Malta Residence Schemes

Maltese immigration law provides two main residence schemes or programmes for taking up residence in Malta, namely the Permanent Residence Scheme (PRS) and the Ordinary Residence permit.  Persons may decide to move their residence status to Malta for various purposes, including offshore living, international business travel, tax reasons or for retirement.

Permanent Residence Scheme Ordinary Residence Permit
Tax on worldwide wealth none none
Tax on worldwide income not remitted to Malta none none
Tax rate on remitted income 15% (subject to min.) tax rates
Minimum annual tax EUR4,192 0
Fiscal viability: remittance by a single taxpayer > EUR23,500 < EUR23,500
Fiscal viability: remittance by a married couple > EUR28,500 < EUR28,500
Inheritance tax none none
Wealth tax none none
Permanent Residence Scheme Ordinary Residence Permit
Investment required none none
Minimum stay none 6 months in every year
Property requirement rent or buy   rent or buy
Malta address to be obtained before/during/after obtaining residence before obtaining residence
Application processing time short 1 week
Renewal (just a formality) annual annual
Cancellation/Non-renewal only if conditions are breached only if conditions are breached
Eligibility EU & Non-EU nationals EU nationals
Conversions between permits possible yes yes
Entitlement to Citizenship no no

* The issue of Ordinary Residence Permits to Non-EU nationals is at the authority’s discretion.

For more information about the 1988 Malta Permanent Residence Scheme, about the Maltese Ordinary Residence permit, or about the HNWI Schemes, click on the links on the left hand menu of this page.