If you want to become a permanent resident of an EU country through investment, Malta is the right option for you. Malta has been attracting foreign capital by offering attractive incentives aimed at international entrepreneurs and investors in the last couple of years.

As a modern financial center and one of the most famous jurisdictions in the south European region, this island has an English-speaking, well-educated, and motivated workforce. Becoming a Maltese resident or citizen means you can freely move to the EU countries or visa-free travel to 183 European countries.

Malta citizenship by investment and Malta Residency and Visa program share some common attributes but have their separate benefits to offer. Both the programs require you to make an investment on the island and gain a Maltese passport and residency or citizenship in exchange.

These investment options comprise investing in a business or real estate, government-approved stocks & bonds, and making non-refundable cash donations to government research and development programs.

Let’s look at here how these two programs are different from each other.

• Malta citizenship grants you a full set of rights, duties, privileges, and responsibilities of a citizen while Malta residency gives you the legal right to live, study, and travel in the country.
• With Malta citizenship, you automatically get the right to work in the island while having Maltese residency in hand still needs you to obtain a work permit to do a job in Malta.
• Maltese citizenship has no expiry date unless you give up on it. Malta residency card needs to be renewed every two years with a permanent permit under MRVP.
• Maltese citizenship automatically inherits in future generations while Maltese residency needs to be gained on an individual basis and cannot be transferred.
• Maltese citizenship cannot be revoked unless a serious law violation occurs while Maltese residency can be revoked.
• You can vote in Maltese elections as a citizen while Maltese residency doesn’t give you this right.
• As a Maltese citizen, you have to meet all the requirements for at least 5 years after gaining citizenship while as a resident you need to meet some of the requirements for life.