ᐉ Malta Citizenship | Malta Citizenship

Known for its robust legal framework and high standards of due diligence, Malta has curated and evolved several citizenship pathways over the years.

Maltese Citizenship Act

Malta Citizenship and its modes of acquisition are regulated by the Maltese Constitution and the Maltese Citizenship Act (Laws of Malta Chapter 188 ). Processing of Malta citizenship applications is done by Community Malta Agency, a Government Agency tasked with accepting and processing applications for the acquisition of Malta Citizenship through various routes including Malta Citizenship by investment, descent, naturalisation, registration and marriage. ACC Advisors Ltd is licensed to represent prospective applicants for Malta Citizenship.

Malta Citizenship by Merit

Malta Citizenship by Merit stands out as a selective and personal route aimed at recognising individuals willing to provide extraordinary value to Maltese philanthropy, Malta’s strategically priority sectors or to humanity at large. First granting the right of residency, the path to Malta Citizenship by Merit recognises commitments to provide exceptional services or contributions by reputable persons who successfully pass official background checks and source of wealth verification. First introduced in 2017 and amended in the 2025 Citizenship Reform.

Maltese Citizenship by Direct Investment

Introduced in 2020 through amendments to the this framework established a regulated route for granting citizenship to reputable individuals rendering exceptional services to Malta. The Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services Regulations, 2020, Legal Notice 437 of 2020, required applicants to obtain Maltese residence through a licensed Malta citizenship agent (ACC Advisors Ltd) and satisfy a minimum legal residency requirement before submitting a citizenship application. Applicants passing the eligibility, background, and source-of-wealth verifications, made a direct contribution to the Government of Malta‘s NDSF fund, obtained a qualifying residential property, and contributed to a registered philanthropic or cultural organisation. This framework was closed by the 2025 reform introducing the Maltese Citizenship by Merit Regulations , removing transactional elements and aligning the acquisition of citizenship more closely with national interest and service.

More on Malta’s Citizenship By Direct Investment Regulations

Maltese Citizenship by Descent

Following amendments to the Maltese Citizenship Act in 2007, persons of Maltese descent became eligible for Malta Citizenship by registration if they can prove they are descendants in the direct line of an ascendant born in Malta of a parent also born in Malta. Whilst there is no residency requirement, if the applicant has parents or grandparents who are still alive and are also direct descendants themselves, they would also have to apply for Malta Citizenship as otherwise Malta Citizenship link would have been broken.

Maltese Citizenship by Naturalisation

Citizenship of Malta by naturalisation is the process through which a non-Maltese person may be granted citizenship by the Minister responsible for citizenship matters, following a formal application and the issue of a certificate of naturalisation. To qualify, an applicant must have lived in Malta continuously for the twelve months before applying, and for a total of at least four years during the previous six years. Applicants must also be of good character, have an adequate knowledge of Maltese or English, and be considered suitable to become citizens of Malta.

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Maltese Citizenship by Marriage

The Maltese Citizenship Act provides for the Acquisition of Malta Citizenship through Marriage. An individual who is the spouse of a Maltese national and has been married and living together for at least five (5) years can apply for Malta Citizenship. The Maltese Citizenship Act further provides that an application can also be submitted by a widow/er of a person who was a citizen of Malta if during the time of death, the widow/er had been married and living together with the now deceased person for at least five (5) years.

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Our Malta Citizenship Advisory Services

Applications for Maltese citizenship must be submitted through specialist warranted lawyers and ACC Advisors Ltd, a licensed agent authorised by the Community Malta Agency (Licence No. AKM-CCA-21), provides professional assistance throughout the residence and citizenship process, ensuring full compliance with Maltese law and regulatory standards.

ACC is the specialised Maltese citizenship advisory practice of Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates, an established Maltese law firm with deep expertise in citizenship, residency, and international private client law. Together, they deliver an integrated legal-advisory service model, combining licensed application handling with in-house legal, tax, and due-diligence capabilities – offering a single, trusted point of contact for individuals and families seeking Maltese citizenship.