A permanent right to live in Malta for you and up to four generations of your family under the government's Malta Permanent Residence Programme: a EUR 60,000 administration fee, a EUR 37,000 contribution, and a home bought from EUR 375,000 or rented from EUR 14,000 a year. No minimum stay on the island, visa-free travel across the Schengen area, and your Indian passport stays untouched. This is residence, not a tax regime: we describe the Global Residence Programme separately.
Facts verified October 8, 2026 against official sources · Sources
Facts verified October 8, 2026 against official sources · Sources
Owner, regional partners, the migration consulting and case management department and senior experts. These are the people you will speak to on the phone and meet in the office.
Founder & Managing Partner
Partner, Middle East & MENA Region
Managing Director, India & South Asia
Partner, Russia & CIS Region
Head of Migration Consulting & Case Management
Immigration & Compliance Specialist
The certificate gives the right to reside, settle or stay in Malta without a time limit. The regulations set no minimum number of days: what keeps the status is compliance on property, assets and insurance, not the calendar.
Spouse, children, and the parents and grandparents of either spouse are included with you. A dependent child's spouse and grandchildren can be added later, subject to checks and a fee.
With a Maltese residence card you enter other Schengen countries and spend up to 90 days there in any 180-day period.
Every government payment is set out in the regulations and on the agency's website: fee, contribution, donation, dependant surcharge, a residence card at EUR 500 for 5 years. You know the total before signing.
The regulations allow a lease from EUR 14,000 a year instead of a purchase, so the status does not require locking EUR 375,000 into property. The contribution is the same either way: EUR 37,000.
India does not allow dual citizenship, so a European passport means giving up the Indian one. MPRP is residence: the family gains an EU base and keeps its citizenship. Long-term EU residence and naturalisation remain separate procedures that require real residence in Malta.
Facts verified October 8, 2026
| Administration fee | EUR 60,000 EUR 15,000 within 1 month of filing + EUR 45,000 within 2 months of approval in principle; non-refundable |
|---|---|
| Contribution to the Maltese economy | EUR 37,000 within 8 months of approval in principle; the same for purchase and rental; non-refundable |
| Donation | EUR 2,000 to a registered Maltese NGO (philanthropic, cultural, sport, scientific, animal welfare) before the certificate is issued |
| Adult dependant | EUR 7,500 children aged 18–28, parents and grandparents; the spouse, children under 18 and children with a disability pay nothing extra |
| Residence card | EUR 500 per person for 5 years (Residency Malta figure) |
| Property | from EUR 375,000 or from EUR 14,000 a year purchase or lease, Malta or Gozo, at least 5 years |
| Proven assets | EUR 500,000 or EUR 650,000 of which EUR 150,000 or EUR 75,000 financial; held for 5 years |
| Processing | no statutory term the regulations set no decision deadline; a 1-year temporary permit is available while you wait |
We check nationality, source of funds, family composition, assets and the goal. We decide: buy or rent, who to include now and who to add later.
Residency Malta forms, apostilled police certificates, medical form, proof of assets and income, English translations, the agent's KYC check.
The licensed agent files the application; EUR 15,000 of the administration fee is paid within a month. If you wish, we obtain a 1-year temporary residence permit for the waiting period.
The agency and independent providers run a multi-tier check and the Approvals Board gives its authorisation. We answer document requests. The outcome is a letter of approval in principle.
Within 2 months: the EUR 45,000 balance of the fee and EUR 7,500 per adult dependant. Within 8 months: the EUR 37,000 contribution, the purchase or lease contract, the EUR 2,000 donation and insurance. The agency may extend the deadlines for good cause.
The agency issues the certificate and the whole family receives residence cards valid for 5 years. The agency monitors compliance annually for the first 5 years, then at its discretion.
The official conditions are above. Below is how the programme works in real life, from our cases and research.
Maltese permanent residence is granted for payments and a home; it has nothing to do with your tax rate. The Global Residence Programme is a separate application to the tax authority with its own conditions. Nobody should promise every cardholder the same tax rate.
The right to live in Malta, easier travel or a tax structure are three different tasks with three different budgets. Buying a status and changing your tax position are different decisions, and we cost the consequences for each income stream before starting.
'From EUR 37,000' is the contribution alone. A family's real budget is the fee, the contribution, the donation, surcharges for adult dependants, cards, insurance and five years of property. We calculate it in full and show the schedule.
MPRP is residence, so the Indian passport is untouched, and its dependant rules cover children, parents and grandparents. The list of excluded nationalities changes at the agency's discretion, so we verify it on the filing date, not from last year's articles.
The Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) gives a basis for permanent residence in Malta. The core government payments are a EUR 60,000 administrative fee and a EUR 37,000 contribution; a charitable donation, family fees and professional support are counted separately. The housing requirement is a purchase from EUR 375,000 or rent from EUR 14,000 per year.
The Global Residence Programme (GRP) is a separate tax regime. It cannot be treated as an automatic consequence of MPRP, and no one should promise every cardholder the same tax rate.
We first establish what the family needs: the right to live in Malta, easier travel, or a tax structure. Then we cost the full budget and the consequences for each income stream. Buying a status and changing your tax position are different decisions. For Indian families MPRP has a further advantage over any citizenship offer: it is residence, so the Indian passport is untouched — and its generous dependant rules (children, parents, grandparents) fit the multi-generation households we typically see.
| MPRP — permanent residence by investment | GRP — special tax status | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A permanent right for the family to live in Malta | A 15% rate on foreign income remitted to Malta; the residence permit is a separate step |
| Government payments | EUR 60,000 fee + EUR 37,000 contribution + EUR 2,000; EUR 7,500 per adult dependant | EUR 6,000 fee (EUR 5,500 in the south of Malta); minimum tax EUR 15,000 a year for applications by 31.12.2026; from 2027 a EUR 8,500 fee and minimum tax EUR 35,000 |
| Property | Buy from EUR 375,000 or rent from EUR 14,000 a year | Buy from EUR 275,000 (EUR 220,000 in the south and Gozo) or rent from EUR 9,600 a year (EUR 8,750) for applications by 31.12.2026; from 2027 from EUR 700,000 or rent from EUR 14,000 a year |
| Assets | EUR 500,000 or EUR 650,000 | No threshold; stable resources |
| Days requirement | None | No more than 183 days a year in any other country |
| Family | Up to four generations | Spouse, children under 25, dependent parents, siblings; from 2027 only spouse and children |
| Duration | Indefinite while conditions are met | While conditions are met and the minimum tax is paid; statuses granted from 2027 run for 5 years |
Conditions as verified on 6 October 2026 under S.L. 217.26 and S.L. 123.148; re-checked on the filing date.
Coverage and expert commentary by Garant IN in business media.
You can't leave, you can't stay: how to prepare for obtaining a residence permit and French citizenshipRead on Forbes →
Golden visa costs surge for Indians as rupee weakens: Greece, Cyprus, Malta programmes become significantly costlierRead on The Economic Times →
Malta and Greece shine as the best destinations for citizenship and Golden visa programs in 2025Read on Financial Express →
Global Lens I U.S. President Donald Trump's Golden Card Visa: How Can Indians Tap This Programme?Watch on CNBC-TV18 →
Golden visa schemes are response to conflicts, Trump’s decisions on U.S. citizenship: Dubai-based immigration expertRead on The Hindu →
Is Dubai still a safe haven for investors, HNIs despite US-Iran conflict?Read on Business Standard →
Coverage in Moneycontrol: Amid US uncertainty, HNIs choose Caribbean, Gulf, EU residency programmesRead on Moneycontrol →
France, Italy or Grenada? Financial independence can get you settled there with freedom to roam world!Read on PTI →
Why India's wealthy are quietly buying second residencies abroadRead on India Today →
Who this programme suits in our practice.
An EU status without relocating and without counting days in Malta. Suits families who run a business from India, the UAE or elsewhere and want a reserve base in Europe for everyone.
One application covers your spouse, children up to 28 and dependent parents or grandparents. Adult dependants pay EUR 7,500 each; the spouse and minor children pay nothing extra. For Indian families this is residence, so no passport is surrendered.
MPRP gives you the right to live in Malta; it does not set a tax rate. If the goal is a tax structure, we assess the Global Residence Programme separately and never bundle the two.
Malta's payments are non-refundable, but the status has no expiry, no residence requirement and a wider family definition. We compare honestly on budget and goals, not on adverts.
Our fee depends on the family composition and the property option. We send the quote in reply to your message.
Main applicant
Fees of licensed local lawyers and authorised agents are charged separately at their rates
Request a quoteApplicant with spouse, children, parents or grandparents
Fees of licensed local lawyers and authorised agents are charged separately at their rates
Request a quoteFor Garant IN the family is a core value: Maltese permanent residence is granted to your relatives together with you under S.L. 217.26 (the definition of 'dependant' in regulation 3 and regulation 11). Below are the 2026 conditions from the regulations and Residency Malta, without generic phrases.
A spouse in a monogamous marriage or a partner in a relationship with the same or similar status: civil union, domestic partnership, common-law marriage. The regulations treat 'spouse' as gender-neutral, and the agency may recognise other relationships case by case. No surcharge for the spouse; a police certificate, insurance and a EUR 500 residence card are required.
Children of the applicant or spouse, including adopted children: under 18 with no conditions and no surcharge; aged 18 to 28 if unmarried at filing and principally dependent on the applicant (an affidavit of support is needed), with a EUR 7,500 fee. Adult children with a certified disability are included at any age without a fee. A dependent child's spouse and minor children can be added later.
Parents and grandparents of the applicant or spouse who are not in full-time employment and are principally dependent on the applicant: an affidavit of support and proof of dependency are required. There is no minimum age. The fee is EUR 7,500 each, plus a police certificate, insurance and a residence card.
Single applicant: EUR 60,000 + EUR 37,000 + EUR 2,000 + a EUR 500 card = EUR 99,500 in government payments plus a home. A couple with two children under 18: EUR 99,000 + 4 cards at EUR 500 = EUR 101,000. A couple with two children and two parents: + 2 × EUR 7,500 and 6 cards = EUR 117,000. Property (from EUR 375,000 or EUR 14,000 a year), insurance for everyone, assets of EUR 500,000 and professional fees come on top. Dependants with a disability are exempt from the surcharge. Remittances from India are planned within the LRS cap per family member.
Every family member goes through due diligence; police certificates are required for everyone aged 14 and over. The decision on the family is taken together with the decision on the main applicant. Garant IN's migration programme experts check each member's documents against the 2026 regulations in advance to rule out a refusal for an individual applicant. Verified on 6 October 2026 against S.L. 217.26 and the Residency Malta website.
The MPRP conditions are identical for every licensed agent. The difference lies in assembling the family and the budget so that the file passes due diligence first time without overpaying.
The right to live in Malta, easier travel or a tax structure are different goals. MPRP solves the first. If you need the second or third, we assess the Global Residence Programme, Cyprus permanent residence or the Greek Golden Visa separately and cost the consequences for every income stream.
Fee, contribution, donation, adult-dependant surcharges, cards, insurance, property and the 5-year holding period. You see the total and the payment schedule, not the 'from EUR 37,000' of the adverts. For funds sent from India we also plan around the LRS cap of USD 250,000 per person per financial year.
Renting from EUR 14,000 a year is cheaper to enter; buying from EUR 375,000 counts towards the asset requirement. We compare both against your capital and your plans for the island, including the duty to hold the property for 5 years.
The agency and independent providers examine the origin of your capital and every family member aged 14 and over. We prepare explanations for the difficult episodes in advance, not after a request arrives.
The agency changes its list of excluded countries at its discretion. We check the passport and country of residence of every family member before the first payment and say plainly if the route is closed.
Wording pending approval.
The Malta Permanent Residence Programme is a government residence-by-investment programme administered by the Residency Malta Agency under S.L. 217.26. The applicant makes non-refundable payments to the state, buys or rents a home in Malta or Gozo, proves assets, and receives a certificate that entitles the whole family to live in Malta without a time limit. Living on the island is not required.
Three kinds of families choose it. First, entrepreneurs based in India, the UAE or elsewhere who want a reserve base in the EU for the family without relocating or counting days in Malta. Second, multi-generation households: one application covers the spouse, children up to 28, parents and grandparents. Third, investors comparing Malta with Cyprus permanent residence and the Greek Golden Visa who accept non-refundable payments in exchange for a status with no expiry.
It does not suit anyone looking for a tax regime: MPRP fixes no tax rate and does not replace the Global Residence Programme. Nor anyone budgeting on ‘from EUR 37,000’: that is the contribution alone, and the full government cost for a single applicant is EUR 99,500 plus the home. For Indian families there is a built-in advantage: it is residence, so the Indian passport stays.
The certificate has no expiry; the card is issued for 5 years and renewed. The conditions apply throughout: property and assets for the first 5 years, insurance, no breaches. The agency checks compliance annually for the first 5 years.
The spouse of a dependent child and that child's minor children can be added to the certificate later, subject to due diligence and a EUR 7,500 fee. Dependants defined by the regulations can also be included after the certificate is issued.
Both require real residence in Malta, not just a card. Naturalisation under the Citizenship Act requires 12 months of residence before applying and at least 4 of the previous 6 years, knowledge of Maltese or English, and remains at the Minister's discretion. MPRP by itself does not lead to a passport, and for Indian citizens a passport would mean surrendering the Indian one.
If you spend more than 183 days in Malta you become tax resident. The GRP regime with its 15% rate on remitted income is a separate application to the tax authority; we work out whether you need it and whether it fits your income sources.
4 officesMoscow, Dubai, New Delhi and Mumbai. Visit an office and see who is working with you.
Garant IN is a member of the Investment Migration Council (IMC), the Geneva-based international association of the investment migration industry. investmentmigration.org →
Garant IN is a member of CCI France Russie, the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Russia. ccifr.ru →
International migration consultancy since 2015.
Two levels of quality control: Garant IN's migration consulting and case management department runs a rigorous pre-application compliance screening (Pre-Due Diligence) and prepares the document package to 2026 requirements, while the application in Malta is prepared and filed together with licensed local lawyers and authorised agents. Applications are accepted only from a licensed MPRP agent listed in the Residency Malta public register. This is how we minimise the risk of refusal at the preparation stage, before the documents reach the government authority.
The certificate entitles you and the dependants on it to reside, settle or stay in Malta indefinitely for as long as the conditions are met. It is a permanent status, not a temporary permit that must be re-justified: only the residence card is renewed every 5 years. By itself the certificate confers no other rights under the immigration regulations, so working in Malta requires a separate permit.
To the government: a EUR 60,000 administration fee, a EUR 37,000 contribution, a EUR 2,000 donation, a residence card at EUR 500 per person for 5 years, and EUR 7,500 for each adult dependant other than the spouse. On top: a home bought from EUR 375,000 or rented from EUR 14,000 a year for 5 years, insurance and professional fees. For a single applicant that is EUR 99,500 in non-refundable payments plus the home.
The regulations set no minimum number of days. The conditions are different: hold the property and the assets for 5 years, keep insurance, stay within the law and avoid the grounds for cessation. If you do spend more than 183 days a year in Malta you become tax resident, which we plan separately.
Renting from EUR 14,000 a year is cheaper to enter, and the contribution is the same EUR 37,000. Buying from EUR 375,000 counts towards the asset requirement (EUR 500,000 or EUR 650,000) and remains your asset. Either way the property must be held for at least 5 years, after which any owned or rented home is enough. It can be replaced with the agency's consent.
Two options: assets of at least EUR 500,000 with at least EUR 150,000 in financial assets, or at least EUR 650,000 with EUR 75,000 financial. What counts as a financial asset is at the agency's discretion; a qualifying property you buy is included. The level must be maintained for 5 years from the certificate date.
The regulations contain no decision deadline, and the agency's website speaks only of a 'reasonable timeframe'. The regulations fix only the schedule after filing and after approval in principle: 1 month for the first payment, 2 months for the balance of the fee, 8 months for the contribution, property and donation. A 1-year renewable temporary permit is available while you wait. We do not promise 'four months'.
The certificate itself does not grant a right to work: the regulations state that it confers no other rights under the immigration regulations. Employment in Malta needs a separate permit. Working remotely from Malta for a foreign company raises tax residence and social security questions, which we assess separately.
The status itself creates no tax and fixes no rate. Maltese tax residence depends on where you actually live. The Global Residence Programme — 15% on foreign income remitted to Malta with a minimum tax of EUR 15,000 a year — is a separate application to the tax authority with its own property and days conditions; it does not follow from MPRP automatically.
Yes. The agency terminates the certificate if the conditions are no longer met (property, assets, insurance), if false information was given or material facts concealed, if the person becomes a threat to the public interest, or on acquiring EU, EEA or Swiss nationality. Such events must be notified within 4 weeks. An individual dependant can be removed from the certificate on the same grounds.
Not automatically. Naturalisation under the Maltese Citizenship Act (Cap. 188, article 10) requires residence in Malta for the 12 months before applying and at least 4 years in total out of the previous 6, knowledge of Maltese or English and good character, and remains at the Minister's discretion. Citizenship by merit is a different route with different criteria. For Indian citizens any European passport means surrendering the Indian one, since India does not allow dual citizenship.
Police certificates for everyone aged 14 and over from the country of citizenship and from every country where the person lived for more than 6 months in the last 10 years; the agency's medical form; proof of assets and income; marriage and birth documents. Everything in English with certified translations: Indian documents with an apostille from the Ministry of External Affairs, UAE documents legalised through the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Where a certificate cannot be obtained, the agency may exceptionally accept a sworn affidavit.
Yes. S.L. 217.26 defines dependants to include the parents and grandparents of the applicant or spouse who are not in full-time employment and depend on the applicant, and unmarried dependent children aged 18 to 28. Each such adult pays an administration fee of EUR 7,500. Adult children with a disability are included at any age without a fee.
The EUR 60,000 fee, the EUR 37,000 contribution and the EUR 2,000 donation are paid once per application, whatever the family size. The spouse and children under 18 add nothing. Each adult dependant — children aged 18–28, parents, grandparents — adds EUR 7,500. A residence card costs EUR 500 per person for 5 years, and insurance is needed for everyone. A couple with two children and two parents: EUR 117,000 in government payments plus a home.
Yes. If the application is refused through the fault of our team or an error in building the case, we refund the company's service fee less a minimal retention for costs actually incurred. Refund terms, the payment schedule and the rules on retaining service costs are fixed in the contract before work begins. Before we start, we check your documents and risk history free of charge and tell you about any risks in advance.
Message us in the messenger you prefer and you will receive an estimate for your family and route. We never message first: you send the first message.
Our fee depends on the family composition and the property option. We send the quote in reply to your message.
Programme updates and case breakdowns in our channels.
Figures and conditions on this page are checked against legislation and official pages. Last verified: .
Page updated:
