Last verified: September 2026. Checked against the Court of Justice of the EU judgment in case C-181/23 and Malta’s Act XXI of 2025.
Short answer: Malta no longer sells citizenship. The EU’s top court ruled on 29 April 2025 that Malta’s citizenship-by-investment scheme broke EU law, and Malta formally ended it on 24 July 2025 (Act XXI of 2025). There is no longer a fixed price that buys a Maltese, and therefore EU, passport. What remains is a residence programme and a discretionary “citizenship by merit” route with no published price.
This page explains what the programme was, what the court decided, what it means for people who applied or already hold Maltese citizenship, and which options are still open if you want an EU base or a second passport. For every program that is still running, see our 2026 citizenship-by-investment guide.
Quick facts (2026)
| Status | Closed to new applicants |
| Court ruling | 29 April 2025, Court of Justice of the EU, case C-181/23 (Commission v Malta) |
| Formal end | Act XXI of 2025, published 24 July 2025 |
| Last contribution levels | €600,000 (36-month track) or €750,000 (12-month track), plus property and a donation |
| Replacement | Citizenship by merit (Article 10(9), Maltese Citizenship Act). Discretionary, no fixed price |
| Still open | Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP). Residence only, not a passport |
How the programme worked
Malta opened its first scheme, the Individual Investor Programme, in 2014. In late 2020 it was replaced by the “Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment” route. Under the 2020 rules an applicant had to:
- pay a contribution of €600,000 after 36 months of residence, or €750,000 after 12 months;
- buy a home worth at least €700,000 or rent one for at least €16,000 a year, held for five years;
- donate at least €10,000 to a registered NGO; and
- pass Malta’s due-diligence checks.
Because Malta is an EU member, a Maltese passport also meant EU citizenship: the right to live and work anywhere in the Union. That is exactly what Brussels objected to.
What the EU court decided
The European Commission started infringement proceedings in 2020 and took Malta to the Court of Justice in 2023. In October 2024 the court’s Advocate General, Anthony Collins, advised the judges to dismiss the case. The court did not follow him. On 29 April 2025 the Grand Chamber ruled that granting citizenship in exchange for predetermined payments or investments amounts to the “commercialisation” of EU citizenship and breaches EU law (Article 20 TFEU and the duty of sincere cooperation in Article 4(3) TEU). We covered the adviser’s opinion, and why the court went the other way, in this update.
Malta responded with Act XXI of 2025, published on 24 July 2025. It removed the investment-based route and put a merit-based framework in its place. No new applications under the old rules are accepted.
What if you applied or already hold Maltese citizenship?
The judgment was about the legality of the scheme, not about individual citizens. It did not order Malta to revoke citizenship already granted, and it did not set out what should happen to applications that were still in progress. That leaves the position of pending applicants unsettled. If you are in that situation, get advice from a licensed Maltese lawyer rather than relying on general articles, including this one.
Citizenship by merit: not a replacement you can buy
The new route under Article 10(9) of the Maltese Citizenship Act rewards “exceptional” contributions to Malta or to humanity, in areas such as science, innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, sport or philanthropy. Applicants still need to live in Malta and show real ties to the country. There is no published investment threshold and no guarantee. Economic activity can count, but only as part of a contribution that is exceptional in its own right. For most investors it is not a realistic plan.
What is still available in Malta
The Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) is still open. It gives a permanent residence card, not citizenship, and no passport. Under the rules in force since 1 January 2025 the main costs are:
- an administration fee of €60,000 (€15,000 on application, €45,000 on approval in principle);
- a government contribution of €37,000 plus a €2,000 NGO donation;
- buying a property for at least €375,000 or renting for at least €14,000 a year;
- proof of capital of €500,000 (at least €150,000 in financial assets), or €650,000 (at least €75,000 in financial assets);
- €7,500 for each additional adult dependant.
More detail is in our Malta residency by investment guide. MPRP holders can later apply for ordinary naturalisation like any other long-term resident, but that takes years of real residence and is never automatic.
Alternatives if you wanted a Maltese passport
No EU country sells citizenship any more. Cyprus closed its scheme in 2020 and Bulgaria in 2022, and the Malta ruling makes a comeback unlikely anywhere in the Union. Your realistic options are:
- A Caribbean passport with visa-free access to the Schengen area (and, for some, the UK): Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia or Antigua and Barbuda. These give you a second passport, not EU citizenship.
- Turkey, through property or other qualifying investments.
- EU residence by investment that can lead to naturalisation after years of living there. See our residency-by-investment guide.
- Citizenship by descent, if you have Italian, Irish, Polish, Hungarian or other European ancestry. It is often the only way to get an EU passport without moving.
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Tell us your budget, family size and what you need a second passport or EU base for. We’ll reply by email with the options that fit and the next steps, at no cost and with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still buy Maltese citizenship in 2026?
No. The investment route was ruled contrary to EU law on 29 April 2025 and formally ended by Act XXI of 2025 on 24 July 2025.
What replaced Malta citizenship by investment?
A discretionary “citizenship by merit” route for people who make exceptional contributions to Malta or to humanity. It has no fixed price and cannot be bought.
Will people who already got Maltese citizenship lose it?
The court did not order revocation. Existing citizenship was not cancelled by the judgment, but anyone affected should take advice from a Maltese lawyer.
Is the Malta Permanent Residence Programme still open?
Yes. It gives permanent residence, not citizenship. Costs start with a €60,000 administration fee, a €37,000 contribution, a €2,000 donation and a property purchase of €375,000 or rent of €14,000 a year.
Which EU countries still sell citizenship?
None. Malta was the last. For a second passport with Schengen access, investors now look at Caribbean programs or Turkey, or at EU residence that can lead to naturalisation over time.
