Malta · citizenship by investment

Maltese Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment

Closed as of 24 July 2025

Following the EU Court of Justice judgment of 29 April 2025, Malta removed the investment route, and S.L. 188.6 now provides for citizenship on the basis of merit with the investment and fee provisions deleted.

Launched20 November 2020

Processing time (official)Not stated in the sources read.

Data checked27 October 2026

Rules

Legal basis

Maltese Citizenship Act (Cap. 188) as amended in July 2020, Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services Regulations (Legal Notice 437 of 2020, S.L. 188.6), later recast by Legal Notice 159 of 2025 and the Maltese Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2025 (Act XXI of 2025)

Due diligence

Under the current merit regulations the Agency carries out due diligence on a proposal letter, an Evaluation Board assesses it and the Minister decides. Disqualifications include Interpol or Europol listings, security threats, certain criminal charges, visa denials and sanctions listings.

Residence requirement

The current merit regulations require proof of residence in Malta and title to adequate residential property at the application stage. The minimum period could not be read in the extract consulted.

Programme history

24 July 2025The Maltese Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2025 (Act XXI of 2025) was published in the Government Gazette and entered into force.^5,7
26 June 2025A Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was tabled in Parliament through Motion No. 381, as reported by CC Malta.⁶
29 April 2025The Court of Justice ruled in Case C-181/23, Commission v Malta, that the 2020 scheme infringed EU law.¹
29 April 2025The Government of Malta said it was studying the judgment and that decisions under current and previous frameworks remain valid.³
2025Legal Notice 159 of 2025 substituted most provisions of S.L. 188.6, retitling it the Granting of Citizenship by Naturalisation on the basis of Merit Regulations.⁴
29 September 2022The Commission referred Malta to the Court of Justice of the EU.²
6 April 2022The Commission sent Malta a reasoned opinion.²
9 June 2021The Commission sent Malta an additional letter of formal notice after the new scheme was introduced.²
20 November 2020The Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services Regulations (Legal Notice 437 of 2020) entered into force.⁴
20 October 2020The European Commission sent Malta a letter of formal notice concerning its investor citizenship scheme.²
July 2020Malta amended its Citizenship Act to provide for naturalisation for exceptional services by direct investment.¹

Official programme site: legislation.mt/eli/sl/188.6/eng

Sources

Court of Justice of the European Union, Press release No 52/25, Judgment in Case C-181/23 Commission v Malta (Citizenship by investment) (29 April 2025) · official
European Commission, Investor citizenship schemes, Commission refers Malta to the Court of Justice (IP/22/5422) (29 September 2022) · official
Government of Malta, Department of Information, Government press release PR250702 (29 April 2025) · official
Legislation Malta, S.L. 188.6, Granting of Citizenship by Naturalisation on the basis of Merit Regulations (29 July 2025) · official
Legislation Malta, Act XXI of 2025, Maltese Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2025 (24 July 2025) · official
CC Malta, Malta tables bill to amend the Maltese Citizenship Act following CJEU ruling (30 June 2025)
Mondaq (WH Partners), The Maltese Citizenship (Amendment) Act Marks The End Of The Citizenship By Investment Programme (31 July 2025)

Figures are the minimums and fees stated by the programme or its regulations on the date shown. Agents' fees and other costs are extra. This is not investment or immigration advice.