Malta Citizenship for Indians

Before discussing the process of immigration to Malta from India, it is crucial to understand the difference between permanent residency (PR) and citizenship in the country.

PR programs allow foreign individuals to live permanently in a country for as long as they want. PR status often comes with plenty of benefits, such as visa-free travel, healthcare and education facilities, and so on. On the other hand, citizenship is a much bigger decision that allows a foreign national to become an official citizen of a country.

In the case of Malta, there are two different programs for citizenship and PR. While PR is offered via the PRP (Permanent Residence Program), citizenship is offered through IIP (Individual Investor Program).

As compared to other European nations, both of these programs in Malta require significant investments from the candidates in addition to fulfilling the specified eligibility criteria and requirements.

• The requirements for obtaining citizenship in Malta are similar but quite specific to the citizenship route chosen by the applicant. Following are some basic requirements every citizenship applicant must meet:

• The age of the citizenship candidate must be 18 years or older.

• Must be in good health.

• Must not have an active criminal case against them and receive a prison sentence for 1+ years.

• It must not be under international sanctions.

• Must have resided in Malta for 1 to 3 years, based on the investment.

• Must clear all the Due Diligence and verification checks.

Financial Requirements

• There are certain financial obligations every Malta citizenship candidate must meet regardless of the citizenship path he chooses.

• In order to be eligible for citizenship, you must invest $819,000 USD after a year or $655,000 USD after 3 years of continuous residency in the country.

• In addition, you must also purchase a property worth a minimum of $764,000 USD or rent a property at the rate of $17,500 USD per year.

• Further, your first owned property must be retained for a period of at least five years. Besides, an additional amount of $55,000 USD is required for each dependent, along with a donation of $11,000 to a charitable organisation.

Malta Citizenship By Birth

If any one of your parents is a citizen of Malta, then you will automatically get Maltese citizenship. In this case, you don't need to meet residency requirements to obtain citizenship. You can simply prove your origin to register yourself as a citizen of Malta. Note that there are some special conditions for obtaining citizenship via this route. Make sure to check and adhere to them.

Malta Citizenship By Registration

• You are eligible to apply for Malta citizenship through registration if:

• You are a legal husband or wife of a Maltese national and have been married and living together for at least five years.

• You are the widower or widow of a Maltese citizen and were married for at least five years before their death.

• You are a child of a Maltese mother or father.

• You were a citizen of Malta who was born in a foreign country but not have lived for more than 6 years in that country.

• You are the grandchild of Maltese grandparents. Note that you can not apply for citizenship via registration if your grandparents are Maltese, but your parents are not.

Malta Citizenship By Investment

• In order to become Maltese citizens by investment, you must invest at least €700,000 (approx. ₹147,140,907) in the national development fund to get citizenship within one year. To obtain citizenship within three years, you must invest at least €600,000 in the national development fund.

Malta Citizenship By Naturalisation

• This is the most common and straightforward pathway to citizenship in Malta for Indian nationals. You can apply for citizenship by means of naturalisation after living in the country for an uninterrupted period of at least 5 years. Following are the other conditions you must adhere to:

• You are 18 years of age or above.

• You have a good code of conduct.

• You are familiar with Maltese culture, language, and social regulations.

• You are a holder of a resident permit for at least 12 months before initiating the citizenship application.

• You must have two sponsors other than your relatives. Check out the sponsorship requirements below.

• Sponsorship Requirements

• Your first sponsor can be:

• A judge

• A member of parliament

• A public notary

• A high-ranking police officer

• Your second sponsor can be a Maltese citizen who is above 18 years of age and does not belong to any of the professions listed above.

Malta Citizenship By Marriage

• You can apply for Maltese citizenship if you are married to a Maltese national and have been married for at least five years. This also includes same-sex marriages.

• Note that you can still apply for citizenship by this route if you are divorced or your partner has died after being in a marriage for a minimum of five years.

The process of obtaining Maltese citizenship is different from other countries. For starters, the responsible organisation for granting Maltese citizenship is the MIIP Citizenship Agency which comes under the governance of the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Security.

Please note that the MIIP does not accept citizenship applications directly from the applicants. All the applications must be filed by an accredited law firm in Malta.

Talking about the general steps of the citizenship process, the applicants need to obtain an e-residency permit by making the required investment and meeting the specified requirements.

Once the residence permit is granted, the applicants can proceed with the citizenship application.

Note that the citizenship application for Malta consists of several phases that vary depending on the individual case.

Hence, it is suggested to consult a licensed Maltese law firm for citizenship related matters.

Moreover, the applicants applying from India can contact the High Commission of Malta in New Delhi.

Personal Documents: These include your Indian passport, residency permit, Identity proof, birth certificate, employment details, etc.

Investment Proof: It includes the ownership documents of your purchased property in Malta or a rental agreement showing the minimum specified investment.

Financial Statements: You need to submit the bank statements for the last couple of months, proof of income, tax declarations, and so on.

Proof of Residency in Malta: You can submit your property purchase or rental agreement. For rental properties, a landlord's declaration is also required.

Legal Documents: These include a Power of Attorney (PoA), a Due Diligence Form, and a cover letter by the licensed agent.

Additional Documents: Submission letter, relevant application form, CV of primary applicant, certificate for proving good code of conduct, medical insurance, motivational letter, etc.

Freedom of Movement: This is perhaps the biggest benefit of being a Maltese citizen. You can live, study or work in any country in Europe or the Schengen area without needing any residency permit beforehand.

Visa-free Travel: The Maltese passport is considered one of the strongest passports in the world. It allows you to travel visa-free to over 165 countries from all across the world. This includes some of the most beautiful tourist destinations and powerful nations such as the US, Japan, Canada, etc.

No Need to Give Up Existing Citizenship: This is another great benefit of obtaining Maltese citizenship. You don't need to give up your Indian citizenship. It means you can be an Indian and a Maltese at the same time.

Voting Rights: By registering yourself as a citizen of Malta, you are granted all political rights and privileges, such as the right to vote.

Social Security Benefits: It is another benefit of being a Maltese citizen. Social security benefits such as free education in local schools/universities, unemployment allowance, disability allowance, healthcare allowance, pension, etc., are also granted to the citizens of Malta.

There is no specific amount of citizenship fee for Malta. It can vary based on your choice of citizenship method and the fees of the agent through which you are applying.

The main expense in the Malta citizenship process is the mandatory financial investment of approximately €700,000 (approx. ₹147,140,907). On top of it, a philanthropic donation is also required. An important point to note here is that any kind of investment, as well as donation, is non-refundable.

The processing time for a Maltese citizenship application can vary from one year to 3 to 4 years, based on your individual decision.

As discussed above, Maltese citizenship applications can not be filed directly by the applicant. They can only be filed offlined by the registered law firm in person.

Thus, the only way to track your citizenship application is by contacting your agent or lawyer who has applied on your behalf.

Not Adhering to Financial Requirements: Financial investment is mandatory for becoming a citizen of Malta. Some people fail to understand these requirements and proceed with the citizenship process, which leads to the rejection of the application. To avoid this mistake, it is strongly advised to understand all the requirements before taking the next step.

Incomplete Documentation: Submitting incomplete/incorrect/forged documentation is another major mistake that not only leads to delays and rejections of Malta citizenship applications but also leads to a waste of non-refundable application fees. Avoid this mistake by submitting 100% correct and complete documents.

Relying on Unauthorised Agents: This is another common and expensive mistake that can result in the rejection of your application and a waste of time and money. So, be very careful when selecting the agents or law firms for filing your citizenship application. Make sure to work with legal institutions or professionals who are licensed and approved by the MIIA Citizenship Agency.

Being Unaware of Changes: Not being aware of the changes in immigration policies and citizenship regulations can impose obstacles in your citizenship process. Therefore, keep yourself aware and up to date regarding any changes in the legal requirements or regulations.

Start Early: As you can see, the citizenship process in Malta can be very lengthy. It can take several years. Thus, start your citizenship process as soon as you have made up your mind to become a Maltese citizen.

Plan Budget Mindfully: Obtaining Maltese citizenship requires a significant amount of money. By planning your budget mindfully, you can go through a little more smoothly with dealing with any kind of financial burden.

Work with a Reliable Lawyer: Working with a reputed and trusted lawyer will ensure an obstacle-free citizenship process. An experienced lawyer will help you obtain citizenship status in the shortest time possible.

Prove Your Maltese Familiarity: Showing your familiarity with the Maltese language and culture can also increase your chances of getting citizenship faster. Thus, include as much proof as you can to show your capability of becoming a citizen in Malta.

Pay Special Attention to Due Diligence: Perform your due diligence carefully to allow the concerned authorities to process your application without any delays.

Smallest European Country: Malta is the smallest European country in terms of population as well as landmass.

Influence of Multiple Cultures: Owing to its location in the Mediterranean, Malta has been greatly influenced by the surrounding cultures, such as Arabs, Romans, Normans, Phoenicians, etc.

Popular Film Destination: Malta is a popular film destination. Many blockbuster TV shows, such as "Game of Thrones", are shot here.

Bilingual Official Status: Maltese is not the only official language of Malta. It is among the few nations that have an official bilingual status, with English being another official language.

Rich History: You will be amazed to know that the history of Malta is older than the prehistoric period. There are plenty of historical sites that are among the oldest standalone structures in the world. These include the great Megalithic Temples.

Do's

• Make sure to respect the traditions and customs of the Maltese people.

• Make sure to dress in a civilised and modest way when visiting religious places.

• Make sure to treat them politely; say "Bongu" for Good Morning and "Bongur" for Good Evening.

• If you wish to get someone's attention, then say "Skuzani". This is a polite way of saying, "Excuse Me".

• Strictly adhere to the traffic rules of Malta.

Don'ts

• Avoid disrespecting religious places and inappropriate clothing in religious places and churches.

• Littering is banned in Malta, so make sure to dispose of the trash in a responsible manner.

• Avoid PDA (public display of affection) in conservative areas.

• Avoid passing insensitive remarks about traditions and cultures in Malta.

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No doubt, Malta is an amazing country to live in. It offers a higher standard of living, plenty of work opportunities, and affordable education alongside many other works. These benefits make it worth getting citizenship status in Malta.

But as you can see, the Malta citizenship process is both costly and time-consuming. Hence, it is strictly advisable to seek professional guidance to avoid any unnecessary delays.