For births on or after 1 August 1989, birth in Malta confers citizenship only where a parent has the qualifying citizenship or status required by the Act.
Sources: Community Malta Agency — Acquisition of Citizenship
Registration as a spouse after five years of marriage and cohabitation.
Sources: Community Malta Agency — Acquisition of Citizenship
Registration in the direct line requires two consecutive ascendants born in Malta. Act XXI of 2025 moved the governing date in articles 3 and 5 from 2007/2010 to 1 August 2028: an ascendant who dies before that date is deemed to have acquired citizenship, while a parent alive on it must themselves have acquired Maltese citizenship under the article for the claim to pass. A foreign spouse may register after five years of marriage. Every grant requires the Minister to be satisfied it is not contrary to the public interest.
Sources: Community Malta Agency — Acquisition of Citizenship · Maltese Citizenship Act, Chapter 188 · Maltese Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Act XXI of 2025
An adult may apply after residing in Malta throughout the twelve months immediately before the application and for an aggregate of at least four years during the preceding six years. The applicant must also meet character and language requirements. Naturalization remains a ministerial, discretionary decision rather than an entitlement after five calendar years.
Sources: Community Malta Agency — Acquisition of Citizenship
Malta discontinued the Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services programme following the Court of Justice of the European Union judgment, and Act XXI of 2025 then deleted the "individual investor programme" definition from the Act entirely. The substituted article 10(9) grants merit naturalisation for exceptional service or contribution, including through job creation, naming scientists, athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and technologists among the qualifying categories. It sets no financial threshold and must not be represented as a citizenship-by-investment product.
Sources: Government of Malta — citizenship programme discontinued · Community Malta Agency — amendments to the Citizenship Act · Community Malta Agency — naturalisation on the basis of merit · Maltese Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Act XXI of 2025
Immediate permanent residence via property, a government contribution, and a donation.
Sources: Malta Permanent Residence Programme — Residency Malta
One-year renewable residence permit for non-EU remote workers with foreign employers or clients.
Where a licence connected to Malta can be exchanged, based on mapped official lists. Search every issuing country.
Licence issued in Malta
4 mapped destinationsExchange normally requires residence in the destination and replaces the original licence. The official authority still decides validity, deadlines, classes, and any extra checks.
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