Malta is a beautiful Mediterranean island nation with a rich history, warm climate, and a welcoming local community. In 2025, Malta launched a new pathway to citizenship called the Citizenship by Merit programme, replacing Malta’s Citizenship by Investment program, which also ended in 2025. The initiative aims to attract people who can make a significant contribution to Maltese life, shifting the criteria from financial investment to social, cultural, and professional impact.
As well as being a beautiful and inspiring place to live, Malta is part of the European Union, so citizenship offers access to the larger European community. A Maltese passport also offers visa-free travel to over 180 other countries. Moreover, Malta supports dual citizenship, so if you are from the UK, you don’t have to give up your existing citizenship to get your Malta passport.
Because the Citizenship by Merit programme is so new, some details are still being finalised. However, in this article, we’ll share what we know so far, including a step-by-step overview of the application process. You might also want to read our complete guide to relocating to Malta in 2025, and remember that you can send money to Malta or anywhere else in the EU with Remitly.
What is the Malta Citizenship by Merit programme?
Malta has actually had a process for granting citizenship through naturalisation for “exceptional services” since 2017. This was replaced in 2025 by the new Citizenship by Merit programme.
For those curious about the legal basis for the new programme, it is Article 10(9) of the Maltese Citizenship Act, Chapter 188, which authorises the Minister responsible for citizenship to grant Maltese nationality to foreign individuals who have made an “exceptional contribution” to the country.
While the act makes it clear that every case is assessed on an individual basis, it does indicate certain categories of eligibility. These include:
- Scientists and researchers
- Athletes and sportspersons
- Artists and cultural performers
- Entrepreneurs and philanthropists
- Technologists and innovators
The act also says that citizenship may be granted to individuals whose skill, expertise, or achievement serve Malta’s national interest, including job creation. In some cases, contributions to humanity more broadly may be recognised.
It also states that the Minister can grant citizenship to eligible dependents. This means that if you apply for Citizenship by Merit, you can also apply for citizenship for your spouse, dependent children under 18, and, in some cases, other family members.
While a lot of information is provided in the legal act, the eligibility criteria for Citizenship by Merit are left quite open. This seems to be deliberate to give the Minister discretion around granting naturalisation.
How to apply for Citizenship by Merit: A step-by-step guide
The Maltese government has released guidelines on how to apply for Citizenship by Merit. However, since the programme is new, no firsthand application experiences have been published yet. Some steps in the process that are still unclear. But, based on the information available, here’s what the process looks like.
Step one: Submit a proposal
The first step is to submit a comprehensive proposal via the Community Malta Agency. The main document of the proposal is a letter that:
- Introduces you as the applicant (and your dependents) and provides a comprehensive overview of your achievements to date.
- Gives a detailed description of the services and contributions that you intend to make to Malta or humanity, and how they will benefit Malta’s national interest.
- Provides a detailed plan for how you intend to continue contributing to the interests of Malta once you receive citizenship.
This should be accompanied by supporting documentation that reflects your achievements and plans. The Agency can also ask for further documentation once they have read the proposal letter.
Step two: Application review
Once you have submitted your proposal to the Agency, they do an initial review and due diligence checks to assess your general suitability for citizenship. There are no specific fees listed; you’re just told that you may be asked to pay non-refundable fees to cover certain administrative activities.
While they don’t set a limit on the kinds of checks that the Agency can do, they specifically mention:
- Security checks with law enforcement authorities
- Checks concerning money laundering and terrorism financing
- Identity verification and general background checks
After this stage, your proposal is submitted to a three-person Board specifically set up to assess your application. It will include at least one member who is an expert in the field that is the basis of your application. That Board will make a recommendation for approval or rejection to the Minister. But it is the Minister who has the final say.
They’re not obliged to provide a reason for their decision. So, if your application gets rejected, you may not know why, but you will be notified in writing.
If approved, you’ll receive an Approval in Principle letter, which is a crucial document needed to apply for naturalisation. Once you receive this letter, you have six months to apply for naturalisation, though the Minister can grant extensions.
Step three: Establish residence in Malta
To qualify for naturalisation, you need to prove residence in Malta for at least eight months. Since UK passport holders can only travel to Malta visa-free for up to 90 days at a time, you’ll need to apply for a long-term visa.
The long-stay D visa is granted for up to a year and is fairly accessible. You can apply for this visa for many reasons, including employment, study, and family reunification. You can also apply based on your Citizenship by Merit application, submitting either your Application Receipt from the Agency or your Approval in Principle.
To apply for the visa, you’ll also need to submit:
- A completed application form
- A valid passport with at least eight months of validity
- A compliant passport photo
- Travel medical insurance worth at least €100,000
- Proof of accommodation for your first month in Malta
- Evidence of sufficient funds to support yourself and any dependents
To apply, you should make an appointment at a Visa Application Centre in London or Birmingham. You’ll submit your application in person, and the turnaround period is usually four weeks, at which point you can collect your passport and visa from the application centre. Fees vary but are capped at the equivalent of €150.
Step four: Oath and naturalisation
To complete your naturalisation, apply again to the Community Malta Agency using Form E. This form needs to be endorsed by two sponsors who are citizens of Malta but not family members. One must be from an approved profession, such as a judge, public notary, or medical practitioner.
The guidance on Citizenship by Merit says that as part of your naturalisation application, you’ll need to provide:
- Your Approval in Principle letter
- Proof of residence in Malta for at least eight months
- Confirmation of language proficiency in Maltese or English (as a UK citizen, you won’t need to provide this)
- Confirmation in writing of your intention to fulfil the continuing obligation included in your Citizenship by Merit proposal and agreed by the Minister
- Any other documentation requested by the Agency
The Citizenship by Merit guidelines specifically state that the Agency reserves the right to monitor the fulfilment of agreed commitments and request proof. The Minister can revoke Maltese citizenship if those commitments aren’t met.
There is a €450 fee to submit the naturalisation application, which, if accepted, will allow you to schedule an Oath of Allegiance at the Community Malta Agency, which has a €10 fee per person. When your citizenship certificate is ready, there is a €50 collection fee.
You are then free to apply for your passport, which usually takes about a week and has a €70-80 fee.
Citizenship by Merit application costs and timeline
At this stage, the Maltese government hasn’t provided detailed information on the total cost of applying for Citizenship by Merit, or how long it might take.
In terms of timeline, the only clear part is that you must be resident in Malta for at least eight months before making your naturalisation application. However, there is no clear indication of how long the Agency and Board review process might take.
The same is true of costs. While you might expect your long-stay visa to cost up to €150, and the official naturalisation process to cost at least €510 per person, the guidelines indicate that there are other administrative fees to pay along the way.
As people start applying for the programme, it’s likely that clearer information on fees and timeline will become available.
Malta passport benefits: Why choose Malta citizenship?
If you’re considering applying for the Citizenship by Merit programme, it’s worth tossing up the benefits of choosing Maltese citizenship. Besides being able to live in one of the most beautiful and welcoming countries in the Mediterranean, there are a few other key benefits:
- You’re a citizen of an EU member state, giving you the right to travel, work, and live in all 27 member countries
- You receive visa-free travel to more than 180 countries
- You can hold dual citizenship, so if you are from a country like the UK that also allows dual citizenship, you can have both
- You can apply for citizenship for direct family members at the same time
- You only pay taxes on income earned in Malta or remitted to Malta, not global income (the maximum tax rate is 35% on income over €60,000)
Start your Malta Citizenship journey today
Malta stands out among many countries, not just in the EU but around the world, as one of the few that offers a clear path to citizenship for people who can make a meaningful contribution to the Maltese community. The definition of that value is very broad, so Malta’s Citizenship by Merit programme is potentially open to a wide and diverse range of people.
If you’re thinking of applying, your application should focus on how being a citizen of Malta will allow you to benefit the local community, whether that be opening a business that creates jobs, sharing your skills and expertise in a certain area through teaching and mentorship, or even supporting local philanthropic causes.
FAQs
How long does it take to get a Malta passport?
The full application timeline for applying for the Malta Citizenship by Merit programme is unclear, but one of the minimum requirements is being resident in Malta for at least eight months, so that is an absolute minimum timeframe. Once you’ve been naturalised, you can apply for a Maltese passport, which takes about a week if you apply in Malta.
Can I include my family in the Malta citizenship application?
Yes, the Malta Citizenship by Merit programme supports family applications. The guidelines say that you can include your spouse, unmarried minor children under 18, and dependent adult family members in your application.
Do I need to live in Malta permanently after getting citizenship?
Once you obtain Maltese citizenship, you’re not required to live in Malta to maintain it. However, if you applied via the Citizenship by Merit programme, you may be asked by the Community Malta Agency to provide proof that you are delivering the benefit to Malta that you outlined in your application. You may need to be in Malta to deliver on those benefits.