Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) vs Golden Visa
🇲🇹 Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) (Malta) compared with 🇪🇸 Golden Visa (Spain) — across cost, timeline, residency, tax and the path to citizenship.
The verdict
- →Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) has the lower financial bar to entry.
- →Golden Visa is usually faster to process.
- →Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) offers a quicker route to citizenship.
- →Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) requires less time in the country each year.
- →Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) has the lower headline tax rate.
There's no single winner — the right choice depends on your budget, how much time you can spend on the ground, and whether a passport is the goal. Use the table below to weigh what matters to you.
| Feature | 🇲🇹Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) | 🇪🇸Golden Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Malta | Spain |
| Type | Golden Visa | Golden Visa |
| Headline cost | From €150,000 contribution | €500k property investment |
| Minimum investment | $150,000 | $500,000 |
| Minimum income | — | — |
| Processing time | 4 months | 3 months |
| Min stay per year | 0 days | 1 days |
| Tax rate | 0% | 24% |
| Leads to PR | No | Yes |
| PR after | — | 5 years |
| Citizenship after | 5 years | 10 years |
| Dual citizenship | No | No |
| Visa-free countries | 183 | 186 |
| Remote work | Yes | Yes |
| Healthcare | No | No |
| Data confidence | high | high |
Frequently asked
Which is cheaper, Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) or Golden Visa?
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) has the lower financial requirement (Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP): $150,000, Golden Visa: $500,000).
Which is faster to get, Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) or Golden Visa?
Golden Visa is faster (Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP): 4 months, Golden Visa: 3 months).
Do Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) or Golden Visa lead to citizenship?
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP): citizenship possible after about 5 years. Golden Visa: citizenship possible after about 10 years.
Can I hold dual citizenship with Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) or Golden Visa?
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP): No. Golden Visa: No.