For some time, the most famous citizenship by investment program in Europe was Cyprus. But it was closed on November 1, 2020 due to a high-profile corruption scandal. Literally at the same time, the Montenegrin citizenship program began operating, but it was also closed – new applications will not be accepted from December 31, 2022. Thus, by process of elimination, Malta MEIN remained the only option on the market for investors wishing to obtain EU citizenship.
During 2024, EU parliamentarians tried to influence the Maltese authorities to close the program. The case went to court, where the Maltese defended their right to independently decide who to grant citizenship.
In 2025, Maltese Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, in response to a parliamentary inquiry, reported that 2,795 citizenships had been granted in 2024 alone.
Malta MEIN (Maltese Exceptional Investor Naturalisation), naturalization for a special contribution to the country’s economy, operates on the basis of the law of November 2020. Now, in 2025, it requires to get a residence permit first, and then after at least one year investor and his family members get Maltese citizenship under this official legal program.
Benefits of Maltese citizenship. Malta MEIN
— Live, study and work temporarily or permanently in Malta or in other EU countries.
— Visa-free entry to 184 countries, including the USA (90 days) and the UK (180 days per year).
— Apply for citizenship for the whole family. The investor can include in the application his/her spouse, children under 29, parents, grandparents.
— There is no requirement to take a language test.
Obtaining citizenship under Malta MEIN in two steps: obtaining a residence permit in Malta (takes about 1 month), being in the status of a residence permit for at least 12 months, and after that applying for Maltese citizenship. APEX Capital Partners has a case in 2025, when a residence permit as part of the processing under the MEIN program was approved in 15 days.
Requirements of Malta MEIN – 12 months from residence permit to citizenship
The MEIN program is expensive. The investor must make a non-refundable contribution to the state in the amount of €750,000 (with a distance from residence permit to citizenship of 12 months) + rent or buy real estate in accordance with the specified parameters + make a contribution to a charitable foundation in the amount of €10,000.
Note that the Malta program has very strict compliance. Not all investors will be able to show the origin of funds in the form required for Malta. We recommend to discuss your case with APEX in advance to assess the chances of a successful application.
