Malta Global Residence visa requirements
Malta's Global Residence Programme sets no fixed income for retirees from outside the EU: you buy or rent a qualifying home and pay at least €15,000 a year in tax.
What the law asks for, what the government charges, and how the application runs. Checked against Malta's official sources on Oct 8, 2026.
- Minimum income
- No fixed minimum The rules set no income figure: you need stable and regular resources enough to keep yourself and your dependants without Malta's social assistance. You must also buy a home for at least €275,000 (€220,000 in Gozo or the south of Malta) or rent one for at least €9,600 a year (€8,750), and pay at least €15,000 a year in Maltese tax. GRP Rules. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Residency
- Temporary permit, renewable GRP Rules; Identità; Identità Form K. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Government fees
- €6,100 (about $6,820) Global Residence Programme administrative fee and Residence permit fee. GRP Rules; Identità. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Lawyer
- Required GRP Rules. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Who qualifies for the Global Residence visa
Retirees from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland settle in Malta through the Global Residence Programme: you buy or rent a qualifying home, live on your own means, pay a flat 15% tax on foreign income you bring into Malta, and hold a residence permit on the basis of economic self-sufficiency.
The rules set no income figure: you need stable and regular resources enough to keep yourself and your dependants without Malta's social assistance. You must also buy a home for at least €275,000 (€220,000 in Gozo or the south of Malta) or rent one for at least €9,600 a year (€8,750), and pay at least €15,000 a year in Maltese tax.
You must be able to communicate adequately in Maltese or English, Malta's official languages.
The fee is €5,500 instead of €6,000 when the qualifying home is one you own in the south of Malta.
The status ends if you let or sublet the qualifying home, lose your health insurance, become a long-term resident, become an EU, EEA or Swiss national, or stay more than 183 days in a calendar year in any one other country.
Income that does not fall under the 15% rate, such as income arising in Malta, is taxed at 35%. The minimum tax is not refundable.
Global Residence visa documents
Every residence permit
- Full copy of your passport, including all blank pages, valid for at least 6 months when you apply
- Proof of your legal stay in Malta when you apply, such as a visa or another residence permit
- Proof of your home: a lease signed by landlord and tenant with the Housing Authority's rental registration letter, or the purchase agreement
Identità Form K; Identità. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
This visa
- Certificate from the Commissioner for Revenue that you meet the conditions of the Global Residence Programme
- Proof of stable and regular resources enough for you and your dependants without social assistance
- Comprehensive health insurance covering, for you and your dependants, all risks across the EU normally covered for Maltese nationals
Identità Form K; GRP Rules. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Global Residence visa fees
| Global Residence Programme administrative fee, paid to the Commissioner for Revenue (non-refundable) | €6,000 (about $6,710) |
| Residence permit fee, Identità, at first issue and at each renewal | €100 (about $110) |
GRP Rules; Identità. Checked Oct 8, 2026. Lawyer and agency fees are not set by law; ask for a fixed written quote.
How the application runs
- Secure a qualifying homeBuy for at least €275,000, or €220,000 in Gozo or the south of Malta, or rent for at least €9,600 a year (€8,750), and live there as your main home.
- Appoint a registered mandataryA lawyer, notary or accountant registered with the Commissioner for Revenue files the application and every later form for you.
- Apply for the tax statusPay the €6,000 non-refundable fee; the Commissioner for Revenue confirms in writing that you qualify.
- Apply for the residence permitIn person in Malta through Identità's Expatriates portal, before your visa or permitted stay runs out; the fee is €100.
- Pay the minimum tax each yearAt least €15,000 by 30 April, with a return showing you still meet every condition.
Spouses and children
Dependants who live with you in the qualifying home can be included: your spouse or partner, minor children, children under 25 who do not work, adult children who cannot support themselves because of serious illness or disability, and dependent brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents of you or your spouse. Foreign income your spouse and children bring into Malta is also taxed at 15%, and the €15,000 minimum tax covers the household.
GRP Rules. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Other ways to live in Malta
Malta Retirement Programme (special tax status for pensioners)
A tax status for pensioners who are not Maltese and do not become third-country nationals, so in practice EU, EEA and Swiss citizens. Your pension must be all received in Malta and make up at least 75% of your chargeable income. Foreign income received in Malta is taxed at 15%, with a minimum of €7,500 a year plus €500 per dependant. The home rules match the Global Residence Programme (buy €275,000, or €220,000 in Gozo or the south; or rent €9,600 or €8,750 a year), the fee is €2,500, and you must spend at least 90 days a year in Malta averaged over five years.
MRP Rules. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)
Permanent residence for people from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland with capital assets of at least €500,000 (€150,000 of it in financial assets) or €650,000 (€75,000 financial). It costs a €60,000 administrative fee, a €37,000 government contribution, €7,500 for each adult dependant other than a spouse and a €2,000 donation to a local NGO, plus buying a home for at least €375,000 or renting for at least €14,000 a year for five years. Applications go through a licensed agent; the residence card costs €500 per person for five years.
Residency Malta. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Nomad Residence Permit
For people from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland who keep working remotely for a foreign employer, their own foreign company or foreign clients, with gross income of at least €42,000 a year. The permit lasts one year and can be renewed; fees are €300 per person to Residency Malta and €100 for each residence card.
Residency Malta. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Global Residence visa questions
What is the income requirement to retire in Malta as a US citizen?
The Global Residence Programme sets no fixed figure: you need stable and regular resources enough for you and your dependants without social assistance. You must also buy a home for at least €275,000 (€220,000 in Gozo or the south of Malta) or rent one for at least €9,600 a year (€8,750), and pay at least €15,000 a year in tax.
Can Americans use the Malta Retirement Programme?
No. The Malta Retirement Programme ends the status of anyone who becomes a third-country national, so it serves EU, EEA and Swiss citizens. Retirees from the US and other countries outside the EU use the Global Residence Programme, which is only for third-country nationals.
What are the steps to apply for Malta residence as a retiree?
Secure a qualifying home, appoint a registered lawyer, notary or accountant, apply to the Commissioner for Revenue with the €6,000 fee, then apply in person in Malta to Identità for the residence permit (€100). After that you pay at least €15,000 tax by 30 April each year.
Do I need to speak Maltese to retire in Malta?
No. The Global Residence Programme asks that you can communicate adequately in one of Malta's official languages, Maltese or English.
