Malta Permanent Residence Programme Documents

What documents do I need for the Malta Permanent Residence Programme?

To apply for the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP), applicants typically need to submit a valid passport, proof of stable income and source of wealth, recent bank statements, a clean police conduct certificate, birth and marriage certificates, evidence of residential address, and certified translations or apostilles where required. Additional documents may be necessary depending on the applicant’s family composition and personal history.

But before we explore the list of documents, one must keep in mind some basic criteria.

General Rules Applicable To The MPRP Documentation

There are certain universal standards that apply to all documents submitted as part of a Malta Permanent Residence application. These ensure that each document is verifiable and legally admissible under Maltese law.

All documents must be in English. Where a document is issued in another language, a certified English translation must be provided. The translation must include a declaration of accuracy from a qualified translator and be accompanied by a copy of the original.

Some documents must be either apostilled or legalised to be accepted. An apostille is a single-page certificate issued under the Hague Convention of 1961, usually by a foreign office or equivalent authority, confirming the authenticity of the signature and the capacity of the signatory. Where a document has been certified by a foreign notary in a country that is party to the Convention, the apostille is mandatory. If an apostille cannot be obtained due to language or administrative limitations, authentication should be sought via a Maltese consular or diplomatic mission.

If the document originates from a country not party to the Apostille Convention, it must be legalised. This involves certification by the notary, endorsement by the local Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and, where necessary, further authentication by a Maltese diplomatic mission. In countries where no Maltese representation exists, the document must still undergo national governmental authentication.

Police conduct certificates issued in the EU, EEA, United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand do not require further apostille or legalisation, provided they are original and translated into English where necessary.

All documents must be recent, relevant, and clearly legible. Police conduct certificates must be issued within six months of submission. Financial documents must reflect the applicant’s current position. Any inconsistencies in names, dates, or details must be addressed proactively. While scanned documents are acceptable, applicants should use a high-quality scanner or a dedicated scanning app (e.g. Adobe Scan, Microsoft Lens, CamScanner), not a regular phone camera.

At its core, the documentation should provide a clear and coherent picture of the applicant’s identity, family background, residence history, and financial position. This is the foundation of every successful Malta Permanent Residence application.

The following list explores the requirements of each document which forms part of a complete and correct Malta Permanent Residence Programme application.

Passport & ID Cards

Every individual included in the application – regardless of age or relationship – must submit a certified true copy of their entire passport – including the covers! The biodata page must be clearly legible, and the passport must be valid at the time of submission and for the foreseeable duration of the application process. This serves as the primary identity document and must be consistent with all other personal data submitted.

Each applicant must also submit an identity card where one has been issued. This applies particularly to jurisdictions where national ID systems operate alongside passport identification.

Birth Certificate

A birth certificate is mandatory for every individual listed in the application. This document must be either the original, an official extract, or a certified true copy bearing the necessary legalisation or apostille. In instances where a birth certificate cannot be obtained, an equivalent document may be accepted, but only if accompanied by a detailed declaration explaining the reason for the absence.

Marriage Certificate

Where a marriage has occurred, a marriage certificate is required. This document must be the latest version available, fully legalised or apostilled, and consistent with the details provided elsewhere in the application. For divorced applicants, all divorce certificates must be submitted – even if the divorce is no longer relevant to the current marital status.

Military Records

Applicants who have served in the armed forces, or undergone any form of military training, must provide military records. These must be submitted as certified true copies and should correspond with declarations made in the application. If no military background exists, no documentation is required.

Change Of Name Documentation

If a change of name has taken place for any applicant – a change of name document must be provided. This too must be certified or submitted in original and properly legalised. The name on the passport, birth certificate, and application forms must align, and any discrepancies should be accounted for with such a document.

Residence Permits/Cards

If the applicants hold residence in any other jurisdiction, copies of the front and back of the card must be presented.

Police Conduct Certificate

A police conduct certificate is required for every applicant aged fourteen and above. These certificates must be original, issued by the national or federal authority of the applicant’s country of origin and of every country in which the applicant has resided for more than six months in the past ten years. The certificate must be no more than six months old at the time of submission. In certain countries, where police authorities send the certificate directly to other foreign institutions, it may be sent directly to Residency Malta Agency.

Bank Statements

The application must include recent bank statements for the account held in the name of the main applicant from which the MPRP fees and contribution will be remitted. These must cover a minimum of the previous three months. Statements from a recently opened, inactive or zero-balance account will not be accepted unless statements covering at least the previous three months from the main applicant’s or benefactor’s feeder account are also provided.

Proof Of Current Residential Address

Another requirement is documentary evidence of the applicant’s current residential address outside of Malta. This can take the form of a credit card statement, bank statement, utility bill, or official government correspondence; a tenancy agreement is also a suitable document. The document must contain both the address – which will be the one declared in all the application forms – and the applicant’s name.

Custody Of Minors

Where minor dependents are included in the application and custody is not held jointly with the other parent, an award of custody or guardianship issued by a competent court must be provided.

In cases where a parent who holds custody or joint custody is not included in the application, their explicit, notarised consent must also be submitted, authorising the inclusion of the child and their relocation to Malta.

Income And Wealth

An application under the MPRP may require substantial documentation in support of the applicant’s declared income and wealth. The level of detail requested is proportional to the complexity of the individual’s financial structure. The more layered the corporate holdings, and the more sophisticated the tax planning arrangements, the greater the need for clarity, traceability, and verification.

Applicants with a straightforward employment background should expect to provide recent payslips alongside corresponding bank statements evidencing receipt of salary. In cases where the applicant derives income through business ownership, documentation will typically include company incorporation records, share registers, official extracts from corporate registries, and recent financial statements.

Where assets such as real estate are involved, the Agency may request sale or purchase agreements, together with independent valuations or property tax declarations.

Cryptocurrency does not qualify as a financial asset for the MPRP capital-assets requirement. Where an applicant’s wider source-of-wealth history includes crypto transactions, those transactions must still be fully substantiated. Applicants should provide evidence of acquisition and disposal—including peer-to-peer agreements or exchange records—together with wallet addresses, exchange-account records, relevant KYC information and a clear breakdown of holdings.

The overriding principle is transparency. Every material claim regarding income or wealth must be supported by documentary evidence that is consistent, credible, and independently verifiable.