Citizenship for Malta:
There are several ways foreign individuals can acquire citizenship of Malta. While EU nationals can apply for citizenship after 6 years of residency within the country, non-EU nationals must live in the country for 18 years before applying for citizenship. The application for citizenship in Malta may only be provided once these requests have been met. Malta doesn’t possess any limitation on dual citizenship, but it requires that the national holds only one domicile for taxation purposes. Among the best ways of acquiring Maltese citizenship is the Individual Investor Program.
Foreign nationals can acquire citizenship of Malta with 1 of the following conditions:
Citizenship by birth – they were born in Malta from one Maltese parent,
Citizenship by descent – they were born outside Malta from one Maltese parent,
Citizenship by residency – they are foreign citizens living in Malta for 6 years,
Citizenship by marriage – they are married to a Maltese national,
Citizenship by adoption – they were adopted by Maltese parents,
They came to the country by making investments.
Citizenship by birth and descent
The Citizenship Act provides for foreign nationals having a Maltese citizen parent to apply for citizenship. A foreigner can apply for citizenship in Malta if he was born in the country and his/her parent or both parents is a citizen of Malta.
The national legislation permits foreign national marrying a citizen of Malta to become national of the country. There are some conditions attached to acquire citizenship of Malta by marriage. The foreigner applying for citizenship in Malta is required to present proof that he/she has been living and is married to a citizen of Malta for not less than five years. A divorced foreigner can also apply for nationality under the same five-year residence requests.
Citizens of Malta adopting children from other countries can apply the authorities to issue those children citizenship of Malta if they are aged 10 or less at the adoption date.
The Individual Investor Program was designed for foreign citizens applying for the residence of Malta that will result in citizenship.
The applicant should present proof of Maltese residency for the last 1 year before the day of the release of the citizenship certificate. He is also required to present proof of holding a property in Malta.
An applicant is required to submit the following paperwork when applying for Maltese citizenship:
- Copy after the passport,
- Copy after the global health insurance,
- Bank statements as proof of financial resources,
- A statement of the annual income and wealth information,
- The application for naturalization,
- Medical report,
- An electronic identity registration form,
- Details about family, education and previous employment,
- Clean criminal record,
- Proof of self-sustenance by filling in an economic self-sufficiency application.
- It takes nearly 6 months for the documents to be processed before the naturalization certificate is granted under the Individual Investor Program of Malta.
