MaltaPermanent residence

Long-term resident in Malta

Long-term resident status is granted to third-country nationals who have lived in Malta lawfully and continuously for a set period and who meet the requirements on finances, accommodation and integration. The status is treated as permanent, although the document is issued for a limited term. Holders may work and run their own business without a separate work permit. Family reunification is available provided the financial and accommodation standards are met. The programme is governed by subsidiary legislation and requires proof of integration into Maltese society.

Visa term

The status itself is open-ended, while the residence card is issued for five (5) years.

Threshold

Stable and regular means of subsistence. The application fee is 500 euros.

Lawful and continuous residence in Malta for five (5) years or more is required.

Source: Identità Malta (identita.gov.mt)

Who can apply

The programme provides different routes for candidates already living in Malta and for those planning to move.

Already in Malta

You have lived in Malta lawfully and continuously for at least five years
You have had stable income over the last two years at the level of the national minimum
You own or lawfully rent accommodation

Procedural requirements

The integration measures under SL 217.05 have been completed
The passport or travel document is valid for at least eight months from the date of filing
The application is filed solely through the Identità Expatriates Portal

Financial readiness

You have evidenced the stability of your income with documents covering two years
If you wish to include your family: additional income in line with the set standards
You are ready to pay the government fee of five hundred euros

When the programme will not suit you

You do not have more than five years of continuous residence in Malta, or there were long breaks in your residence

Consider economic self-sufficiency status (Economic Self-Sufficiency) or short-term residence permits

Your income is below the national minimum, or you cannot evidence it with documents covering two years

Economic self-sufficiency status requires a higher income, but a long-term resident may work in positions paying above the minimum

You are interested only in work rights but are new to the island

Apply for a Single Permit (work permit) or a work visa, depending on your profile

What it costs

Government fee for the long-term residence applicationPaid when the application is filed; non-refundable whatever the decision	500 EUR
Government fee on renewal of the statusCharged at each five-yearly renewal of the residence card	500 EUR
Family reunification: for each family memberAn additional fee if you apply to include family members at the same time or later	+50 EUR

Paid separately

Translation of foreign documents — Not subsidised by the state; translations must be made by an accredited translator at your expense
Immigration lawyer or adviser — Assistance from a qualified professional is paid for separately; the state does not provide the service
Health insurance for family members — It is a mandatory requirement but is paid for by the family; minimum cover of one hundred thousand euros

Documents to gather

The minimum list of documents at the time of filing. The full list, kept up to date, is in form L on the Identità portal.

Passport or travel document valid for at least eight months from the date of filing
Documents evidencing ownership or rental of accommodation (rental agreement, title deed, architect's certificate that the property meets housing standards)
Documents on income over the last two years (FS3 certificates from the employer, signed and stamped, or income statements signed and stamped by an accountant or auditor for the self-employed)
Certificate of successful completion of the "I Belong" integration course (100 hours) with a mark of at least seventy-five per cent
Certificate of Maltese language at MQF level 2 with a mark of at least sixty-five per cent
Foreign documents must be translated into English or Maltese by an accredited translator

How the process runs

The application process has several stages. Everything is done through the Identità Expatriates Portal.

1
Registration and preparation of documents
two weeks to one month (depending on how quickly the certificates come in)
Create an account on the Identità Expatriates Portal, upload all the required documents in PDF, make sure the passport is valid for at least eight months, and make sure the integration and language certificates are in hand and valid.
2
Filing the application electronically
one day
Submit the application through the Identità Expatriates Portal, pay the government fee of five hundred euros and receive confirmation that the application has been registered, with a tracking number.
3
Check that the documents are complete
one to two weeks
The Identità unit checks whether all the uploaded documents are complete. If anything is missing, you will be asked to upload further material by a set deadline. Where documents are incomplete, the assessment clock stops until the gaps are filled.
4
Assessment of the application
up to six months from the date the complete set is received
Identità verifies the information provided. For complex cases, or cases requiring additional security checks, the period may be extended by a further six months. No interim notifications are usually sent.
5
Receiving the decision
written notification arrives within the stated period
You receive an official letter with the decision (approval or refusal) through the Identità portal. Where the decision is positive, it states where and when to attend to collect your documents and receive the residence card.
6
Collecting the residence card
one to two months after the decision
Once approved, you will be invited to book an appointment at an Identità office to give biometrics and receive the plastic long-term resident card. Your status is finally confirmed at this stage.
7
Issue of the residence card
one day (the moment of issue)
You receive the plastic long-term resident card for a period of five years. The card serves as the document confirming your right to live and work in Malta without a separate work permit.

Timelines and rights

Work

The status allows employment and self-employment without a separate work permit. Only certain posts in the public sector are closed.

Who you can bring with you

Family members of a long-term resident may be reunited in Malta. The process is governed by two mechanisms: legislation SL 217.06 and the family reunification policy.

Spouse

Must be at least twenty-one years of age, and the marriage must be monogamous. You must have lived in Malta for at least two years from the date your first residence permit was issued (under SL 217.06) or twelve months (under the Policy). Financial capacity: proof of stable means of at least 18,940 euros net. Health insurance of at least 100,000 euros is required for the spouse.

Children (unmarried and without children of their own)

Under eighteen at the time of filing (they may be included up to the age of twenty-three provided they are still studying and this is documented). Each child requires a further twenty per cent of the median wage (added to the basic requirement of 18,940 euros). The child is registered as a dependant of the long-term resident. Health insurance of at least 100,000 euros is required.

Adult family members (parents, adult children over eighteen)

May be included solely under the family reunification policy, where there is evidence of financial or physical dependence. Each dependant requires a further twenty per cent of the median wage on top of the basic requirement of 18,940 euros. Appropriate documentation evidencing the dependence is required.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

The five years count as continuous if no single absence exceeded 6 months and you spent no more than 10 months abroad in total. You evidence your income for the 2 years before filing. The integration course and the language examination are not retaken when the status is renewed.

Long-term resident status is renewed every five years. At the first renewal and at every later one you do not have to prove the five years of residence again and you do not retake the "I Belong" integration course or the language examination. Instead you confirm that you have spent no more than twelve consecutive months outside the European Union, have not been absent from Malta continuously for six years and have not obtained long-term resident status in another EU member state. Renewal requires re-confirmation of your address (if it has changed), current documents on income over the last two years (FS3 from the employer or an income statement for the self-employed) and translated foreign documents. The government fee for renewal is five hundred euros. The residence card is valid for five years from the date of issue.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Long-term resident	Permanent residence	Nomad permit
Visa term	The status itself is open-ended, while the residence card is issued for five (5) years	Permanent status subject to compliance; property for 5 years	Up to 1 year, renewable up to 3 years in total
Grounds	EU long-term resident status for third-country nationals lawfully and continuously resident in Malta	Property + government contribution	Remote income
Work	The status allows employment and self-employment without a separate work permit	Does not in itself grant the right to work; a separate permit is required (Single Permit)	Remote work for foreign employers only

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

Naturalisation is applied for on form E at Aġenzija Komunità Malta. You must have lived in Malta for 12 months continuously before filing and a further 4 years in total over the preceding 6 years. The fee is 450 euros plus 50 euros when the certificate is issued.

Frequently asked questions about Long-term resident

What does continuous residence in Malta mean and how are absences counted?

Continuous residence means that no single absence from Malta may exceed six months, and that over the whole five-year period you must not spend more than ten months abroad. All departures count, including tourism, business trips and family visits. Even short trips are added together.

Do I need a separate work permit once I have long-term resident status?

No, you do not need a separate work permit. Holders of long-term resident status have full access to employment and self-employment in Malta. The only restriction is that certain public-sector posts involving the exercise of public authority (for example the civil service or judicial posts) are reserved for Maltese or EU citizens.

What are the integration measures under SL 217.05 and how are they completed?

The integration measures have two components. First: completing the mandatory "I Belong" integration course of one hundred hours with a mark of at least seventy-five per cent. Second: passing the Maltese language examination at MQF level 2 (basic literacy level) with a mark of at least sixty-five per cent. Both components must be completed before the long-term residence application is filed. Once the status has been granted, these requirements are not re-checked at renewal.

How long does a long-term residence application take to assess?

The standard assessment period is up to six months from the date the Identità unit received the complete set of documents. For complex cases requiring additional security checks or special investigation, the period may be extended by a further six months, that is up to a maximum of one year. The clock starts only once all the documents have been uploaded in full; where anything is missing, the assessment is deferred until the gaps are filled.

Which documents evidence my income when I file the application?

You must provide documents on your income over the last two years before filing. If you are an employee, these must be FS3 certificates signed and stamped by your employer. If you are self-employed, an income statement (profit and loss) signed and stamped by your accountant or auditor is required. In some cases copies of the last six months of payslips may be requested. Your income must be at least the national minimum wage across the whole two-year period.

Can I include family members in my long-term residence application?

Yes, you may apply for family reunification, including a spouse aged at least twenty-one and unmarried children under eighteen. The family reunification process is governed separately and requires further documents: a marriage certificate, the children's birth certificates, documents showing income of at least 18,940 euros plus twenty per cent for each family member, documents on accommodation suitable for the family, and health insurance of at least one hundred thousand euros. Each family member requires a separate fee of fifty euros.

Other ways to move to Malta

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Malta.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.