The Residence Programme is designed to attract individuals who are nationals of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland and who are not permanent residents of Malta. As an applicant, you will be able to enjoy special tax benefits:

• a flat tax rate of 15% on any income that is received in Malta from foreign sources. Applicants are entitled to a double taxation relief on income arising outside Malta;
• no income tax on income derived outside Malta and which is not received in Malta;
• no income tax on capital gains proceeds outside Malta and which are received in Malta.

The minimum tax payable is €15,000 yearly.

Eligibility Criteria

Nationals of the EU, EA, and Switzerland are eligible for the Residence Programme. As an applicant for the Malta Residence Programme, you must be at least 18 years of age, of good character, without a criminal record, in good health and economically self-sufficient to sustain yourself and any of your dependents without having to resort to the social welfare of Malta. Applicants must not reside in another jurisdiction for longer than 183 days in a calendar year.

Real Estate Investment

Under the Malta Residence Programme, you are required to either purchase a property having a minimum value of €275,000 if in the north of Malta, or €220,000 if in the south of Malta or Gozo. Alternatively, you can either rent a property for a minimum value of €9,600 yearly if it is located in the north of Malta, or €8,750 yearly if the property is located either in the south of the island or in Gozo.

You should have purchased or rented the property before submitting the application.

Medical Insurance

A proper medical insurance cover for you and any dependents is required when applying for the Residence Programme. The insurance company providing the medical cover must either be registered in Malta, or else be a reputable and recognized international insurance company. It is important to note that you will need to submit a certified copy of the insurance certificate with your application.

The Benefits of the Residence Programme

The Residence Programme will offer you and your dependents special and favourable tax status and treatment as well as other benefits, including:

• unique culture and lifestyle;
• English speaking country;
• residency can be acquired and extended to all dependent family members
• a flat tax rate of 15% on any income that is received in Malta;
• no income tax on income generated outside Malta and which is not received in Malta;
• no income tax on capital gains on proceeds outside Malta and which are received in Malta;
• entitlement to a double taxation relief on income arising outside Malta.

Exemptions for Beneficiaries of Other Tax Programmes

To be eligible for the Residence Programme, you must relinquish your right to any other tax incentive benefit offered in Malta prior to applying for the MRP. These are:

• Residents Scheme Regulations;
• High Net Worth Individuals Rules;
• Malta Retirement Programme Rules;
• Global Residence Programme Rules;
• Qualifying Employment in Innovation and Creativity Rules; and
• Highly Qualified Persons Rules.

The Residence Programme application form will allow your Authorised Registered Mandatory to declare in writing that you have relinquished your entitlement to any of the above, to enable you to pursue your application for the Residence Programme.

Government Fees

For the application to be accepted and processed by the Government of Malta, you will need to pay a non-refundable contribution fee to the Commissioner For Revenue upon submission of the Residence Programme application. The value of the contribution will depend on the location of the property. The contribution should be €6000 if the qualifying property is in the north of Malta, and €5500 if the qualifying property is in the south of Malta.

How to Apply for the Residence Programme

You can apply for the Residence Programme through an Authorised Registered Mandatory, who will be authorised by you to act on your behalf and liaise with the Malta Commissioner For Revenue.

Signature Private Office is part of The Signature Selection. We are an Authorised Registered Mandatory (ARM) duly registered and licensed by the Commissioner for Revenue with licence number ARM 04861.

After You Have Submitted Your Application

Once your application, together with all supporting documentation required plus the contribution fee is received by the Commissioner For Revenue, the necessary checks will be conducted to make sure that all the relevant has been appropriately submitted. An acknowledgement letter will then be issued to your Authorised Registered Mandatory. If the application is, for some reason, incomplete and cannot be processed, you will be notified.

All valid applications go through a due diligence process, the result of which will be notified to your Authorised Registered Mandatory. If the outcome is positive the applicant, together with their Authorised Registered Mandatory, will be invited to attend a face-to-face interview with the authorities.

Following the interview, if a certified final deed or lease agreement is still pending, a letter of intent will be issued. The letter will be valid for one year from the date it was issued, and the outstanding documents must be submitted within that time. Alternatively, if all necessary papers are in place, a notice of primary residence will be sent to you to sign and return back.