Malta Retirement Visa Program 2025
Malta At A Glance
- Official Languages: English and Maltese
- Population: 500,000
- Currency: Euro
- Average Life Expectancy: 80+ Years in 2020
- Primary Religion: Catholicism
- Political system: Parliamentary Representative Democratic Republic
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites: 3
- Official program overview
Looking to retire in a Mediterranean, English-speaking country with a reasonable tax regime for foreign retirees? Boasting year-round sunshine, stunning scenery, a thriving expat community and a highly central location, the island nation of Malta ticks a lot of important boxes…
Situated south of Sicily in the Mediterranean, Malta is home to half a million people (including a thriving expat community).
Comprising three main islands, of which only two – Valletta and Gozo – are significantly populated, the country offers a safe, quality lifestyle and reasonable affordability.
Plus, while regular Maltese tax rates reach up to 35%, the country can be a very tax-effienct place to live for foreign retirees…
And since Portugal – previously a no-brainer option for retired foreigners seeking to upgrade their lifestyle – announced the cancellation of their Non-Habitual Residency (NHR) program for new applicants, many American, Canadian and British retirees are now flocking to Malta instead.
The program is open to both EU and non-EU nationals – but not to Maltese citizens.
Find out more about the benefits of the Malta Retirement Visa below, or get in touch to request a free consultation about retiring in Malta.
Malta also offers a Residency By Investment program and Citizenship By Investment regulations.
Why Retire In Malta in 2024?
THE ULTIMATE EU
RETIREMENT DESTINATION
Quality Of Life. Personal Safety. Exceptional Affordability. English Speaking.
ATTRACTIVE TAX REGIME
FOR RETIREES
Enjoy a 15% flat tax rate on qualifying pension income remitted to Malta.
ENJOY VISA-FREE
SCHENGEN TRAVEL
Maltese residents can travel across all 27 Schengen countries, visa-free, for 90 out of every 180 days.
DYNAMIC PROPERTY
MARKET EXPOSURE
By choosing to acquire a property in Malta, you can gain exposure to this dynamic real estate market.
FAST APPLICATION APPROVALS
Once your application has been submitted, you can expect an approval within just 4-6 months.
ACCESS WORLD CLASS BENEFITS AND SERVICES
Malta is home to to top-tier educational facilities and a host of class-leading healthcare services.
The Malta Retirement Program At A Glance
As of 2024, Malta Retirement Program (MRP) is open to applications from both EU and non-EU nationals, as well as Switzerland and other EEA (European Economic Area) countries who are NOT employed, and who receive pension payments as their primary source of income.
Maltese citizens, however, are not eligible to apply.
While the Maltese Retirement Program doesn’t stipulate any specific minimum pension income amount, your retirement income (e.g. pension or social security payouts) must constitute at least 75% of your total income.
Also note that lump sum retirement payouts – i.e. non-periodic pension payments – are not eligible as a valid source of income.
In addition, you will also have to bring your entire pension income into the country, and pay the requisite taxes on it.
(You won’t need to bring the additional 25% in “other” earnings to Malta, nor will Malta tax you on that amount.)
The MRP is not open to individuals already benefiting under the Global Residence Program (in addition to various other rules). However, an individual may renounce the right to the benefits provided under this program (and other rules) prior to applying for the MRP.
But why is this required?
Malta wants to make sure that only people who are actually retired can take advantage of this residency permit program and the preferential tax deal tied to it (more on the tax aspects of this program in just a moment).
Here’s an example for clarity sake:
Let’s say you are retired, and your monthly pension payout of $5,000 is all you earn. That’s 100% of your income, so you meet the 75% requirement.
But if you’re earning $5,000 in pension, and you’re also earning $2,500 in rental income, then your pension income is only around 66.6% of your total income. So in this scenario, you won’t be able to qualify…
If you are NOT able to meet this requirement, you could investigate the country’s Golden Visa Program (also referred to as the Malta Residency By Investment Program).
Alternatively, if you’re a high net worth applicant, you could also consider the Malta Citizenship For Exceptional Services By Investment protocol.
And if neither of those options work for you, and you are able to earn a foreign-sourced salary remotely, then the Malta Nomad Residence Permit could be something to look at.
The lifestyle benefits of living in Malta speak for themselves. But what about the tax advantages..?
What are the tax benefits of the Malta Retirement Visa Program?
Eligible retirees taking up residency in Malta through the Malta Retirement Program will benefit from a flat tax rate of just 15% on their pension earnings remitted to Malta, however a minimum annual tax of EUR7,500 shall be payable for the beneficiary, and EUR500 for each of their dependents (if any are included).
At 15%, that’s the equivalent to paying tax on at least €50,000 of your pension income (and more, if your pension income is over €50,000).
To qualify for the MRP, you have to bring your entire pension to Malta and pay tax on it. So if you were to earn €200,000 in pension per year, you’re looking at a tax bill of €30,000a.
The Malta Retirement Program therefore tends to work best for applicants who don’t receive significant amounts of pension.
Any income earned from within Malta will be taxed at a flat rate of 35%. Capital gains realized outside Malta remain tax-free, even if you do decide to bring the funds into the country (and you aren’t required to).
Another advantage that Malta has over Portugal: You don’t need to apply for the residency program via your local Maltese consulate. You can apply in Malta whilst visiting the country on a tourist visa (if you require one).
You can complete the application process fully remotely, or you can work with an “Authorized Registered Mandatory” — like our team on the ground.
And as a final advantage over the now-terminated Portuguese NHR regime, the tax deal associated with the Maltese Retirement Program does not expire.
It will last for as long as you participate in the program (more on this below).
What are the Malta Retirement Program requirements for 2025?
INCOME REQUIREMENTS: While there is no minimum income requirement for the Malta Retirement Visa program, 75%+ of your income must be from pension. In addition your total pension earnings must be brought to Malta (and will be subject to taxation there).We take a look at what your tax situation could look like in Malta further below…
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT: Malta requires you to be proficient in one of its official languages, being Maltese and English. For applicants hailing from English speaking countries like the US, UK, South Africa and Australia, this requirement is therefore a non-issue.
DOMICILE REQUIREMENT: PROPERTY RENTAL: In addition, you will have to sign a 1-year rental contract worth at least €9,600 (€800 per month). The required rental price goes down to €8,750 per year (€729.10 per month) if you choose to rent in Gozo, or the southern part of Malta Island.
Or…
DOMICILE REQUIREMENT: PROPERTY PURCHASE: If you are ready to purchase real estate right away, you can buy a property in Malta worth at least €275,000, (or €220,000 in Gozo or Southern Malta).
HEALTH INSURANCE REQUIREMENT: You will be required to take out comprehensive private health insurance in Malta for yourself and any dependents. The associated cost will vary based on your age and any pre-existing health risks or conditions.
ADMINISTRATIVE FEE: You will be required to pay an administrative fee of either €6,000 or €5,500, depending on whether you choose to settle in Gozo and Southern Malta, or elsewhere in the country.Your residency permit will be valid for an initial period of 12 months. And to be able to renew your residency after one year, you will need to have:
- Spent at least 90 days per year in Malta, AND;
- You cannot have spent more than 183 uninterrupted days in any other country (including your country of origin).
Does the program offer a path to Maltese citizenship?
Under Maltese immigration law, you become eligible for naturalization after holding legal residency in the country for five years or more (and spending the majority of your time there during this 5-year period).
However, in practice, you’re looking at closer to 15 years (or more!) before your Maltese citizenship application is likely to be given serious consideration.
(There have been exceptions to this trend though.)
Gaining permanent residency there is likely a more realistic goal. But again, you’ll need to spend more than 6 months per year living in Malta in order to become eligible for PR.
If you’re set on gaining Maltese Citizenship, the Malta Citizenship For Exceptional Services By Investment protocol may be an option to consider.
Why Choose To Work With Us?
A Globally Respected Team Of Residency And Citizenship Planning Professionals
Preferred Suppliers For Family Offices And UHNW Clients Around The World
We Are THE Maltese Retirement Program Experts – Based In Valletta
Official Registered Agents For Malta’s Permanent Residency Program And CBI Option (Agent Code: AKM-DISC)
100% Track Record Of Success For Vetted Clients Across ALL Global Programs
We’re Fully Vertically Integrated, And Pass The Associated Cost Savings On To Our Clients
100% CLIENT APPROVAL RATE – OVER 2,200 CLIENTS TO DATE.
Make the Mediterranean lifestyle yours in 2025 with the Maltese Retirement Program.
Contact us now to learn more about how you can benefit from Malta’s Retirement Program today.
GOLDEN VISAS MALTA:
VALLETTA OFFICE
ADDRESS: 215/1B, OLD BAKERY ST, VALLETTA
VLT 1451, MALTA.
PHONE: +356 7799 9019
EMAIL: contact@goldenvisas.mt
WEB: GoldenVisas.mt