Malta Permanent Residence Programme from Dubai
Malta Permanent Residence: true EU permanent residence, with Schengen access.Government costs from about $110,700, plus a home to rent or buy.
Malta’s Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) gives non EU applicants and up to four generations of their family the right to live in Malta indefinitely. It is the only route here that is permanent from the start. You pay non refundable government contributions, rent or buy a home and show assets of at least about $559,000.
- Government costs about $110,700 for a couple with minor children: administration $67,100, contribution $41,400 and a $2,240 donation
- Rent from about $15,700 a year or buy from about $419,200, kept at least 5 years
- Applications go only through a Residency Malta licensed agent
Fees rose in 2025, and some nationalities cannot apply.
Since July 2025 the administration fee is EUR 60,000 (about $67,100) and the government contribution is a single EUR 37,000 (about $41,400), whether you rent or buy. Agents report that nationals of sanctioned countries, including Iran and Russia, are not accepted. Malta ended citizenship by investment in 2025, so this programme does not lead to a passport. We give our fee in writing before you pay anything.
Up to 90 days in any 180 in the other Schengen countries with a valid residence card.
An indefinite right to live in Malta, with no set number of days you must spend there.
The certificate does not include a right to work. Employment needs separate authorisation.
A European residence permit does not change UK or US visa rules. If your passport needs a UK or US visa today, it still will.
Malta Permanent Residence at a Glance
- Programme
- Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP), Subsidiary Legislation 217.26, run by Residency Malta Agency
- Status
- Indefinite right to live in Malta. The residence card is renewed every 5 years.
- Administration fee
- About $67,100 (EUR 60,000): about $16,800 within 1 month of submission and about $50,300 after approval in principle
- Government contribution
- About $41,400 (EUR 37,000), the same whether you rent or buy
- Donation
- About $2,240 (EUR 2,000) to a registered Maltese NGO
- Home
- Buy from about $419,200 (EUR 375,000) or rent from about $15,700 (EUR 14,000) a year, anywhere in Malta or Gozo, kept at least 5 years
- Assets
- At least about $559,000 (EUR 500,000) including about $167,700 in financial assets, or about $726,600 (EUR 650,000) including about $83,800 in financial assets, kept 5 years
- Adult dependants
- About $8,400 (EUR 7,500) each for adult children, parents and grandparents. Spouse and children under 18 are free.
- Residence card
- About $559 (EUR 500) per person
- Agent
- A Residency Malta licensed agent is mandatory
- Minimum stay
- None in the programme rules
- Timeline
- Due diligence usually takes 3 to 12 months. A 1 year temporary permit can be requested on submission.
Malta Permanent Residence Programme Changes in 2025 and 2026
- Legal Notice 146 of 2025 raised the administration fee to EUR 60,000, paid in two parts, and replaced separate rent and buy contributions with one EUR 37,000 contribution.
- Contributions for a spouse and minor children were removed, and adult dependants now pay EUR 7,500 each.
- A 1 year temporary residence permit on submission was introduced, and a purchased home may now be let.
- Agent licensing moved to a new Residency Malta regime, with older licences valid only to 31 December 2025.
- Malta ended citizenship by investment with Act XXI of 2025 after the EU Court of Justice ruled against it on 29 April 2025. The residence programme was not affected.
How to Apply for the Malta Permanent Residence Programme from Dubai
- Choose a licensed agent. Only Residency Malta licensed agents can submit, and you can use only one at a time.
- Pre check. Nationality, assets, source of funds and family members.
- Submit and pay the first part. About $16,800 of the administration fee within 1 month of submission. You can request a 1 year temporary permit.
- Due diligence. Checks on every family member, usually 3 to 12 months.
- Approval in principle. Pay the remaining administration fee and any adult dependant fees within 2 months.
- Complete within 8 months. Rent or buy the home, pay the contribution and donation and arrange health insurance.
- Certificate and cards. Fingerprints in Malta, then residence cards renewed every 5 years.
Malta Permanent Residence Programme Costs and Fees
- Government payments
- About $110,700 for a couple with children under 18
- Adult dependants
- About $8,400 each
- Residence cards
- About $559 per person
- Home
- Rent from about $15,700 a year, or buy from about $419,200 plus purchase costs
- Licensed agent
- Reported at about $16,800 to $33,500
- Example
- A couple with two children under 18 who rent pays about $110,700 to the government, about $2,240 for cards and about $78,300 in rent over 5 years, before agent and legal fees
- Not included
- Health insurance, translations, travel to Malta and our fee
Amounts are set in euros by law. USD figures use the European Central Bank rate of 3 November 2026 (1 EUR = 1.1179 USD) and are rounded, so the dollar amount you pay will move with the exchange rate.
Are Malta Permanent Residence Payments Refundable?
No government payment is refundable. The administration fee, contribution and donation are costs you do not get back.
If you buy, you keep the property. If you rent, the rent is spent. The first part of the administration fee is paid at submission, so ask the agent in writing what happens to your money if the application is refused.
Who Can Be Included in the Malta Permanent Residence Programme
- Your spouse or partner
- Children under 18
- Unmarried children aged 18 to 28 who depend on you
- Dependent parents and grandparents of you or your spouse
- Adult children of any age with a disability
Malta Permanent Residence and Citizenship
MPRP is permanent residence from the start, so you do not renew the status, only the card every 5 years. After the first 5 years you still need to keep a home in Malta.
Malta ended citizenship by investment in 2025. Ordinary naturalisation needs years of actual residence in Malta and is discretionary, so do not choose this programme for a passport.
Malta Permanent Residence Programme Risks to Weigh Before You Decide
- Money spent. About $110,700 or more is not recovered.
- Nationality limits. Nationals of sanctioned countries are excluded.
- Asset test. You must show and keep the required assets for 5 years.
- Discretionary checks. Due diligence can be long, and a refusal is possible after you have paid the first fee.
- No passport path. Citizenship by investment has ended.
Malta Compared With Other Residency Routes
How Visa Doctor Will Help
Visa Doctor FZC is a UAE registered immigration services company (trade licence 4417571.01, Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone). We are not a government authorised agent for any programme, and we do not sell property or fund units or take investment money.
Malta applications can only be submitted by a Residency Malta licensed agent. We explain the rules and costs honestly, check your eligibility, nationality and documents and, if you decide to proceed, help you reach a licensed agent. We give our fee in writing before you pay anything. We never promise approval, which belongs to the government involved.
Malta Permanent Residence Programme: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Malta Permanent Residence Programme cost?
Government payments are an administration fee of EUR 60,000 (about $67,100), a contribution of EUR 37,000 (about $41,400) and a EUR 2,000 (about $2,240) donation to a Maltese NGO, about $110,700 in total for a couple with children under 18. Adult children, parents and grandparents add about $8,400 each, and residence cards are about $559 per person. You must also rent a home from about $15,700 a year or buy from about $419,200, and show assets of at least about $559,000. Agent fees are extra, and Visa Doctor gives its own fee in writing before you pay anything.
Is Malta permanent residence really permanent?
Yes. The certificate gives an indefinite right to live in Malta. The residence card is renewed every 5 years, and you must keep the qualifying home and assets for the first 5 years.
Does Malta permanent residence allow Schengen travel?
Yes. Malta is in the Schengen Area, so the residence card lets you travel to the other Schengen countries without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180 day period.
Do I have to live in Malta?
No. The programme rules set no minimum stay. You must keep a qualifying home in Malta, whether you use it or not.
Is it better to rent or buy?
Renting keeps the upfront cost lower, at about $78,300 over 5 years at the minimum rent, but the rent is spent. Buying from about $419,200 costs more upfront but leaves you with a property. The government contribution is the same either way.
Who can be included?
Up to four generations: your spouse or partner, children under 18, unmarried dependent children aged 18 to 28, dependent parents and grandparents of you or your spouse, and adult children with a disability.
Which nationalities cannot apply?
Residency Malta excludes nationals of sanctioned countries. Agents report this currently includes Afghanistan, Belarus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen. Confirm with a licensed agent before you pay anything.
Does Malta permanent residence lead to a passport?
Not directly. Malta ended citizenship by investment in 2025 after the EU Court of Justice ruling of 29 April 2025. Ordinary naturalisation needs years of actual residence in Malta and is at the government’s discretion.
Sources and Last Check
Last checked 4 November 2026. Sources: Residency Malta Agency’s MPRP legal framework and list of licensed agents; Subsidiary Legislation 217.26 as amended by Legal Notice 146 of 2025; the EU Court of Justice judgment in case C-181/23; licensed agent publications for the nationality list; and the ECB euro reference rate. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
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