Any prospective applicant is to be properly vetted by the Licensed Agent, who must conduct Tier 1 due diligence.
Upon determining the individual’s prima facie suitability, the Agent will be in a position to prepare an applicant’s file for submission to the Agency.
There are seven (7) main steps to the Malta Permanent Residence Programme application process.
1. Power of Attorney
The granting of a Power of Attorney (POA) by the Main Applicant to the Agent is the first step. Through the signing of the POA document the Main Applicant empowers the Licensed Agent to act on his/her behalf in terms of the MPRP.
2. Submission of Application Pack
The Licensed Agent is required to submit an application pack on behalf of the Main Applicant. The file submitted to Residency Malta Agency must be complete and correct and a receipt will be issued by the Agency as confirmation of submission.
3. Due Diligence
The Agency applies rigorous scrutiny via a four-tier due diligence process to ensure that only persons and families of good repute are accepted under the MPRP. Residency Malta Agency and the Licensed Agent share the responsibility of verifying all information provided by the Main Applicant.
The Agency’s team undertakes the second tier of due diligence. The application’s completeness and correctness is verified. This involves identifying anomalies that highlight any potential risk. The documentation submitted to the Agency is checked in its entirety to ensure validity. Applications with missing or incorrectly prepared documentation are paused until the agent submits them of behalf of his client.
The Agency will thereafter seek to obtain clearance from police authorities which will check Interpol and Europol data. A thorough and in-depth online investigation is undertaken. International databases are consulted to check for sanctioned individuals and companies. Searches are conducted on all family members applying for residency, their corporate affiliations, any significant one-time transactions, donations, inheritance, significant business partners and associates.
The Agency’s analysts will seek to establish a concise story concerning the applicant. In cases where more clarity is required, further questions may be raised which may require the applicant to present further supporting documentation.
4. Letter of Approval in Principle
The final application file is presented to the Approvals Board for its final decision. If the decision is taken to approve the application, a Letter of Approval in Principle (LAP) is issued.
If the Approvals Board decides against the application, a letter of rejection is issued, and the process ceases.
5. Investment
The Main applicant must proceed to settle the investments required under the MPRP, including the purchase or lease of a qualifying property, making a donation to the registered NGO/organisation of choice and paying the Contribution to the Government.
6. Residence Card Application
Although one may apply to have their biometric data (fingerprints, photograph and signature) taken by the Agency once the Letter of Approval in Principle is issued, the issuance of the Maltese residence cards will only take place once the investment is duly made and all qualifying criteria met.
Each residency card is valid for 5 years, with the exception of minors turning 14 or 18 years who will have a residency card valid up until a month before their respective birth date.
7. Annual Compliance
On a yearly basis, the Residency Malta Agency will ask the agent to submit on behalf of the beneficiary proof of property lease, via the presentation of a contract of lease, as well as proof of sickness insurance cover, via the presentation of the annual policy. This recurs annually for the first 5 years, and then whenever the Agency deems it necessary and at its discretion.
