In short
US citizens can visit Malta visa-free for 90 days in any 180 but cannot work. Remote workers can apply for the Nomad Residence Permit with at least €42,000 a year gross; the income is tax-free for 12 months, then taxed at 10%. Investors use the MPRP permanent residence (about €99,000 plus property), and people living on foreign income or pensions use the GRP or the Malta Retirement Programme — apply by 31 December 2026 to keep the current rules, because a costlier programme replaces both in 2027. Employees need the EU Blue Card (about €38,628) or a single permit. A single person spends about €2,100–2,500 a month including rent in Valletta or Sliema. Residents ride buses free, but most permit routes need private health insurance.
Living in Malta: key facts
Last verified 28 September 2026| Visits | US citizens can stay visa-free up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area, without working# Source: US State Dept: Malta country info |
|---|---|
| Nomad Residence Permit | Remote work for a foreign employer, company or clients; at least €42,000 a year gross income; €300 fee; 1 year, renewable up to 4 years in total# Source: Residency Malta: Nomad eligibility · Residency Malta: Nomad FAQs v14.1 |
| Nomad tax | Nomad income is tax-free in Malta for the first 12 months, then taxed at a flat 10%# Source: Deloitte Malta tax alert |
| Permanent residence by investment (MPRP) | €60,000 admin fee, €37,000 contribution, €2,000 donation, plus a €375,000 property purchase or €14,000/year rent for 5 years; assets of €500,000 (€650,000 with fewer financial assets)# Source: BDO Malta: MPRP amendments · KPMG Malta (licensed agent): MPRP · Dixcart: MPRP key facts |
| Global Residence Programme | Non-EU nationals; 15% tax on foreign income remitted to Malta, minimum €15,000 a year; buy from €275,000 (€220,000 South/Gozo) or rent from €9,600 a year (€8,750); €6,000 fee (€5,500)# Source: PwC Malta: Global Residence Programme |
| Malta Retirement Programme | Pension at least 75% of your taxable income; 15% tax on pension remitted to Malta, minimum €7,500 a year (+€500 per dependant); €2,500 fee; at least 90 days a year in Malta (rules until end-2026)# Source: CSB Group: MRP · CSB Group: Malta tax residence programmes from 2027 |
| 2027 reform | From 1 January 2027 a new Individual Tax Programme replaces the GRP and the Retirement Programme: minimum tax €35,000 (€15,000 for pensioners), property €700,000 or €14,000 a year rent, €8,500 fee; applications filed by 31 December 2026 keep the old rules until 2031# Source: CC Malta: Malta launches the Individual Tax Programme (2027) · CSB Group: Malta tax residence programmes from 2027 |
| EU Blue Card | Salary of 1.5 × the average gross salary — about €38,628 a year in 2026; valid up to 2 years or the contract plus 3 months# Source: Identità: highly qualified and Key Employee Initiative FAQs · GVZH: Malta immigration for skilled workers |
| Key Employee Initiative | Fast-track work permit for salaries of at least €45,000 a year; processed in about 5 working days# Source: Identità: highly qualified and Key Employee Initiative FAQs |
| Single permit | The employer advertises the job with Jobsplus and EURES for at least 3 weeks first; fees €600 for the first permit and €150 per year to renew# Source: Mondaq: Malta migration policy 2025 |
| Healthcare | Free public healthcare for people paying Maltese social security; permit holders on the Nomad, GRP, retirement and MPRP routes need private health insurance# Source: Malta EESSI healthcare info |
| Income tax | Residents pay 0–35%: 0% up to €12,000, then 15%, 25% and 35% above €60,000 (single, 2026)# Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Malta — individual taxes |
| Non-domiciled residents | Foreign income is taxed only if brought to Malta; a €5,000 minimum tax applies if foreign income is €35,000 or more# Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Malta — individual taxes |
| Social security | 10% employee + 10% employer, capped; self-employed 15% of net income (€36.18–83.89 a week in 2026)# Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Malta — other taxes · Social Security Contributions (Class 2) 2026 (DSS Malta) |
| Public transport | Free buses (and the Valletta ferries) for residents with a personalised tallinja card since October 2022# Source: Free Travel Scheme with effect from 1 October 2022 (Malta Public Transport) · Tallinja Ferry Service (Malta Public Transport) |
| Living costs | A single person spends about €880 a month without rent in Valletta (Numbeo, June 2026) — about €2,140 with a central 1-bedroom# Source: Cost of Living in Valletta (Numbeo) |
| US reporting | FBAR if foreign accounts exceed $10,000 at any time; Form 8938 from $200,000 at year-end ($300,000 at any time) for a single filer living abroad# Source: IRS: Form 8938 vs FBAR |
Not American?
Canadians, Australians, Brits and other non-EU citizens: the same rules apply
Malta's residence rules are the same for all non-EU citizens, so Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and Brits follow the same routes as Americans. Only a few points differ:
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- Japan
- South Korea
- + other visa-free countries
| EU citizens | No permit needed — they register their residence, and use the Residence Programme (TRP) rather than the GRP for the flat-tax status. |
|---|---|
| Short stays | US citizens can stay visa-free up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area, without working. |
| Home-country tax | US citizens stay taxable in the US on worldwide income and must report Maltese accounts; most other nationals are taxed only where they live. |
| Documents from abroad | Need an apostille; the US, Canada (since 11 Jan 2024), the UK, Australia and NZ issue them. Documents in English need no translation.Source: HCCH: Apostille Convention status table |
Overview
Malta — Europe's English-Speaking Island Nation
Malta is the EU's smallest member state: three inhabited islands south of Sicily with 588,254 people at the end of 2025, almost a third of them foreign nationals. English is an official language alongside Maltese, the euro is the currency, and you are inside the Schengen area. The trade-offs are high rents in the harbour towns, traffic, hot summers and permit routes that have become more expensive since 2024.
We help you choose the right route, prepare your documents and settle into life in Malta.
Malta suits remote workers, investors and retirees who want an English-speaking EU base — but time your application well, because the tax programmes change on 1 January 2027.
Our Services
Your Pathway to Malta
Route analysis
Nomad permit, MPRP, GRP, retirement programme or a work permit — and whether to apply before the 2027 reform.
Application support
Apostilled documents, health insurance, housing proof and your residence card at Identità.
Business set-up
Malta Ltd registration, bank account and the shareholder tax refund — with US tax in mind.
Settling in
Housing, tax registration, social security and your tallinja card for free buses.
Long-term planning
Long-term residence after 5 years and naturalisation.
Visas & Residency
Navigating Malta Visas & Residency
Americans can stay 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area without a visa, but cannot work. Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System records your fingerprints and photo at the border. To live in Malta you need one of the routes below. The Nomad permit is handled by Residency Malta, the MPRP and GRP through licensed or authorised agents, and work permits by Identità.
Nomad Residence Permit
Work remotely for a foreign employer, your own foreign company or foreign clients, earning at least €42,000 a year gross. The fee is €300, and the permit lasts 1 year, renewable up to 4 years in total. Spouse and children can join. Nomad income is tax-free for the first 12 months, then taxed at 10%.
- Min. income
- €42,000/year gross
- Max. stay
- 4 years
Permanent Residence (MPRP)
About €99,000 in fees, contribution and donation, plus a €375,000 property or €14,000 a year in rent for at least 5 years, and assets of €500,000. Permanent residence for the whole family from approval.
- Fees + contribution
- About €99,000
Global Residence Programme (GRP)
A special tax status with residence for non-EU nationals living on foreign income. 15% tax on income brought to Malta, minimum €15,000 a year, and a property from €275,000 or rent from €9,600 a year (less in the South and Gozo). File by 31 December 2026 to keep these rules.
- Min. tax
- €15,000 a year
- From 2027
- €35,000 a year
Malta Retirement Programme
For pensioners whose pension makes up at least 75% of their taxable income. 15% tax on pension brought to Malta, minimum €7,500 a year, and at least 90 days a year in Malta.
- Min. tax
- €7,500 a year
EU Blue Card
A qualified job paying 1.5 times the average salary — about €38,628 a year in 2026. Valid up to 2 years or the length of the contract plus 3 months. Jobs paying €45,000+ can use the Key Employee Initiative, processed in about 5 working days.
- Min. salary
- About €38,628
Single Permit (Work + Residence)
For other jobs. The employer must first advertise the vacancy with Jobsplus and EURES for at least 3 weeks. The fee is €600 for the first permit and €150 per year to renew.
- Job advert
- 3 weeks
Citizenship by Naturalisation
After 1 year of continuous residence plus 4 years in the previous 6, at the minister's discretion; dual citizenship is allowed. Citizenship by investment closed in July 2025 after the EU Court of Justice ruling C-181/23.
- Investment citizenship
- Closed
From 1 January 2027 a new Individual Tax Programme replaces the GRP and the Retirement Programme: minimum tax €35,000 (€15,000 for pensioners), property €700,000 or €14,000 a year rent, €8,500 fee; applications filed by 31 December 2026 keep the old rules until 2031.
Cost of Living
Malta Cost of Living for Americans
Malta is no longer a bargain. A single person spends about €880 a month in Valletta before rent (Numbeo, June 2026). A central 1-bedroom costs about €1,263 in Valletta, €1,564 in Sliema and €813 in Gozo, so most people budget €2,100–2,500 a month in the harbour area and less in Gozo or the south.
| Item | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| 1-bed, Valletta centre / outside | about €1,263 / €993 |
| 1-bed, Sliema centre | about €1,564 |
| 1-bed, St Julian's centre | about €1,167 |
| 1-bed, Gozo centre | about €813 |
| Everyday costs without rent (Valletta) | about €880 |
| Utilities (85 m²) + internet (Valletta) | about €165 |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | about €20 |
Numbeo, 2026. Source: Numbeo: Valletta · Numbeo: Malta
Residents with a personalised tallinja card ride buses free, including the Gozo routes and the Valletta ferries. Malta has no inheritance or wealth tax, and VAT is 18%.
Where to Live
Top Destinations for American Expats in Malta
Valletta
The historic capital — compact, walkable and quiet at night. Living in Valletta guide →
Sliema and St Julian's
The main expat hub, with seafront flats, offices, cafés and nightlife — and the highest rents.
Gzira, Msida and Swieqi
Near Sliema and the University of Malta, slightly cheaper and popular with young professionals.
Mosta and the centre
Quieter residential towns with more space and access to schools such as QSI.
Gozo
Rural, calm and the cheapest rents; the ferry from Ċirkewwa takes about 25 minutes.
Expat Tips
Essential Tips for Americans Relocating to Malta
Check the 2027 deadline
If you want the GRP or the retirement programme, file by 31 December 2026 to keep the current minimum tax and property rules until 2031.
Budget for private health insurance
The Nomad, GRP, retirement and MPRP routes all require private cover; free public care depends on paying Maltese social security.
Mind US tax
Malta's remittance basis does not change US tax. You still file a US return, an FBAR and possibly Form 8938. There is no US–Malta Social Security agreement.
Avoid Maltese personal pension schemes
Since a 2021 IRS–Malta agreement they no longer get US treaty pension treatment, and the IRS lists them as an abusive arrangement.
Open a bank account early
Know-your-customer checks can be slow for newcomers — start as soon as you have an address.
Get your tallinja card
Register for a personalised card to ride buses and the Valletta ferries free.
Why Partner With Us
Expert Guidance for Your Malta Relocation
We work with licensed agents, lawyers and accountants in Malta who handle residence, tax and company matters for non-EU clients.
We check every route against the official rules and your US tax position before you commit.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is Malta's Nomad Residence Permit?
A permit for remote workers employed or contracted outside Malta. You need at least €42,000 a year gross, health insurance and housing; the fee is €300 and it can be renewed up to 4 years in total.
Do I pay tax in Malta on a Nomad permit?
Nomad income is tax-free for the first 12 months, then taxed at a flat 10%. As a US citizen you still file a US return.
What is the MPRP?
Malta's permanent residence by investment — about €99,000 in fees, contribution and donation, plus a €375,000 property or €14,000 a year in rent. It does not lead to citizenship by itself.
Is English an official language in Malta?
Yes. Maltese and English are both official, and English is used in government, business and education.
Does Malta allow dual citizenship?
Yes. Naturalisation needs 1 year of continuous residence plus 4 years in the previous 6, and is discretionary.
Malta
Everything about moving to Malta
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