It has today been announced that Maltese passports will be available to buy from the Maltese government for 650,000 Euros, the equivalent of approximately £545,000.
Malta has been a member of the European Union since 2004, so obtaining a Maltese passport also gives the holder EU citizenship and so the right to live in and work in the UK. Holders of a Maltese passport also have the right to bring their non-EEA family members with them, such as their husband, wife or civil partner, children or grandchildren under 21 (or, if over 21, if they are dependent), and their parents or grandparents if they are dependent on the Maltese national. Extended family members who are proven to be dependent on the EU citizen are also able to join them in the UK.
As with similar schemes offered by Cyprus and St Kitts & Nevis, Malta’s citizen-by-investment programme has been introduced to raise finance for the country, which is predicted at being around 30 million Euros. Such schemes attract wealthy non-EU nationals who wish to benefit from the substantive visa-free travel opportunities offered by obtaining citizenship to that country.
It is proposed that this scheme will start operating as of April 2014. For further information on the rights of EEA citizens and their family members please contact Gherson.