Residency

An enviable climate, a notable and chequered history and a rich culture contribute to Malta's attraction as an ideal immigration location. Our Malta Residency Law practice has long understood Malta's strategic importance as an alternative residency destination for a number of compelling reasons. Malta's remittance based tax system and special tax status for qualifying expatriates offers unrivaled quality living and tax optimisation opportunities. Malta's residence and citizenship programmes attracts EU and non-EU nationals who are highly qualified persons, High Net Worth Individuals, entrepreneurs and retirees looking for an alternative residence for private, business or financial purposes.

Malta Residency Destination

With Malta's growing reputation as a high quality living destination and a tax-efficient residence solution in the European Schengen Area, as Malta Residency Lawyers, we have increasingly advised on pre-immigration tax planning considerations as well as on the tax optimisation opportunities of moving to Malta under the appropriate residence scheme or Malta residency program.

Malta’s lure as a popular residency destination can be found in various factors, including:

• security and a high standard of living;
• hospitable multilingual people;
• visa-free travel to the Schengen Area;
• straightforward monetary repatriation through an excellent banking infrastructure;
• beneficial tax schemes and an extensive network of double taxation agreements;
• no minimum stay requirement;
• remittance basis of taxation for resident non-domiciled persons.

Residency Law in Malta

1. The inward movement of foreigners into the Maltese Islands is regulated by the Chapter 217 of the Laws of Malta: The Immigration Act. This regulates:
   • the granting of residence permits to foreign spouses of citizens of Malta and their dependents
   • the granting of temporary residence permits;
   • the granting of permanent resident permits;
   • the granting of permission for foreigners to work in Malta.

The different types of residence programmes listed above can be bundled into the following specific schemes or types of residence:

2. Malta Ordinary Residence Scheme
3. Malta Global Residence Programme
4. The Residence Programme Rules
5. Malta Permanent Residence Programme
6. Highly Qualified Persons Rules: Aviation Executives , Gaming Executives , Financial Services Executives

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Our Residency Law Practice

Chetcuti Cauchi’s team of specialised immigration advisors is dedicated to providing sound Malta immigration law advice and cross-border relocation assistance to private clients worldwide. Led by Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti and Dr Priscilla Mifsud Parker, Chetcuti Cauchi's award-winning Malta Residency Law team is the oldest specialised immigration law practice in Malta. We have successfully represented individuals and families ranging from expatriate retirees, immigrants seeking employment, entertainment and sports personalities to HNW individuals listed in Fortune lists.

We also provide practical relocation assistance ranging from transportation of movable effects to schooling, renting or buying of property, obtainment of a driving licence and health insurance coverage.

Be it for employment or business purposes, for financial reasons or simply to enjoy living in a welcoming jurisdiction, Malta offers a residence status that best suits each person’s circumstances. Acknowledging that timely compliance is of the essence, Chetcuti Cauchi’s team ensures that clients are kept up-to-date with the latest official information. Furthermore, in order to provide a holistic service, we co-operate with a number of overseas law firms, immigration professionals, real estate specialists and foreign tax practitioners in order to provide professional assistance and advice on relocation and tax residence which goes beyond basic legal requirements.

Our Malta Residency Lawyers

In providing Malta residency law advice, our legal team focuses on the particular needs of the individual or family and matches up the client’s requirements with the criteria of the several Malta tax schemes available. We advise on the legal and tax rules and implications of taking up ordinary residence in Malta for European Union nationals and handle the applications process.  As registered mandatories we take care of residence applications for EU and non-EU individuals that decide to take up residence under the special tax scheme available.  Malta citizenship applications handling is also a service that the immigration team offers.

Our Malta residency lawyers seek to project manage the relocation process for our clients. They do not merely tackle the legal aspects involved in changing residence such as permits, applications and real estate contracts. They go beyond traditional legal requirements and also seek to ease the obligations and responsibilities associated with this area. This is done through our collaboration with external collaborators, suppliers, contracts and other involved parties – with the intention of making such an important, personal, life-changing process – easier and more manageable.

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