MMalta Residence/Citizenship through investment part 1 – that will be the topic of today’s article.
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Introduction
Malta is famous for its exquisite view of seas, awesome climate, social life, high-quality living standards, and low crime rate.
In today’s article, we will discuss the details of different types of visas, residency programs, citizenship programs, and all the other details related to becoming a citizen of Malta.
Information about Visas:
Concerning your visit to Malta, there is an availability of different types of visas depending on the purpose of the visit of an individual.
Whether it is for pursuing education or employment, or if you going to Malta for residing there permanently, you will be required to apply for a Malta Schengen Visa depending on the type of visit.
The Malta Schengen Visa came into existence in 2007 when Malta became a Member State of the European Union along with becoming a member of the state of the Schengen Area.
However, there are some restrictions set up by the country because of the Coronavirus outbreak. These restrictions included a ban on third-country nationals from entering the country.
In mid-March 2020, all the member countries of the European Union and Schengen Area also imposed an EU-wide ban.
As time passed, the entry was made available for the residents of Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, France, Ireland, Iceland, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Greece, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Poland, Norway, Spain, Slovakia, and Switzerland.
Recently, Malta lifted the ban for the people belonging to Australia, New Zealand, China, South Korea, Rwanda, and UAE.
Nonetheless, people from other countries are also allowed into the country on humanitarian grounds, or if the individual’s entry is deemed to be crucial.
If the entry of the individual is deemed important, then there would be a specific authorization issued by the Superintendent of Public Health.
General documentation required:
While applying for a Visa to enter Malta, you will be required to submit the following documentation, which is the same for all individuals regardless of their purpose of visit.
- First, you will have to download and fill out a Malta Visa application form, which can also be done electronically, and print a hard copy of the completed application form.
You can get access to the Malta Visa application by clicking this link.
- Two passport size photos should be attached along with the application.
You can get the details regarding the photo requirements and specifications for a Maltese Visa application by clicking here.
- Your current passport along with the copies of previous visas. You must make sure that the passport is valid for at least 3 months beyond the return date and should also contain a minimum of two blank pages.
- A copy of the return ticket booking. There is no necessity for booking a ticket before getting a visa unless it is necessary.
- A valid Travel Medical Insurance, which has a coverage of at least €30,000 in Malta as well as the entire Schengen area.
- A visa cover letter, which describes the purpose of your visit to Malta and itinerary.
- Flight ticket reservation (if it is applicable)
- Civil Status proof such as Marriage Certificate, Children’s Birth Certificate, Death Certificate of a Spouse, etc., if any of these are applicable.
- Proof of Accommodation for the entirety of your stay in Malta.
- Means of Subsistence. Proof ensuring that the person is financially stable to get through his/her entire stay in Malta.
According to the information provided by the European Commission, any foreign individual who wishes to enter Malta is required to own an amount equivalent to €48/day for the duration of their stay.
This attestation should be submitted to the Malta Embassy or Consulate.
Additional documentation for Employees:
- Employment contract
- Recent Bank Statement (for the past 6 months)
- No Objection Certificate, which has been obtained from the employer.
- Income Tax Return form or a Certificate of Income Tax deducted at source (from the salary).
Additional documentation for Self-employed individuals:
- A copy of the business license
- Company’s bank statement (last 6 months).
- Income Tax Return
Additional documentation for students:
- Proof of enrollment into a college/school/university
- Leave approval letter obtained from the school/college/university
Additional documentation for retired individuals:
- Pension payment statement for the past 6 months.
Important Notes – Apart from these documents, you might also be required to submit proof related to the regular income generated from a property for the past 6 months (if deemed necessary).
The application form must be duly signed and added with all the documents necessary and submitted to the relevant embassy/consulate or its representative in your country of residence.
Additional documentation for most frequent visit purposes:
Additional requirements for Malta Tourist Schengen Visa:
- Invitation letter obtained from a family member or sponsor living in Malta, along with their address and phone number.
- Bank statement (last 6 months).
- Copies of passport.
Additional requirements for Malta Visa for Business Purposes:
- Invitation letter obtained from a Maltese company that you will visit, along with the company’s detailed address and dates of your visit.
- Proof of certificate obtained from your employer, which states that you will be allowed to travel for business purposes.
- In case there were any previous trade relations between the two companies (the company for which work and the company you are going to visit), then proof of those events should also be submitted.
- Corporate/Business bank statement for the past 6 months.
- Memo and Article of Association related to registration with joint stock companies (original certified copy).
- Trade License (One that has been issued first as well as the current renewal).
- Proprietorship/Partnership documents.
Additional requirements for Malta Visa for Medical Purposes:
- A local medical report
- A medical attestation obtained from a doctor or a hospital in Malta, which should confirm the details regarding the date of your appointment and your current medical condition.
- Payment receipt related to your medical fees.
Additional requirements for Malta Visa for Cultural, Sports, Film Crew, or Religious Purposes:
- An invitation letter obtained from the respective authorities along with details regarding the nature of events or activities such as the reason for visit, expense coverage, and so on.
- Names of all the applicants
- Duration of stay
- Travel Itinerary
Additional requirements for Malta Visa for Members of Official Delegations:
- A copy of the official invitation
- ID proof of the applicant
- Reason for visit such as negotiations, meetings, international organization meetings, etc.
- Duration of stay
- Details regarding the place of accommodation.
Additional requirements for Malta Visa for Research, Study, Training, or Internship Purposes:
- An enrollment certificate, which allows the individual to attend the course.
- Certificate of completion or certificate of courses attended.
- Financial Sustenance
Additional requirements for Malta Visa for Spouse of a Maltese Citizen:
- Proof of Maltese Citizenship, which can be an ID Card or Consular Card or Certification of Maltese Nationality, or Naturalization Order.
- Maltese Marriage Certificate
- Maltese Family Record Book
Additional requirements for Malta Airport Transit Visa:
- Visa or any other entry permit in the transit country.
- A copy of a valid visa for the intended destination.
Additional requirements for Malta Visa for Underage Children:
- Proof of parents’ regular income, which can be a bank statement or business license, or a work contract with specified monthly income.
- Travel permission from parent/legal guardian (parent travel consent), which should be notarized.
- If either one of the parents lives in another country, then notarized parental travel consent is required from them as well.
- During the process of applying for a Visa at a Maltese embassy or consulate in the individual’s home country, the parent or the legal guardian of the underage children must accompany them.
These documents must be submitted at Malta’s diplomatic missions or its representations when you intend to go to Malta or if Malta happens to be the entry point for entering the Schengen area.
Airport Transit Visa:
With the help of this vias, you can cross the international transit zone of Malta’s International Airport. Only the people from the list of countries with an obligation for an Airport Transit Visa need this type of visa.
Short Stay “C” Visa (Schengen):
With this visa, an individual will be allowed to transit through Malta or remain in the country for 90 days. With this visa, people can also stay in the member states of the Schengen area.
Upon entering the country, an individual will be allowed to stay for 90 days, and this 90-day period should be within six months of entering the Schengen area.
The validity period of the Schengen short-term visa is determined according to the duration of the travel, which is usually for a maximum period of five years.
Based on an individual’s estimated number of stays, the Schengen visa can be issued as:
- Single Entry Visa:
With this visa, an individual will be allowed to stay for a continuous period, which must not exceed 3 months.
- Double Entry Visa:
This visa allows two stays during the set period, and the maximum length of stays (combined) should not exceed 3 months.
- Multiple Entry Visa:
This visa allows two stays during the set period, and the maximum length of stays (combined) should not exceed 3 months within a timeframe of 6 months.
National Long-Stay “D” Visa:
With the help of this visa, individuals are allowed to stay in Malta for a period longer than 90 days.
The applications for long-stay visas are not following the representation arrangements, and people who wish to have this visa must get in contact with the Central Visa Unit regarding additional information.
Residency in Malta:
Before we talk about the residence by investment program of Malta, let us take a look at the normal residence program in Malta.
Malta Ordinary Residence Programme:
In order to become eligible for this type of residency permit, an individual has to physically stay in Malta for at least six months or 183 days in a given calendar year.
This type of residence permit is available for EU/EEA individuals as well as non-EU/EEA individuals, for which, an individual would have to stay in Malta for three months.
In the case of non-EU/EEA nationals, there might be some restrictions and conditions depending on the employment and self-employment rights. Similar to the entry, the eligibility for this programme is also dependent on the nationality of an individual.
The qualifying criteria for EU/EEA individuals are as follows:
- Financial sustenance.
- Employment status in Malta or information related to studies in Malta.
- Details regarding family members living in Malta.
- Address proof in Malta, which can be obtained by buying or renting a property.
- Staying in Malta for at least three months.
The qualifying criteria for non- EU/EEA individuals are as follows:
- Address proof in Malta, which can be obtained by buying or renting a property.
- Employment status, whether it is normal employment, self-employment, or holding a company/business in Malta.
To work in Malta, an employment license is necessary. Self-employed individuals need to make an investment of at least €500,000 within six months after they acquire a license from Jobsplus.
If the individual owns a business, then he/she must recruit at least three EEA/Maltese/Swiss nationals within 18 months after establishing a company.
The company must involve in a project approved by Malta Enterprise and systematically informed to Jobsplus.
- People who are shareholders of a Maltese company also come under the category of self-employment, when they hold shares having a value of at least €500,000.
The share capital cannot be redeemed, reduced, or transferred by the individual for at least two years. This share capital should either be of cash or stock transfers.
People who obtain this type of residence permit are able to renew it every five years.
Additionally, the Single Permit allows people belonging to third countries to stay in Malta for more than six months. All such applications should be endorsed by a local employer.
Such applications can be made even when the individual resides abroad, and after successfully acquiring the permit, individuals can renew their permit.
Third-country nationals are able to apply for this permit under the category of employment except for international or humanitarian protection in Malta or other EU member states.
For people who are citizens of EU/EEA/Swiss and their family members or third-country nationals, the residence permit will not apply for their right to work.
