No European Union citizens cannot benefit from the free movement of persons granted by the Schengen treaty.

This means that if they decide to visit a member state from the EU, they will need a tourist or short-stay visa and their visit cannot exceed 90 days.

As a result, many citizens from Latin America, Asia or Russia cannot settle in the European Union without first overcoming bureaucratic hurdles, so many that they can last for decades.

Fortunately for our readers, there is a quick and easy way to reside in the European Union: the Golden Visa or residence by investment in Malta.

What is the Maltese Golden Visa or residence by investment?

The Malta Golden Visa is intended for non-EU nationals who wish to settle in Malta. It is the most flexible solution for high net worth individuals who wish to reside, alone or with their families, in this beautiful English-speaking country in Europe in the middle of the Mediterranean.

Furthermore, having a second home in Malta is a smart investment for families interested in having a base in Europe: it provides families with a safe harbour, a Mediterranean lifestyle and first class English language education opportunities.

Who can apply for the Maltese Golden Visa?

A person may apply for the Golden Visa for investment in Malta provided that he/she is:

• Is a non-resident of the European Union.
• He/she invests a certain amount of money in real estate, funds, or companies situated in Malta or donates it to the State of Malta.
• The applicant must prove that he/she has sufficient financial resources of his/her own to reside in Malta.
• Have private health cover in Malta.
• All applications must be submitted by an authorised agent who provides evidence to the Maltese authority that the applicants are appopiatte and proper individuals who may not harm Malta; a stringent four-level due diligence awaits the applicant and their dependants.

In addition to making the required investment, applicants must have:

• Regular resources sufficient to support themselves without relying on the Maltese welfare system;
• Assets with a minimum value of €500,000 worldwide, of which a minimum of €150,000 must be in the form of financial assets.
• If you meet these conditions, you will need to submit a formal application to the Malta Residency Agency, and a due diligence check will be carried out.

If you want to , we can help you: the experienced Relocate&Save team will accompany and guide you through the whole process through our trusted partners in the Island.

What kind of investments are involved in the Maltese Golden Visa?

Unlike the Spanish and Greek visas, it has a certain complexity in terms of investment, since it requires a triple investment or triple requirement:

1) Real estate ownership requirement:

In case of purchase, the value of the property must be at least €350,000 if it is located in Malta. If the property is situated in Gozo or in the south of Malta it can be €300,000.

If rented, the rental value must be a minimum of €12,000 per annum for a property situated in Malta or €10,000 for a property situated in Gozo or Southern Malta.

2) Requirement of contribution to the Maltese state:

To make a contribution from the Government, the amount of which depends on whether the qualifying property is rented or purchased, as indicated below:

• If the property is purchased, the contribution will be €28,000 plus €7,500 for each parent or grandparent of the main applicant or spouse.
• If the property is rented, the contribution will be €58,000 plus €7,500 for each parent or grandparent of the main applicant or spouse.

3) Requirement to donate to a non-governmental organisation:

Make a donation of €2,000 to a local non-governmental organisation registered with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, or as otherwise approved by the Agency.

In addition, an administrative fee of €40,000 per application must be paid. At the time of submission of the application, €10,000  and the rest (€30,000) will be paid when the application is approved.

What are the advantages of this type of residence?

The main advantages are:

• It allows to work and live legally in Malta and the whole EU area, not only for the applicant, but also for his/her descendants.
  Benefit from the Maltese non-dom and its tax regime.
• Provides freedom of movement within the Schengen countries, allowing you to travel without the cumbersome visas.
• Allows family reunification. The investor applicant can include his or her spouse or common-law partner as well as his or her minor or unemancipated children in the residence.
• Substantially cheaper than Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or Greek with low investments or even through renting.
• Much loved by Russian and Mexican speakers, both of whom make up a notable community on the island.
• Allows you to apply for a passport under certain conditions and after a certain length of stay.

Can my family benefit from the Maltese Golden Visa?

The Golden Visa allows the applicant to extend residence to the spouse and children under the age of 18, the investor’s unmarried partner, the investor’s economically dependent children over the age of 18 who have not constituted a family unit by themselves and the investor’s dependent ascendants.

Recommendations regarding Golden Visas with real estate assets

In Malta there is too much officiousness and malpractice in the Golden Visa sector.

In fact, it is very common that the procedure of obtaining a Golden Visa is carried out by people with no legal knowledge such as real estate agents, client networks of the same nationality as the applicant or even quasi-criminal organisations.

In this regard, even if you decide not to proceed with the Golden Visa application with the Relocate&Save team, we recommend the following:

• Management of the acquisition of the real estate asset with reputable real estate agents and not through immigration lawyers. It is essential to be accompanied by specialised people and not by mere intermediaries and commission agents.
• Real estate due diligence. In case of acquiring real estate of great value, we recommend a review of burdens and risks with expert lawyers in urban planning and real estate.
• Golden Visa management with expert immigration lawyers, not through real estate agents or client networks.

How to take the first step in applying for a Maltese Golden Visa?

If you want to apply for a Golden Visa in Malta, Relocate&Save has a team of experts and a wide network of real estate agents and private bankers waiting for you.

If you have any questions and would like us to help you with the process, please write to [email protected] or use the contact form.