Is Malta's MPRP still open after the citizenship ruling?

6POSTS

5 hours ago

Spain stopped accepting new investor visa applications in April 2025. Portugal removed property purchases from its golden visa route in 2023, and Greece raised its property thresholds. Add the EU court ruling against Malta’s citizenship-by-investment scheme, and it’s easy to assume Malta closed its residence route too. It didn’t. The citizenship scheme was separate and was later discontinued. Malta’s Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) is still accepting applications. MPRP is for permanent residence, not a Maltese passport. Applicants have to meet property and financial requirements and pass due diligence; qualifying family members can be included. That doesn’t mean the rules are fixed or approval is guaranteed. Malta amended MPRP in 2025 as well. Before committing money, I’d want to know which payments can’t be recovered, when residence is actually granted, and what happens if requirements change while an application is pending. Has anyone compared Malta with Spain, Portugal or Greece recently? What was hardest to get a clear answer on?

Malta vs. Spain, Portugal, and Greece

• Spain: The real estate golden visa officially ended on April 3, 2025 (Organic Law 1/2025). Buyers no longer get residency through property. Alternatives like the digital nomad or non-lucrative visas require active income or high passive savings rather than capital investment.

• Portugal: Removed direct real estate purchases from its Golden Visa in October 2023, steering investors toward investment funds or cultural contributions. (Note: Pathway rules to naturalization have also seen tighter adjustments).

• Greece: Retained a property-based golden visa but significantly increased investment thresholds (up to €800,000 in prime areas like Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini with strict size limits).

• Malta (MPRP): Grants permanent residency (not citizenship) through a hybrid model combining a real estate commitment (purchase or lease), a government contribution, a philanthropic donation, and comprehensive background/due diligence checks.

Government application fees, due diligence fees, and government donations are strictly non-refundable, even if the application is rejected. Only designated asset investments (such as purchasing/renting property or approved fund/bond options, depending on program rules) carry potential recovery or asset value retention—though real estate market fluctuations apply.

Residency is not granted upon application submission. Under the MPRP, legal permanent status and residency certificates are only issued after full approval in principle and after all financial contributions, property leases/purchases, and health/background verifications are legally settled. This can take anywhere from 6 to 18 months or more.

If Malta or any other EU nation amends its legislation (such as Malta's 2025 MPRP adjustments), pending applications can be caught in transitional limbo. Applicants typically face the risk of retroactive fee hikes or stricter compliance demands unless grandfathering clauses are explicitly written into the legal amendments.