Malta permanent residence: about $112,900 to the government, then a home you buy or rent
Buy for at least $427,600 or rent from $16,000 a year, prove about $570,200 in assets, and there's no minimum stay.
The MPRP is the one Malta route that makes you a permanent resident on approval, in an English-speaking EU country. Legal Notice 195 of 2026 overhauls Malta's tax residence programs from January 2027 and leaves the MPRP alone.
Every euro it asks for, converted (€1 = $1.14, September 2026)
$68,400
Administrative fee
€60,000: €15,000 at filing, €45,000 on approval
$42,200
Government contribution
€37,000, the same whether you buy or rent
$427,600
Minimum home purchase
€375,000, kept at least five years
$16,000
Minimum rent, every year
€14,000 a year
$570,200
Assets you must show
€500,000 with €150,000 in financial assets, or €650,000 with €75,000
$8,600
Each adult dependent
€7,500; your spouse and minor kids add nothing
Where your money comes from
A wealth test, not an income test
Most residence visas ask what you earn each month. The MPRP asks what you own but never asks how many nights you slept on the island. That makes it a fit for investors and wealthy retirees who want an EU base while keeping a life in the U.S.
Look elsewhere if
- You want a job in Malta: firms say employment needs separate authorization.
- You work remotely on a salary: the Nomad Residence Permit asks for €42,000 a year (about $47,900) but stops at four years.
- You're counting on a Maltese passport without living there: citizenship takes years of real residence.
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)
Permanent residency by investment. Applicants can buy or rent property, make a government contribution and NGO donation. Family members can be included. No minimum stay required. Only foreign income remitted to Malta is taxed.
- Government cost
- $375,000
- Processing time
- ~120 days
- Timeline
- 4–6 months (temporary permit in ~6 weeks after biometrics)
- Difficulty
- Hard
What our requirements list gets wrong
Our list says "Proof of financial means." Residency Malta is more specific: €500,000 in total assets with €150,000 in financial assets, or €650,000 with €75,000 (about $570,200 or $741,200), kept for five years. The list also leaves out the €60,000 administrative fee. The €375,000 property minimum is in euros, about $427,600.
The process
From power of attorney to residence card
You can't file this one yourself. A Residency Malta licensed agent submits everything under a power of attorney.
- Your agent files the application and the first €15,000 of the fee (about $17,100). After initial background checks, a one-year, renewable temporary residence permit can follow.
- Due diligence runs on four tiers. Firms report 3 to 7 months; one says 6 to 9.
- After approval in principle, you pay the €45,000 balance (about $51,300). Within 8 months you buy or rent, pay the €37,000 contribution, give €2,000 (about $2,300) to a Maltese NGO and show health insurance.
- The certificate follows about a week after that's confirmed. You fly in once for biometrics, and the five-year card costs €500 (about $570) per person.
For the next five years, you file annual compliance declarations. The agency can also inspect the property.
One more permit if you buy
Americans need an Acquisition of Immovable Property (AIP) permit to buy in Malta, €233 (about $266) on approval, attached to the promise of sale and the final deed. Outside Special Designated Areas, you can own just one property in Malta.
After approval
Taxes, family and the passport question
Tax in Malta
If you live in Malta and aren't Maltese-domiciled, your foreign income is taxed only when you bring it in, and foreign capital gains aren't taxed. Firms report a €5,000 minimum tax (about $5,700) once foreign income reaches €35,000.
Your U.S. return
You still report worldwide income and can claim the foreign tax credit. File an FBAR once your foreign accounts top $10,000. The U.S. has no Social Security agreement with Malta.
Who comes with you
Your spouse, unmarried children up to 28 who depend on you, and the parents and grandparents of either spouse. Children you include keep residence for life.
Citizenship
You'd need 12 months in Malta right before applying plus four of the six years before that, adequate English or Maltese, and the minister's approval. Malta allows dual citizenship.
Who to talk to before you file
Tim Percival
Malta Local Guide
Tim knows everyday life on Malta and Gozo. Ask him where a €14,000 lease or a €375,000 home gets you.
Holborn Assets
Portugal Golden Visa
Holborn Assets advises on golden visas and residence-by-investment programs.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
MyExpatTaxes prepares U.S. returns for Americans abroad, FBARs included.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Moneycorp exchanges and sends currency, which matters when every fee and the home are priced in euros.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
Hunter is a healthcare coach who helps you plan care and coverage before a move.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
ExpatInsure brokers international health insurance, including plans that cover you across Europe.
Before you commit €99,000
Can MPRP holders travel around Europe?
Yes. Once your residence card is issued, you can spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the rest of the Schengen Area without a visa.
Do I have to live in Malta to keep MPRP status?
No. The MPRP has no minimum stay, though you visit Malta at least once for biometrics. You do have to keep the qualifying home or lease, keep your capital for the first five years and keep health insurance. Living there only matters if you later want citizenship.
Does the MPRP lead to Maltese citizenship?
Not automatically. To naturalize you need 12 months in Malta immediately before applying plus four years in the six years before that, adequate English or Maltese, and the minister's approval. Malta allows dual citizenship, so Americans can keep their U.S. passport.
How much does the Malta Permanent Residence Programme cost in total?
The government takes €99,000 (about $112,900 at €1 = $1.14, September 2026): a €60,000 administrative fee, a €37,000 contribution and a €2,000 NGO donation. On top of that you buy a home for at least €375,000 or rent from €14,000 a year for at least five years. Renting, one person pays about €169,000 (about $192,700) over the first five years, before the €500 card, health insurance and agent fees.
How long does the MPRP take?
Law firms report 3 to 7 months of due diligence, and some say 6 to 9. After approval in principle you have up to 8 months to buy or rent and pay, and the certificate follows about a week later. A one-year, renewable temporary permit can cover you while you wait.
Can I work in Malta with the MPRP?
Not on the residence card alone. Malta law firms say a job needs separate employment authorization from the competent authorities. You or your spouse can apply to set up a business, subject to the usual rules.
Do Malta's 2027 residence changes affect the MPRP?
No. Legal Notice 195 of 2026 replaces the Global Residence Programme and three other tax programs with a new Individual Tax Programme from January 1, 2027, and it doesn't touch the MPRP. The Global Residence Programme stops taking applications after December 31, 2026.
Can I bring my parents to Malta on the MPRP?
Yes. Parents and grandparents of either spouse can be included as dependents. Each adult dependent other than your spouse adds a €7,500 fee (about $8,600).
Malta's other residence routes
Malta's 15% tax residency, with a December 31, 2026 cutoff
Rent a home from about $10,900 a year or buy from about $250,900, then pay a flat 15% on the foreign income you bring into Malta.
Keep your U.S. job and live in Malta for up to four years
You need about $47,900 a year in gross income (Malta sets it at €42,000) from employers or clients outside Malta.
Put your Malta numbers in front of an advisor
Book a call with Expatsi to test the MPRP against your assets, your family and your timeline.
Why not you?