Maltese citizenship by naturalisation (residence) and by merit
Official name: Maltese Citizenship Act (Cap. 188), article 10
Adults can ask the Minister for naturalisation after living in Malta for the 12 months just before applying plus at least 4 years in the 6 years before that, with adequate Maltese or English, good character and being a suitable citizen. Citizenship by investment no longer exists: the EU Court of Justice ruled in April 2025 (case C-181/23) that Malta's 2020 investment scheme breached EU law, and a 2025 amendment replaced it with discretionary citizenship by merit for exceptional services.
Life in Malta
Finance
3
Currency
Euro
EUR
Euro
Cost of living
69
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
15–35%
Income tax (national)
VAT 18%
Single computation: 0% to EUR 12,000, 15%, 25%, then 35% above EUR 60,000; separate married and parent computations.
Living
1
Happiness
#41 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
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Who it’s for
Long-term residents of Malta, and people of exceptional merit or contribution to Malta.
Eligibility
Residence (ordinary naturalisation)
Sign in to check this route against your profileShow you lived in Malta for the 12 months before applying, plus at least 4 years in the 6 years before that.
Residence periods required
- Just before applyingthroughout, immediately before application
- 12 months
- Earlier periodwithin the prior 6 years
- 4 years
- The 4 years must fall in the 6 years before the 12-month period
- The Minister may count older periods in special cases
Official wording
Living in Malta throughout the 12 months immediately before the application, and for at least 4 years in total in the 6 years before that 12-month period. The Minister may count older periods in special cases.
Good character and suitability
Sign in to check this route against your profileThe applicant must be of good character and a suitable citizen of Malta, and of full age and capacity.
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Next requirement
- Document checklist
- Fees
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- 2 more requirements
- 2 documents
- 1 fee
- 3 steps
- Processing times and conditions
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