Simple Immigration Solution

The stunning gem of Southern Europe, with turquoise lagoons and sunny weather, Malta is a popular destination among expats who move to Europe for the long term. Expats from all around the world tend to make Malta their new permanent residence due to the high quality of life, excellent healthcare system, affordable living costs, and high living standards that the country offers.
Malta also has a high employment rate and offers great working conditions for workers, making it a great place to grow professionally.
1. Who Can Move to Malta?
Everyone who wishes to live in Malta can move to the country for the long term. However, the moving process may differ depending on where you come from.
– EU/EEA and Switzerland citizens who wish to move to Malta permanently do not need a long-stay visa (D visa), instead, they can apply for a registration certificate.
– Non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens need a type of D visa (long-stay visa) and a temporary residence permit to be allowed to stay in Malta for a period longer than 3 months.
2. How Can I Move to Malta as an EU Citizen?
Since Malta is part of the European Union, citizens of the EU/EEA/Swiss can move to Malta without a visa. However, for stays longer than three months, they must notify the Maltese authorities. This means that you are entitled to work, study, live in Malta, and move to other EU countries freely.
3. How Can I Move to Malta as a Non-EU Citizen?
Everyone moving to Malta from a non-EU country for an extended period of time needs a national visa (D Visa). The D visa is issued for different purposes, such as for working, studying, family reunification, and other reasons that require long-term stays in Malta.
After entering the country on a D visa, you must apply for a temporary residence permit at the nearest offices of the Identity Malta Agency.
Moving to Malta to Work
If you want to move to Malta for work, you can apply for and obtain a work visa and permit. Malta issues three types of work permits that you can apply for depending on your qualifications:
• Single Permit. If you have a job offer from a Maltese employer.
• Key Employment Initiative. If you are a highly skilled worker with an annual salary of at least €30,000.
• EU Blue Card. If you are a highly skilled worker that will earn at least 1.5 times the average gross annual salary set by Malta and has an employment contract with a duration of at least one year.
The Maltese work visa is valid for one year (12 months) and can be extended if you continue to work in Malta. You are also allowed to bring your family members while on a work visa.
Moving to Malta to Study
Malta issues student visas to non-EU citizens that want to move to the country for study purposes. You can apply for a student visa at the Maltese embassy or consulate in your home country. Once you obtain your visa, you can travel to Malta and apply for a residence permit at the Identity Malta Online Application site.
This type of visa is issued for 12 months (one year) and allows you to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week. Your family members can also join you for as long as you stay in Malta, but you must have sufficient financial funds to support them.
Moving to Malta for Family Reunification
Non-EU citizens who want to join their family members residing legally in Malta can need a family reunification visa. A family reunification visa is issued to:
– The spouse of a legal resident of Malta.
– The child (under the age of 18) of a parent living legally in Malta.
– The biological or adopted child (over the age of 18) who is financially dependent on a parent living in Malta.
The family member that is living in Malta must make the application to the Identity Malta Agency. If the application is approved, you can travel to Malta to apply for a residence permit within three months of your arrival.
The family reunification visa is valid for one year (12 months) and can be renewed if you continue to meet the requirements.
Moving to Malta for Retirement
If you want to retire in Malta, you need to apply for a retirement visa at the Maltese embassy or consulate in your home country. However, before you start the application process for obtaining a retirement visa, you must make sure that you meet the requirements for receiving this type of visa. Besides the retirement visa, you also need to apply for a residence permit at The Identity Malta Agency.
Once your retirement visa is granted, you can move to Malta. The retirement visa is issued for a period of five years and can be renewed indefinitely if you continue to meet the requirements.
Moving to Malta for Investment
Wealthy individuals who want to become legal citizens of Malta can become part of the golden visa program. Malta has two golden visa programs, with one of them leading to permanent residency and the other to citizenship.
There are also a set of requirements that one should meet to be eligible for a golden visa, such as having the necessary funds to support themselves, and have a clean criminal record, and being an adult (over the age of 18). To be a resident of Malta, you need to invest a considerable amount of money.
4. Does Malta Allow Dual Citizenship?
Yes, as of 2000, Malta has permitted dual citizenship to everyone. Therefore, if you want to become a citizen of Malta but do not want to renounce your current citizenship, you can keep both.
However, you must check if the country you are currently a citizen of allows you to keep dual citizenship. If one of the countries does not allow dual citizenship, you need to choose which one you want to keep and which one you want to renounce.
5. How Long Do I Need to Live in Malta to Win Citizenship?
You can win citizenship by naturalization after being a legal resident of Malta for at least 7 consecutive years. However, besides the required residency time, you must also meet the conditions set by the Maltese government.
Other ways you can win citizenship in Malta are:
– Citizenship by birth.
– Citizenship by registration.
– Citizenship by investment.
– Citizenship by marriage.