MPRP timeline

Timeline

1. 1
   Appoint a licensed agent and prepare the application No statutory deadline for this stage.

   Every application must be made through an agent licensed by the Residency Malta Agency. The applicant signs a power of attorney authorising the agent, who advises on obligations, gathers documents and performs know-your-customer checks. Only one agent may be authorised at a time, although the agent can be changed.

   Indicative duration (general information): Document gathering commonly takes several weeks, depending on how quickly certificates and translations can be obtained (general information, not an official timeline).

   S.L. 217.26, regulations 4, 6, 7; RMA FAQ Q48, Q72 · SL-217-26

2. 2
   Submit the complete application and pay the initial €15,000 Initial €15,000 within one (1) month from submission.

   The agent submits the complete application pack (forms, evidence of assets, police certificates, medical forms, undertakings) to the Agency. Incomplete packs are not accepted. Once the pack is vetted and formally accepted, the applicant pays the non-refundable initial administration fee of €15,000 within one month; the Agency may refuse the application if it is not received in time. On submission the applicant may also apply for a one-year temporary residence permit for themselves and dependants.

   Indicative duration (general information): Acceptance of a complete pack is administrative; the due-diligence clock starts once funds are received (FAQ Q73).

   S.L. 217.26, regulation 9(1), 9(2), 9(6), regulation 12; RMA FAQ Q70–Q73 · SL-217-26

3. 3
   Due diligence and Approvals Board No statutory processing time is set in the regulations.

   The Agency administers a multi-tier due-diligence and eligibility verification process on the main applicant and every dependant (background checks apply from age 14), using internationally recognised third-party providers and, where relevant, law-enforcement checks. The Agency then presents its findings to the Approvals Board, whose authorisation is required before a certificate can be issued.

   Indicative duration (general information): The Agency states that decisions are communicated 'within a reasonable timeframe' commensurate with due-diligence checks. Professional sources commonly report several months; treat any figure as an estimate, not a commitment.

   S.L. 217.26, regulations 13, 14, 18, 19, 22 · SL-217-26

4. 4
   Letter of Approval in Principle and balance of the administration fee Within two (2) months from the date of issue of the Letter of Approval in Principle.

   If the main applicant qualifies, the Agency issues a written Letter of Approval in Principle. Within two months the applicant must pay the remaining €45,000 of the administration fee and the €7,500 administration fee for each adult dependant who is not exempt (spouse, minor children and adult children with a certified disability are exempt).

   S.L. 217.26, regulation 9(3), 9(4); First Schedule (i) · SL-217-26

5. 5
   Property, contribution, donation and health insurance (within 8 months) Within eight (8) months from the date of issue of the Letter of Approval in Principle.

   Within eight months of the Letter of Approval in Principle the applicant must (a) pay the €37,000 government contribution, (b) present title to a qualifying property — purchased for at least €375,000 or rented for at least €14,000 a year, in Malta or Gozo, (c) make the €2,000 donation to a registered NGO and provide evidence, (d) present a health insurance policy covering all risks normally covered for Maltese nationals, and (e) present any other document the Agency requires. The Agency may extend the deadline on good cause, or reject the application and revoke the approval in principle if the applicant defaults.

   S.L. 217.26, regulation 9(4)(a)–(e); First Schedule (ii); RMA FAQ Q15, Q67, Q81, Q83 · SL-217-26

6. 6
   Residence-by-Investment Certificate and Letter of Final Approval The date of issue of the certificate is the 'appointed day' from which the five-year obligations run.

   Once all requirements are satisfied to the Agency's full satisfaction and the Approvals Board has authorised issuance, the Agency issues the Residence-by-Investment Certificate. The certificate entitles the beneficiary and approved dependants to reside, settle or stay indefinitely in Malta, subject to continued compliance. The Agency also issues a Letter of Final Approval inviting the family to attend for biometrics.

   Indicative duration (general information): The FAQ states the Agency issues the residence certificate within 7 days once all final documentation is deemed acceptable (FAQ Q73).

   S.L. 217.26, regulation 9(5), regulation 10, regulation 14(3) · SL-217-26

7. 7
   Biometrics in Malta and residence cards No statutory deadline.

   After the Letter of Final Approval, the main applicant and all dependants travel to Malta for biometric data capture. Residence cards are then printed and issued with a five-year validity (or until the cut-off ages of 14 and 18 for minors). A residence card fee of €500 per person, covering five years, applies. Infants under two are exempt from biometrics.

   Indicative duration (general information): The FAQ indicates card printing takes around two weeks per application (FAQ Q73).

   RMA MPRP page (card fee, Schengen travel); RMA FAQ Q73–Q79, Q85 · RMA-MPRP-PAGE

8. 8
   Annual compliance for five years, then ongoing conditions Annually for the first five (5) years from the certificate; thereafter at the Agency's discretion.

   For five years from the appointed day the Agency monitors compliance annually: the beneficiary must keep the qualifying property, the health insurance, the capital assets, stable resources and a valid travel document, and submit the annual compliance form (MPRP5) with supporting documents through the agent. After five years the minimum property value no longer applies, but the beneficiary must still hold a residential property in Malta or Gozo and maintain health insurance; the Agency may check compliance whenever it deems opportune. Residence cards are renewed every five years.

   S.L. 217.26, regulation 10(3), regulation 15, regulation 17; RMA FAQ Q96–Q100 · SL-217-26

Overall duration from submission to certificate is not fixed by the regulations. The Agency states that decisions are communicated within a reasonable timeframe commensurate with due-diligence checks; third-party estimates vary and should not be relied upon.