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Reformed in 2025, Not Closed
You may see outdated claims online that the MPRP "closed" in 2024. It did not — it was updated. Rules effective from January 1, 2025 (Legal Notice 310 of 2024) and revised again by Legal Notice 146 of 2025 raised fees and thresholds and introduced a new temporary permit mechanism. New main applicants are being accepted under these current rules.
€500k+
Minimum qualifying assets held anywhere worldwide (with at least €150,000 in financial assets), or €650,000 with €75,000 in financial assets
4 gen.
Family members who can be included on a single application — main applicant, spouse/partner, dependent children, and dependent parents and grandparents of both
1 year
A temporary residence permit, available soon after submission, now lets families relocate to Malta while the main MPRP application is processed
Why Investors Choose Malta's Permanent Residence Programme
The MPRP grants lifetime permanent residence status (the residence card itself is renewed every five years, but the underlying status does not expire), full Schengen Area travel of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, no minimum stay requirement in Malta, and one of the most generous family-inclusion structures of any EU residency programme — spanning the main applicant, a spouse or long-term partner, dependent children, and dependent parents and grandparents of both. It does not require applicants to relocate to Malta full-time, and it does not lead automatically to citizenship, which follows a separate, merit-based naturalisation route.
What the Programme Offers
MPRP Key Features
Lifetime Permanent Residency · Schengen Access · No Min. Stay · 4 Generations · 1-Year Temporary Permit
The MPRP grants permanent residency status (the physical card is renewed every 5 years; the underlying status is for life, subject to maintaining the qualifying investment for the first 5 years), Schengen Area access, no minimum stay requirement, and exceptional family coverage — spanning the main applicant, spouse or long-term partner, dependent children, and dependent parents and grandparents of both. One of the most generous family inclusion provisions of any EU residency programme.
How It Compares
Other Active EU Residency-by-Investment Options
Portugal Golden Visa · Greece Golden Visa · Latvia Investor Visa · Cyprus Golden Visa
For investors comparing the MPRP against other EU options: Portugal's Golden Visa (funds from €500,000, 5yr path to citizenship); Greece's Golden Visa (real estate from €250,000, zero stay); Latvia's Investor Visa (multiple routes from €50,000); and Cyprus's Golden Visa (€300,000+, lifetime permit, Non-Dom tax regime). Malta's MPRP stands out for its four-generation family inclusion and lack of a citizenship pathway — it is a residence-only programme. Compare all active programmes →
MPRP: The Current Three-Pillar Investment Structure
Applicants must satisfy a three-pillar financial commitment simultaneously: a government contribution, a philanthropic donation, and a qualifying property investment — on top of demonstrating the underlying asset threshold. The figures below reflect the rules in force from January 1, 2025 (Legal Notice 310/2024), as further revised by Legal Notice 146/2025 effective July 22, 2025. Applications submitted under the pre-2025 rules (before 31 December 2024, with a grace period to file supporting documents) may still be processed under the earlier, lower-cost structure — confirm which rules apply to your specific timeline with a licensed agent.
| Requirement | Current Amount & Notes (2025 Rules) |
|---|---|
| Qualifying assets €500k or €650k |
Total assets of at least €500,000 (with a minimum of €150,000 in financial assets), or alternatively €650,000 in total assets (with a minimum of €75,000 in financial assets). Assets may be held anywhere in the world. |
| Administration fee €60,000, non-refundable |
Paid in two instalments: €15,000 upon submission of the application, and €45,000 upon issuance of the Letter of Approval in Principle. This replaced the previous €40,000 flat fee. |
| Government contribution €37,000, unified |
A single €37,000 contribution now applies regardless of whether the applicant rents or purchases property — replacing the previous dual structure (which charged more for renters than buyers). |
| Philanthropic donation €2,000 |
A mandatory non-refundable donation to a registered Maltese non-governmental organisation. Unchanged from the previous rules. |
| Property purchase option €375,000 minimum |
A unified minimum of €375,000 now applies nationwide, replacing the former regional split (€300,000 in Gozo/South Malta vs. €350,000 elsewhere). Property must be held for at least 5 years; it may be leased out for temporary periods when the applicant isn't residing in Malta, under a 2025 rule change. |
| Property rental option €14,000/year minimum |
A unified minimum of €14,000/year now applies nationwide, replacing the former regional split (€10,000 in Gozo/South Malta vs. €12,000 elsewhere). Must be maintained for at least 5 years. |
| Dependant fees €7,500 per adult dependant |
Reduced from €10,000. Spouses and minor children no longer attract a separate contribution fee under the current rules — a meaningful cost reduction for family applications. |
| Temporary residence permit New in 2025 |
A one-year temporary permit is now available shortly after submission (following an initial fee payment), letting applicants and dependants relocate to Malta while the full MPRP application and due diligence are processed — addressing the old programme's biggest practical pain point. |
Malta's MPRP is now a more expensive but more flexible programme than it was two years ago — higher fees and thresholds, offset by a unified nationwide pricing structure, cheaper dependant fees, and a new temporary permit that solves the old waiting-period problem. For investors comparing options, it remains one of the few EU residency-by-investment routes with genuine four-generation family inclusion.
US GO EU — Malta MPRP Programme Update
Other Active EU Residency Programmes
Portugal Golden Visa — Fund-Based Route with a Citizenship Path
Portugal's Golden Visa is a fund-based residency-by-investment programme with EU and Schengen residency, family inclusion (spouse, children under 26, dependent parents), a minimal stay requirement (7 days average per year), and a 5-year path to citizenship — something the MPRP does not offer directly. Investment routes include qualifying investment funds from €500,000 and cultural support from €250,000. See the Portugal Golden Visa guide for the full process.
Greece Golden Visa — Lowest Threshold, Zero Stay
Greece's Golden Visa offers real estate investment from €250,000 (most regions) with zero minimum stay requirement and a renewable 5-year permit — providing full Schengen Area access for the whole family (spouse, children under 21, dependent parents of both spouses). The most affordable entry point among established EU Golden Visa programmes, with a thriving tourism market offering rental income potential on qualifying properties. See the Greece Golden Visa guide for thresholds and process.
Latvia Investor Visa & Cyprus Golden Visa — Further Options
Latvia's Investor Visa offers four investment routes from €50,000 (share capital) to €280,000 (bank deposit), with fast processing and Schengen access — one of the most flexible and accessible programmes in the EU. Cyprus's Golden Visa (€300,000+, lifetime permit, one visit every 2 years) offers permanent residency from day one and access to Cyprus's Non-Dom tax regime — though Cyprus, unlike Malta, is not yet a Schengen member. We can assess Malta alongside these programmes against your specific profile and recommend the best fit. Compare all active programmes →
If You Applied Under the Pre-2025 MPRP Rules
Your Application May Still Be Assessed Under the Old Rules — Confirm with Your Agent
Residency Malta accepted expressions of interest under the pre-2025 rules until 31 December 2024, with a grace period to 28 March 2025 to submit complete supporting documentation. If you fall within that transitional window, your file may still be processed under the older, lower-cost fee and threshold structure rather than the 2025 rules. Confirm your exact status with your licensed agent — do not assume either way.
Existing Certificate Holders Keep Their Original Terms
If you were already granted MPRP status before the 2025 changes, your certificate and its terms are not retroactively altered by the new rules. Your ongoing obligations — maintaining the qualifying property and the 5-year investment holding period — continue under the terms in place when you were approved.
Property Rules Loosened for Existing Holders Too
A 2025 rule change allows MPRP holders who purchased qualifying property to lease it out for temporary periods when they are not residing in Malta — a reversal of the earlier restriction. Renters who have held their qualifying lease for 5 years may now also sublet, subject to landlord consent and Residency Malta's guidelines.
We Connect You with Licensed Maltese Agents
Applications cannot be filed independently — the MPRP must be administered through an agent licensed by Residency Malta Agency. Whether you are assessing a pending application, managing an existing certificate, or starting fresh under the 2025 rules, we can connect you with a licensed specialist at no cost for the initial referral consultation. Whichever agent you consider, it's worth cross-checking their track record on LocalVouch, an independent directory of verified client reviews.
What You Need to Know
The MPRP was reformed, not closed — be wary of outdated claims
Some outdated content online claims the MPRP "closed" after reaching a fixed quota. This is inaccurate — the programme was updated, not shut down, under Legal Notice 310/2024 (effective January 1, 2025) and Legal Notice 146/2025 (effective July 22, 2025). New main applicant applications continue to be accepted under the current rules. If an agent tells you the programme is closed entirely, verify directly with Residency Malta Agency.
Certificate holders must maintain their qualifying investment for 5 years
Permanent residency status under the MPRP is conditional on maintaining the qualifying property investment — rental or purchase — for a minimum of 5 years from the date of the certificate. Exiting the investment before this period can jeopardise your permanent residency status. Know your exact 5-year date and plan any property decisions accordingly. After 5 years, the status becomes unconditional of the investment.
Malta is a full Schengen member — unlike Cyprus
Malta has been a full member of the Schengen Area since December 2007, alongside its EU membership since 2004. MPRP holders get visa-free travel throughout the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This is a genuine point of difference from Cyprus, whose Golden Visa does not currently carry Schengen access.
The programme must be managed exclusively through licensed Maltese agents
The MPRP is designed to be administered exclusively through agents licensed by Residency Malta Agency. Any MPRP-related service — whether for a new application, dependant additions, or existing certificate management — must be provided through a licensed agent. Unlicensed intermediaries have no standing with Residency Malta Agency and cannot provide valid services under this programme.
Malta doesn't lead to citizenship — plan your onward path if that matters to you
Unlike Portugal's Golden Visa, the MPRP is a permanent-residence programme only; it does not carry an automatic path to Maltese citizenship. Malta's own investment-based citizenship route was discontinued in 2025 following an EU court ruling, replaced by a merit-based Citizenship by Merit framework. If an eventual EU passport is a priority, Portugal's 5-year residency-to-citizenship route may be a better fit; if permanent residence with maximum family inclusion and no citizenship ambition is the goal, the MPRP remains a strong option. Compare active programmes →
Malta's MPRP is right for you if
- →You want EU and Schengen residency rights without needing to relocate to Malta full-time.
- →You want to cover an unusually wide family circle — spouse, dependent children, and dependent parents and grandparents of both — under a single application.
- →You value a well-established, rules-based programme with a decade of operating history, even at a higher cost than some alternatives.
- →You don't need an automatic path to citizenship — permanent residence itself is your objective.
Malta's MPRP offers a well-established path to EU permanent residence — but its successful execution depends on precise compliance with the current 2025 fee and threshold structure, correct application sequencing, and careful property selection. We connect you with trusted, on-the-ground experts in Malta: from selecting the right licensed agent to ensuring your application and ongoing compliance are handled correctly. Whichever agent you choose, it's worth cross-checking their track record on LocalVouch, an independent directory of verified client reviews.