The Malta immigration program has emerged as a dark horse following the Hungarian immigration program, with the Maltese government successively relaxing immigration requirements in recent years. What does the latest Malta immigration policy entail? And what impact will it have on investors?
1. Removal of Departure Requirements
The new policy removes the departure requirements. The most direct benefit is that applicants can reside in Malta continuously, making this program a true "permanent residency." Furthermore, it connects with the European Union, allowing applicants to reside in Malta continuously; upon meeting certain residency durations and other conditions, they may apply for EU citizenship. By meeting the requirement of residing for 4 years and 2 months within a 5-year period, applicants can also obtain an EU permanent residence card. Those who have obtained permanent residency can also depart from Malta at any time to travel and vacation in major Schengen Area countries and Commonwealth nations.
2. Relaxation of Restrictions on Accompanying Children
The new policy also relaxes restrictions on accompanying children, allowing older, financially dependent children to qualify for inclusion. Under the new legislation, accompanying children who meet the requirements at the time of the initial application can maintain their permanent resident status. Additionally, the new legislation provides clear instructions on how to add new applicants, allowing for the inclusion of additional dependents and extending benefits to the spouses and children of accompanying children.
In other words, after the main applicant immigrates to Malta, children born or adopted after the initial application, as well as the spouses and children of the applicant's children after they marry, can all apply for Malta permanent residency in one go.
3. Recognition of All Spousal Relationships
According to the new Malta investment immigration policy, the spouse of the main applicant may be a spouse in a monogamous marriage or in a relationship with the same or similar circumstances as a marriage, depending on the specific situation. This new regulation means that relationships between men and women, as well as same-sex spousal relationships, will be recognized.
4. Relaxation of No-Criminal-Record Requirements
The new legislation raises the age requirement for minor children to provide a no-criminal-record certificate from 12 to 14 years old. Only accompanying children aged 14 and above are required to provide such a certificate. This is more favorable for applicants, saving them the trouble of obtaining certificates and reducing some notary and authentication fees.
5. Adjustment of Government Application Fees
The new legislation changes the previous fee of 30,000 Euros per family to an additional fee of 5,000 Euros per person if applying with parents or grandparents.
In other words, the total government application fee for the main applicant + spouse + children is 30,000 Euros. For the parents and grandparents of the main applicant and spouse, the fee is 5,000 Euros per person. If an accompanying child marries in the future, their spouse and children can also obtain Malta immigration status by paying an application fee of 5,000 Euros per person after passing due diligence.