Malta's citizenship by investment programme is one of the most effective such immigration schemes in the European Union. The Maltese "Individual Investor Programme" provides the right to live and work anywhere in the European Union. However, this programme requires strict due diligence checks to filter and qualify the applicants. The Maltese IIP is the single EU investor's immigration program with the approval of the European Commission. In exchange, the Maltese government had to introduce the most rigorous due diligence checks among the citizenship by investment programmes and became a model for the other more or less similar regulations. According to Jonathan Cardona, the CEO of the Program, they implemented a four-tier system:

1. The first test is a national and international police check. The Maltese authorities must be sure that there are no international issues regarding the applicants.
2. After the police check, experts from Identity Malta examine the correctness and completeness of the application. It means internal inspections of the accompanying documents.
3. The third step is to gather information from the responsible agent of the applicant from proprietary databases and local sources from the country of residence of the applicant.
4. The last, fourth stage is to build the picture of the family members accompanying the primary applicant. Then they decide the approval of the application, after receiving all the necessary data.

According to Cardona's interview in the European CEO, the refusal rate is 20-25% of the applicants. According to the data obtained by Investor Migration Insider, the rejection rate increases sharply, or at least it is the practical experience each year since the government launched the Maltese citizenship by investment programme.

What are the main reasons for not qualifying for the program?

• Criminal record
• The threat to national security
• Submission of false information
• Not transparent source of wealth
• Inauspicious immigration history

How much do you have to invest for the Maltese citizenship?

• A donation of 650,000 euros to the NDSF (National Development and Social Fund)
• Invest in stocks or bonds at a minimum value of 150,000 euros
• Purchase a real estate with a minimum amount of 350,000 euros, to be held for at least five years or rent a residential real estate, for a period of five years, at an annual rent of at least 16,000 euros
• Obtain a global health insurance coverage of at least 50,000 euros, for all applicants.

Click here for all the details of the Maltese citizenship programme!

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