Malta Golden Visa Requirements 2026: Capital, Property, Documents

Reviewed by Jane Katkova, Founder & Licensed CICC Consultant· Last updated: September 2026

The Malta golden visa requirements are a capital test (€500,000 with €150,000 in financial assets, or €650,000 with €75,000), a qualifying property, health insurance, a clean record and third-country nationality. If any one is not met after filing, the €15,000 first instalment is forfeited, so we assess each of them before you apply.

Malta golden visa requirements: key eligibility criteria (2026)

• Capital of €500,000 or €650,000. of which €150,000 or €75,000 in financial assets; held throughout the first five years
• Property of €375,000 or Rent of €14,000/yr. residential, anywhere in Malta or Gozo; five years
• Open to Third-Country Nationals. not EU, EEA or Swiss; not a sanctioned nationality (currently incl. Russia, Belarus)
• Health Insurance Required. health cover for Malta and the rest of Europe, all applicants
• Clean Criminal Record. police certificates from every country of residence; disclose all visa refusals
• Stable and Regular Income. no fixed figure; evidenced by statements and source-of-wealth documents
• Fees of €99,500 for a Single Applicant. €60,000 + €37,000 + €2,000 + €500 card; adults €7,500 each
• No Minimum Stay. no day count, no language test

MPRP eligibility: main applicant and qualifying dependants

These are the tests in Subsidiary Legislation 217.26 as Residency Malta applies them in 2026.

Main applicant

• Aged 18 or over and a third-country national (EU, EEA and Swiss citizens cannot apply)
• Capital of at least €500,000, of which €150,000 in financial assets (cash, deposits, listed securities, funds), or €650,000 with €75,000 financial; the position must be kept for five years
• Stable and regular resources sufficient for the family without relying on Maltese social assistance
• No criminal record beyond minor offences; no pending charges; not under investigation; not on any sanctions list
• No undisclosed visa refusal from a country Malta has visa-free arrangements with; refusals are found in vetting and lead to refusal if undisclosed
• Not a national of a sanctioned country as listed by Residency Malta from time to time (Russia and Belarus at the time of writing); nationals of Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Yemen face heightened scrutiny and often refusal
• Health insurance covering Malta and Europe for every applicant
• Not a threat to public policy, public health or public security

Dependants who can be included

• Spouse or partner in a stable relationship
• Children under 18 of either spouse, at no fee beyond the €500 card
• Unmarried adult children who are financially dependent on you, €7,500 each
• Parents and grandparents of either spouse who are financially dependent, €7,500 each
• Every dependant aged 12 or over goes through due diligence and needs police certificates

Documents required for the Malta Permanent Residence Programme

Everything is legalised or apostilled; anything not in English is translated by a certified translator. Police certificates and bank letters must be recent at filing, so we order them last.

Identity and family

• Passports, certified copies of every page
• Birth certificates for every applicant
• Marriage certificate or partnership evidence; divorce decrees and custody orders where relevant
• Proof of dependency for adult children, parents and grandparents (financial support, tax returns, residence)
• Passport photographs and the agency's signed forms for each applicant

Police clearance and background

• Police clearance from your country of citizenship and every country lived in for six months or more; FBI Identity History Summary for US residents, RCMP certified check for Canadian residents
• Sworn declaration of no criminal record, pending charges or investigations
• Full residence and travel history with all visa applications and refusals disclosed
• Military service record where applicable

Financial and source-of-wealth evidence

• Statements showing the €500,000/€150,000 or €650,000/€75,000 position, with valuations for property and businesses
• Source-of-wealth narrative: employment, business, sale, inheritance or gift, with supporting documents and tax returns
• Bank reference letter and twelve months of statements for the account the fees come from
• Evidence of stable income: pension, salary, dividends or rents

Malta

• Health insurance policy covering Malta and Europe
• Lease of at least €14,000 a year or deed of purchase of at least €375,000, after approval in principle
• Receipt for the €2,000 NGO donation, after approval
• Proof of the €15,000 first instalment at filing

Malta residence permit requirements for US and Canadian applicants

For US and Canadian citizens

The capital test is the only hard number and most of our North American clients pass it on their home and retirement accounts alone; what takes time is proving where the money came from over a career. The permit imposes no stay, so your tax position does not change unless you spend 183 or more days in Malta. Americans keep filing US returns and FBAR wherever they are; Canadians who leave permanently face departure tax, and should plan for it before signing a five-year lease.

For US and Canada residents on another passport

Check nationality first: sanctioned nationalities are excluded and several others draw enhanced scrutiny. Then visa history: a refused US, Canadian, UK or Schengen visa can be overcome if disclosed and explained, and leads to refusal if concealed. Your US or Canadian status is unaffected by the application, and the Maltese card does not replace visas for the UK, US or Canada.

MPRP nationality restrictions and common grounds for refusal

Residency Malta bars nationals of countries it lists as sanctioned, currently Russia and Belarus, and refuses applicants on international sanctions lists. Nationals of Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Yemen are not formally banned but are refused far more often, and we tell such clients so before they pay. Dual nationals are assessed on every nationality they hold.

The refusals we see, in order of frequency: a visa refusal from the US, Canada, the UK or Schengen that was left off the form; a source-of-wealth narrative that goes no further than a bank balance; a business with accounts that do not match the tax returns; an adult dependant who is not genuinely dependent; a police certificate missing for a country lived in years ago. Every one of these is manageable if disclosed up front. The €15,000 first instalment is lost on refusal, and a refusal in Malta is visible to other European programmes.

Figures verified 27 September 2026. Fees are on the cost page; the timeline is on the MPRP page.

Request an MPRP eligibility assessment for your family

Send us your family, nationality and a rough asset picture. Jane Katkova, licensed CICC consultant, tells you in writing whether Malta will approve you, and what could get in the way. Book a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital requirement for the Malta golden visa?

Assets of at least €500,000, of which at least €150,000 in financial assets such as cash, deposits, securities or funds; or assets of at least €650,000 with at least €75,000 financial. Your home and business count toward the total. The position must be kept for the first five years and may be checked at the compliance reviews.

Can EU citizens apply for the MPRP?

No. The programme is for third-country nationals only. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens already have the right to live in Malta under free movement and use a different registration. Nationals of countries Residency Malta lists as sanctioned, currently Russia and Belarus, are excluded.

Do I need to buy property to qualify?

No. A lease of at least €14,000 a year, held for five years, satisfies the property requirement. Buying for at least €375,000 is the alternative. Either must be a residential property in Malta or Gozo, and either can be arranged after approval in principle, so you do not commit to property before you know you are approved.

Is there a language test or minimum stay?

No language test and no minimum stay. You must keep the property for five years, keep health insurance and a residential address, and pass compliance checks in years one, three and five. These are the only ongoing obligations.

This guide is part of our Malta Residency by Investment: Golden Visa (MPRP) overview.

Official sources and references

1. Residency Malta Agency — MPRP legal framework (S.L. 217.26)