents, travel and property expenses sit on top. The purchase-route starting figure is approximately €474,500, including a €375,000 property asset.

    Malta permanent residence requirements in 2026

    The MPRP is a combined residence, due-diligence, property and financial-capacity test. Meeting one threshold does not compensate for failing another. Applicants must also have stable and regular resources, pass the programme's eligibility checks and not fall within an excluded nationality or conflicting-status category in force when they apply.

    Programme

    Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)

    Status

    Open for qualifying third-country nationals

    Property

    Rent from €14,000 a year or buy from €375,000

    Programme charges

    €60,000 administration + €37,000 contribution + €2,000 donation

    Asset test

    €500,000 / €150,000 financial, or €650,000 / €75,000 financial

    Application

    Must be submitted through a Residency Malta Licensed Agent

    Asset test A

    At least €500,000 in capital assets, including at least €150,000 in financial assets.

    Asset test B

    At least €650,000 in capital assets, including at least €75,000 in financial assets.

    The asset test is separate from source-of-funds evidence and from the money committed to fees and property. Private companies, trusts, jointly owned property and debt can make valuation and control harder to evidence. Confirm how the Agency will classify each asset before filing.

    Budget

    MPRP costs, separated properly

    Published amounts · checked 23 Sep 2026
    Cost Published amount What it means
    Administration fee €60,000 €15,000 within one month of submission; €45,000 within two months of approval in principle.
    Government contribution €37,000 Applies to either property route and is due within eight months of approval in principle.
    Donation €2,000 Paid to an eligible registered philanthropic, cultural, scientific, artistic, sport or animal-welfare organisation.
    Qualifying rent €14,000+ / year An alternative to buying. A qualifying home must be held continuously for the first five years.
    Qualifying purchase €375,000+ An alternative to renting. Purchase taxes, notarial work and other transaction expenses are additional.
    Chargeable dependant fee €7,500 Applies to an eligible adult child who has not reached 29 and to a dependent parent or grandparent. Initial-application exemptions cover a spouse or partner, a minor child and an adult child with a qualifying disability.
    Residence card €500 / person The published charge covers a five-year card. Include every applicant in the budget.

    Rent and purchase price are not equivalent fees. Rent is an ongoing housing cost; a purchased home remains an asset but brings acquisition, ownership and disposal costs.

    Rental route

    Lower capital at the start

    • Minimum published rent is €14,000 a year.
    • Five years at the minimum is €70,000 before deposits or increases.

    Purchase route

    More capital, retained as property

    • Minimum published purchase price is €375,000.
    • Taxes, notarial, registration, finance and maintenance costs are additional.
    • The contract should be reviewed for MPRP compliance before signing.

    Who can join the application

    Depending on the evidence and circumstances, the main applicant may include a spouse or equivalent partner, children under 18, certain principally dependent unmarried adult children who have not reached 29, qualifying children with a disability, and principally dependent parents or grandparents who are not in full-time employment.

    “Dependent” is an evidential test. The current €7,500 initial-application fee applies to an eligible adult child who has not reached 29 and to a dependent parent or grandparent. A spouse or partner, minor child and qualifying adult child with a disability are exempt from that fee. Ask for a family fee schedule because later additions are treated differently.

    Process

    From assessment to residence cards

    1. 01

      Test eligibility before spending

      Map nationality, residence history, family members, assets, source of wealth and any risk factors with a suitable adviser.

    2. 02

      Appoint a Licensed Agent

      Confirm the licensed filing entity, the people giving legal advice, the property work and every fee or exclusion in writing.

    3. 03

      Prepare and file the evidence

      Civil-status records, police certificates, financial evidence, business documents and translations must tell one consistent story.

    4. 04

      Complete due diligence

      Residency Malta may examine the applicants, donors, benefactors, business interests and the origin of the application funds.

    5. 05

      Meet the approval conditions

      After approval in principle, complete the remaining fees, qualifying property, donation, insurance and residence-card requirements on time.

    6. 06

      Maintain the programme conditions

      Complete annual compliance for the first five years. Keep the qualifying property and capital position for that period, and maintain the required insurance and a Maltese residential property afterwards.

    The current regulations also allow the applicant and eligible dependants to apply for a one-year temporary residence permit after the MPRP application is submitted. It is an optional interim status, not final MPRP approval. Renewal for another year is conditional on the prescribed MPRP documents and information being submitted within six months of the underlying application.

    After approval

    The five-year compliance period and what continues

    During the first five years

    Residency Malta monitors compliance annually. The beneficiary must maintain the qualifying property, the selected capital-asset threshold and the required health insurance, and supply the supporting evidence requested through the Licensed Agent.

    After the first five years

    The qualifying-property and capital thresholds end, but the beneficiary must continue to hold a residential property in Malta or Gozo and maintain the required health insurance. The Agency may continue compliance and due-diligence checks.

    Do not confuse residence with citizenship

    MPRP does not buy a Maltese passport

    The MPRP grants residence. It does not provide Maltese or EU citizenship, an automatic employment licence in Malta, a right to work elsewhere in the EU or a guaranteed path to a passport.

    Malta's citizenship-by-investment route (MEIN) is closed: the EU Court of Justice struck it down on 29 April 2025 (Commission v Malta, C-181/23), and Malta replaced it with a discretionary merit-based route. Community Malta's 2026 notice states that citizenship by merit is discretionary and cannot be marketed as a replacement investment programme. Residence through the MPRP is still available. Treat a promised passport or guaranteed citizenship as a warning sign.

    Choose the filing team before choosing the sales pitch

    The authorised filing entity, immigration adviser, lawyer and property professional may be different people. Ask each shortlisted provider the same questions so price and scope are genuinely comparable.

    Which Licensed Agent will file, and what is its licence number?
    Who assesses eligibility and source of funds before non-refundable payments?
    Which lawyer handles immigration and property questions, and where are they admitted?
    What is included in the fee, and what triggers additional work or charges?
    How have you calculated the costs for every family member?
    What support is included after approval and during the first five compliance years?

    Malta permanent residence FAQ

    Is Malta permanent residence the same as a Malta golden visa?

    The Malta Permanent Residence Programme is the official residence-by-investment route. It is often called a Malta golden visa in search and marketing, but its legal name is MPRP and it grants residence rather than citizenship.

    How much does Malta permanent residence cost in 2026?

    The published programme charges are a €60,000 administration fee, €37,000 government contribution and €2,000 donation. Applicants must also rent from €14,000 a year or buy from €375,000, pay €500 per residence card and cover applicable dependant, professional, insurance, document and property costs. At the published minimums, a one-person rental-route planning example is €169,500 over five years before variable expenses.

    Do I have to buy property in Malta?

    No. The programme allows qualifying rent of at least €14,000 a year as an alternative to buying a qualifying home for at least €375,000.

    Is there a minimum annual stay under the MPRP?

    The current MPRP regulations do not specify an annual minimum number of days in Malta. Residence-card applicants must still complete the applicable biometrics, maintain the required residential property and comply with programme, travel and immigration obligations.

    Does MPRP residence provide Maltese citizenship?

    No. MPRP is a permanent-residence programme and does not provide a passport. Malta's citizenship-by-investment route (MEIN) is closed: the EU Court of Justice struck it down on 29 April 2025, and Malta replaced it with a discretionary merit-based route that investment alone cannot satisfy.

    Can family members apply with the main applicant?

    Qualifying dependants can include a spouse or partner, children under 18, certain principally dependent unmarried adult children who have not reached 29, qualifying children with a disability, and principally dependent parents or grandparents who are not in full-time employment.

    Do I need a Licensed MPRP Agent?

    Yes. An MPRP application must be filed through a Residency Malta Licensed Agent. Check the filing entity against the Agency's published list and establish who will handle legal, property, due-diligence and post-approval work.

    Can an MPRP holder work in Malta or elsewhere in the EU?

    The MPRP certificate does not itself grant an employment licence in Malta or employment rights elsewhere in the EU. A holder who wants to work must meet the separate rules and obtain any permit required in the country concerned.

    Primary sources

    Check the current rules

    Figures and programme features on this page were checked against the sources below on 23 September 2026; the CJEU ruling on MEIN was re-checked on 25 September 2026. Filing date, nationality and family circumstances can affect the rules that apply.

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