The Malta Permanent Residence Programme in 2026: costs, rules and timeline

Published and last checked 9 November 2026. By Imago 77 Ltd.

Malta's Permanent Residence Programme gives permanent residence to people who buy a home worth at least €375,000 or rent one for at least €14,000 a year. On top of that come about €99,000 in government fees and a donation. You must also show substantial assets, and you apply through a licensed agent.

Buy at €375,000 or rent at €14,000 a year, plus a €60,000 fee, a €37,000 contribution and a €2,000 donation.

The costs for one applicant

Item	Purchase route	Rental route
Property	€375,000 minimum	€14,000 a year, so €70,000 over five years
Administrative fee	€60,000	€60,000
Government contribution	€37,000	€37,000
Donation to a registered NGO	€2,000	€2,000
Residence card	€500	€500
Total	about €474,500	about €169,500 over five years

Each adult dependant other than your spouse adds €7,500, and each person needs a €500 card. Legal and agent fees are extra. Since Legal Notice 146 of 2025, the contribution is a single €37,000 whether you buy or rent.

The asset test

You need either €500,000 of capital assets, with at least €150,000 in financial assets, or €650,000 of capital assets, with at least €75,000 in financial assets. You also need a stable income that supports your family without help from the state, and health insurance that covers Malta.

Who can be included

One application can cover up to four generations: your spouse, children under 18, unmarried children up to 28 who depend on you, and dependent parents and grandparents of you or your spouse. Adult dependants must prove that they really depend on you.

The steps and how long they take

Appoint a licensed agent and file the application. €15,000 of the administrative fee is due within a month.
Due diligence on every family member, which advisers report takes about three to seven months.
Approval in principle. The remaining €45,000 is due within two months.
Secure the property and pay the contribution and donation, within eight months of approval.
Receive the residence certificate, then give biometrics for the cards.

Since 2025 you can also ask for a one-year temporary residence permit once the first checks are cleared. It lets you live in Malta while the full checks continue.

Rules after approval

You must keep the qualifying property for at least five years, and a home in Malta after that. A bought property may be let on a short-term basis. Each year for the first five years you confirm that you still hold the property, the capital and the insurance. There is no minimum stay.

Residence, not citizenship

The programme gives residence only. Malta's separate citizenship by investment route ended in 2025 after a ruling by the EU Court of Justice.

How it compares

Malta's purchase route costs more than Greece at about €420,000 and Cyprus at about €357,000, but it covers more of the family, including parents and grandparents. A bill before the Greek Parliament could close much of the gap with Greece from July 2027. See the Golden Visa Cost Index.

Questions

How much does the Malta Permanent Residence Programme cost?

You buy a home worth at least €375,000 or rent one for at least €14,000 a year, and pay a €60,000 administrative fee, a €37,000 contribution and a €2,000 donation.

Who can be included?

Your spouse, children under 18, unmarried dependent children up to 28, and dependent parents and grandparents of you or your spouse.

Does it give Maltese citizenship?

No. It gives residence only. Malta's citizenship by investment route ended in 2025.

Residency Malta Agency: MPRP legal framework (S.L. 217.26, as amended by Legal Notices 310 of 2024 and 146 of 2025)
Chetcuti Cauchi: MPRP 2026 requirements, costs and timeline, July 2026
Global Citizen Solutions: MPRP changes, October 2026

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