Europe’s English-speaking Island in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta welcomes Investors,Entrepreneurs, Nomads and Retirees.
Europe's English-speaking Island Economy in the Med. A high-performance business climate, safe and tax efficient.
Protecting brands, guiding innovation, mastering to disruption.
Rooted in Malta’s rise as a sophisticated onshore financial hub at the gateway to the EU, our Valletta-based law firm has built a strong reputation among global business families, international closely-held enterprises, and tech entrepreneurs operating across multiple jurisdictions.
This guide explains what the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) is, who it is designed for, and what it takes to qualify in 2026. It walks through the current eligibility and investment requirements (including the minimum asset thresholds, property rental or purchase route, government contribution, administration fees, and the mandatory philanthropic donation), who can be included as dependants, and how the application process works in practice – from engaging a licensed agent and submitting the file, through due diligence, approval in principle, biometrics, and residence card issuance. It also highlights annual compliance expectations and the most common pitfalls that delay outcomes.
Malta’s nationality law includes adiscretionary framework for acquiring Maltese citizenship recognising individuals who have rendered or will render exceptional services to the country. This route is separate from naturalisation through residence and is grounded in Malta’s Citizenship Act and Legal Notice 159 of 2025. Under this provision, citizenship may be granted to individuals whose personal exceptional achievements, contributions, or public service are considered to be in thenational interest of Malta. This includes distinguished individuals in:
Citizenship through exceptional services is not automatic. Rather, it is awardedby the Minister responsible for citizenship after passing through a citizenship application process administered by Community Malta Agency.
This publication examines the analysis presented byDr Priscilla Mifsud Parker TEP in theSTEP Journal (Issue 6, 2025) on Malta’s evolving framework for digital and AI-driven assets within private wealth and family office structures. It outlines the interaction between the Virtual Financial Assets Act, ITAS certification, and Malta’s tax guidance, and considers their practical implications for trustees administering cryptocurrencies, tokenised holdings and AI-generated IP. The discussion also reflects recent judicial developments affecting AI-created works and situates Malta’s approach within the wider Fintech, AI and Digital Assets theme of STEP’s Europe edition.
Malta’s 2025 amendments to the Trusts and Trustees Act have significantly reshaped the regulatory environment for private trustees. ThroughLegal Notice 133 of 2025, private trustees now fall within the scope of Malta’sRegister of Beneficial Owners (RBO) regime, marking a formal shift from discretion-based to rule-based compliance.
The changes, which implementArticle 74 of the EU’s Sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD 6), introduce a 10-year post-termination record-keeping obligation, stricter verification powers for regulators, and an updated access model grounded in the "legitimate interest" test following recent CJEU case law.
Forprivate individuals acting as trustees—often in family or intergenerational wealth contexts—the regulatory burden now mirrors that of licensed professional trustees. Estate planners, foreign trustees, and private clients must carefully review trust governance frameworks to remain compliant and avoid reputational or regulatory exposure.
