How to Apply for Maltese Citizenship

Step 1: Identify Your Path

First and foremost, you’ll need to identify your path apply for to Malta citizenship or residency, including one of the paths below:

• Citizenship by Descent: This is only open to people with a parent or grandparent who was born a Maltese citizen in the country with at least one parent who was also born a Maltese citizen inside the country.
• Citizenship by Marriage: You must have been married to a Maltese citizen for at least 5 years and lived together that entire time.
• Citizenship by Naturalization: This takes a long time (about 7 years) to qualify, but it is open to almost anybody.
• Citizenship by Investment (Golden Visa): If you have hundreds of thousands of euros to invest, the Malta Golden Visa is a fast-track route to getting Maltese citizenship.

Step 2: Gather and Certify Documentation

Every pathway has its own specific set of documents which are required to submit along with your application.

Organizing your documents beforehand also includes making sure everything is officially translated and apostilled, which can take significant time.

This is also the time that you will take your language exam if you are naturalizing.

Learn more about documentation for Maltese citizenship.

Step 3: Submit Maltese Citizenship Application

You will submit your application and supporting documents to the Community Malta Agency. If you apply abroad (not uncommon for citizenship by descent and marriage cases), you’ll do everything through the nearest Malta consulate or embassy.

The application form you fill out depends on the path you are taking. We’ve outlined these details below:

• Citizenship by Descent: Form D
• Citizenship by Marriage: Form B
• Citizenship by Naturalization: Form E (Form J for minors)
• Citizenship by Investment: This requires many forms, and some depend on the stage you are in (whether you are applying to be eligible for the program or applying to be a citizen after completing the program).
  • Eligibility Stage:
    • Main Application: Form R
    • Dependents: Declaration for adult dependents
  • Citizenship Stage:
    • Main Application: Form R1
    • Dependents: Form S1 for adults and Form T for minors
  • Financial Info: PDFEE Form for education, family, and employment. SSFW Form to declare income, net worth, source of funds, and wealth.
  • MRQ Form: For health information.
  • PSC Form: Identifies the applicant and requires a lawyer, notary public, or Maltese consular/diplomatic officer to verify.
  • Business and Corporate Affiliations Declaration: Information about the applicant’s business affiliations.
  • Tax Residency Jurisdiction Declaration: Declaration of all jurisdictions where the applicant is a tax resident.
  • Annual Compliance Declaration Form: Completed by the licensed agent and main applicant annually for five years post-citizenship.

Step 4: Attend Interviews

Sometimes, the Maltese government will require you to to appear for an in-person interview or request additional documentation.

It’s extremely important that you follow through with these communications. If you don’t maintain the application at this point, your application for Maltese citizenship will be denied.

Step 5: Wait for Approval

This is the simplest, though sometimes most stressful step. The Maltese government can operate slowly so patience is required.

For those who have applied through descent or marriage, this might only take a handful of months. Naturalization cases, however, might take over a year.

Step 6: Swear In

Maybe the most joyful step—your final official hurdle to citizenship is taking an Oath of Allegiance to Malta.

It is required, but once you’re at this point, you can rest assured that you are qualified to be a full Maltese citizen.

Step 7: Get Your Maltese ID and Passport

Now that you are a citizen, you can easily obtain your ID and Malta passport. Though they each have their own application processes, they are much easier and faster than citizenship.