Malta has a residency route for retirees with pension income, one that's permanent from day one, one for people who want the 15% tax deal without retiring, and one for remote workers. Here they are with the current numbers — no salesmanship. One date matters more than any of them: the MRP and GRP take applications only until 31 December 2026.
Last verified: 16 September 2026| Route | Who it's for | Money requirement | Tax deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malta Retirement Programme (MRP) — apply by 31 Dec 2026 Full guide → | Retirees whose pension is at least 75% of their Malta-taxable income | Buy from €220,000–€275,000 or rent from €8,750–€9,600/yr (by area) + €2,500 application fee | 15% on remitted foreign income; minimum tax €7,500/yr (+€500 per dependant) |
| MPRP Full guide → | People who want permanent residence immediately and can fund it | €60,000 admin fee + €37,000 contribution + €2,000 donation + buy ≥€375,000 or rent ≥€14,000/yr (2025 rules) | None built in — standard rules; remittance basis applies to non-doms |
| Global Residence Programme (GRP) — apply by 31 Dec 2026 | Non-EU nationals who want the 15% tax status without being retired | Buy €220,000–€275,000 or rent €8,750–€9,600/yr (by area) + €5,500–€6,000 application fee | 15% on remitted foreign income; minimum tax €15,000/yr (covers the family) |
| Individual Tax Programme (ITP) — from 1 Jan 2027 (LN 195/2026) | New applicants after the MRP/GRP close: retired-pensioner, global-resident, EU/EEA/Swiss-resident and UN-pensioner categories | Buy ≥€700,000 or rent ≥€14,000/yr (Malta or Gozo, no area discount) + €8,500 application fee; status renewable every 5 years (€2,500) | 15% on remitted foreign income; minimum tax €15,000/yr (retired pensioner) or €35,000/yr (global resident) |
| Nomad Residence Permit | Remote employees and freelancers with non-Maltese employers/clients | €42,000/yr gross income (since Apr 2024) + €300 fee per person | First 12 months exempt; then 10% flat on authorised remote-work income |
MRP and GRP run through the tax authority (MTCA) via an Authorised Registered Mandatory; MPRP and the Nomad Permit through Residency Malta Agency via licensed agents.
Approval in principle comes first; you then complete property, insurance, and fee obligations before the final letter.
Biometrics in Malta; Identità issues the residence card. Health insurance is checked — €100,000 minimum coverage applies to most permit types (Identità rule, effective August 2024).
MRP: 90+ days/year in Malta (5-yr average), never 183+ days elsewhere. GRP: no minimum stay, same 183-day rule. MPRP: hold the property 5 years.
The 15% deal for pensioners: the 75% pension rule, property thresholds, minimum tax, and the day-count conditions.
Read the guide → GuideEvery fee in the revised programme, what a couple really pays, and the renting-vs-buying math.
Read the guide →The 15% status for non-retirees: €15,000 minimum tax, property thresholds — and the 31 December 2026 application deadline before the ITP (€35,000 minimum) replaces it.
€42,000 income bar, the 10% tax rate, the 4-year cap, and what happens when it runs out.
How Schengen counting works, the EES biometric border system, and ETIAS (delayed to 2027, ~€20).
What the 2025 judgment killed, what discretionary naturalisation involves, and realistic expectations.
Visa applications fail on paperwork details. We'll introduce you to an English-speaking immigration lawyer we've independently vetted — licensed, and experienced with expat cases in Malta.