Malta Citizenship by Investment Is Closed: What Happened and Which Routes Remain

Every week someone asks me whether there is still a way to “get Maltese citizenship through investment”. There is not. Here is what happened, in order, and what options really remain. Sources: the EU Court case page, the Maltese Citizenship Act and the BRIDGES page on the former scheme.

Timeline of the closure

• 20 November 2020. The final rules of the scheme introduced two residence periods, a direct contribution, property, a donation and multi-tier due diligence.
• 29 April 2025. In Case C-181/23 the Court of Justice of the EU held that granting nationality directly in exchange for predetermined payments and investments was contrary to EU law.
• 24 July 2025. Act XXI of 2025 entered into force and removed the investor route from Maltese law.

The final terms, for reference only

I keep these figures because families with earlier files still ask about them. They are not an offer.

Item	Last rule
Contribution	€750,000 after 12 months of residence or €600,000 after 36 months
Each dependant	€50,000
Housing	purchase from €700,000 or rent from €16,000 a year for 5 years
Donation	€10,000
Due diligence	€15,000 for the main applicant, €10,000 per dependant aged 12 or over

Files submitted before the closure

Article 27 of the Citizenship Act keeps the former rules for applications submitted before the amendments. Whether a particular file is protected depends on its filing date and procedural stage. I would check that from the case documents, not from memory.

Citizenship by merit is not a new price list

After the closure, the law kept a discretionary route for people who have made an exceptional contribution to Malta. Community Malta Agency says plainly that it is not a continuation or a replacement of the investment scheme. Anyone selling it as “the new programme” is misleading you.

Routes that remain

Naturalisation

According to the summary of Maltese nationality law, a foreigner can apply after living in Malta for at least four of the previous seven years, with knowledge of Maltese or English and good character. In practice the decision is discretionary. I mark this as a reference summary: check the current text of Cap. 188 before planning around it.

Descent and marriage

Children born abroad to a Maltese citizen are Maltese by descent. A spouse of a Maltese citizen can register after five years of marriage and living together.

Dual citizenship

Since 2000 Malta has allowed multiple citizenship. Your other country may have its own rules, so check them too.

What I suggest instead

If the goal is a European status for the family, the MPRP gives permanent residence. Citizenship can follow later only through ordinary residence, not through payment.