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Labour’s citizenship rules: you can become Maltese for €650,000
Individual Investor Programme to grant certification of naturalization for rich ‘citizens’
8 October 2013, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
2 min read
Yours for 650,000
The Maltese government is planning to sell Maltese citizenship to foreign investors, as part of an Individual Investor Programme in new amendments to the Citizenship Act.
New applicants under this programme will have to pay €650,000, of which €10,000 will be a non-refundable deposit, as well as €25,000 for their spouses and individual children below 18 years of age; or €50,000 for dependant parents aged 55 or over, and unmarried children aged between 18 and 25.
According to the draft bill, the IIP will allow "for the grant of citizenship by a certificate of naturalization to foreign individual and families who contribute to the economic development of Malta."
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had told Bloomberg in an interview that his government was interested "in bringing in all those who are reputable people, who are willing to take up residence in Malta."
"We however, don't do the hard selling. An address in Malta, residence in Malta, comes at a premium. So we are not into selling this right cheap. We have limited space in our country so we have to choose people carefully, no matter what nation they come from. In the next few months we will be issuing what I believe will be new exciting programs on residency and even citizenship. Again, due diligence and choosing the right type of person will be paramount."
Any dependants of the applicant - spouse, children or parents - must be certified not to be suffering from any contagious disease and must be in good health, according to the due diligence application form.
The programme will be specifically addressed at non-EU citizens who do not avail themselves of other tax exile schemes and property acquisition programmes.
Applicants must have a clean criminal record, and cannot be considered a "potential threat to Malta's independence, national security or reputation".
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat will also appoint a regulator - a former judge or magistrate, a former Attorney General or permanent secretary, or someone who has practiced law for the past 12 years - to oversee the correct implementation of the IIP.
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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shame on you L.sammut !for your mislead comments, no one said that Joseph Muscat or goverment is trying to sell our country! be fair about your comments!, or you don't want to write the true, or may you are one that hate progress! by PL. or may also still disparate from a heavy defeat from 9th March!
Our government is willing to healing our country from the disaster that YOUR PARTY HAD LEFT BEHIND!
keep it Joseph! you have my vote again, Next time you will gain more thousands votes more!!! than 36,000
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I think this is pure arrogance and the man does not care if he sells his children's heritage to anybody that can come up with the money. This is selling one's soul to the devil and an open invitation to any crooked rich millionaire that can afford to buy a spot on our island. Joseph Muscat Malta is not for sale. It is enough you are selling 35% of Enemalta to China, What else are you willing to sell Joseph Muscat? Selling our heritage for money is the lowest thing you can do because no real Maltese Patriot should sell part of Malta. You cannot put a price on freedom and patriotism, You cannot put a price on Heritage which yours and our grandfathers fought for. Maltese Heritage belongs to us and our childrens, yours included and you have no right to take it away and put it up for sale like it was a dozen pastizzi.Why not sell 35% of Air Malta to China or any other willing investors and leave Maltese heritage alone. This is an outright insult to every Maltese born and I am sure other dedicated Maltese who passed are turning in their graves knowing of your proposal to sell Malta for a price. So Dom Mintoff went through all that trouble to make Malta independent and now you want to sell that independence to the rich? Why not make every illegal immigrant a Maltese citizen or maybe that will not get you 30Million euros. We are proud of our Maltese heritage even if you and some of your cronies are not. I think the opposition should sue you and the rest of the PL party and stop you from selling our heritage to the highest bidder. Shame on you all. Shame on you Joseph Muscat. Now it is time for every Maltese born citizen to speak up and stop this madness. Malta is not for sale!
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I totally disagree with this idea.Money is the evil behind this concept and must not be acceptable. The PM office has indicated the limited room Malta has to accomodate the migrants and now they want to sell
citizenships to wealthy foreigners. Malta is not Monaco and must never be sold.
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If the UK and Canada can do it, why not us? At least we would be cashing in one of the disadvantages/advantages of joining the EU! We have taken too many blows from this institution, (unless you are in the public sector and enjoy worldwide free travel). Why should we castigate ourselves for "politico" points? How nauseating watching masochists cutting their nose to spite their face!
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Stil La Mafja!
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The slogan "Malta Taghna Lkoll" gained a new meaning of who "Ahna" (We) are!
Besides, If one can buy a Maltese Birthright, one should be able to sell it as well.
One could consider selling his or her's for a 30% discount, and still land half a million!
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@FXT.
A high worth individual worth at least 650,000 euros does not take away your job; probably with his capital and knowhow he will add value to 'your' job; and increase the opportunities for job creation in Malta!
We are living in 2013; its a globilised world specially for international capital!
We can only make a living if we find niches and opportunities: its not about values either. Money's values are always good provided it is used in a legal manner!
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What is the fuss?
Citizenship is advertised on a daily basis on the Economist and the London Sunday Times provided you are a 'high worth individual'.
Why do you think Russian oligarchs and most of the international elite are flocking to London?
In today's world when money talks citizenship listens.
What is good for London is good for us!
Cheers and proset Joseph for thinking out of the box!
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Its a gateway to Europe, especially interesting if you are Russian or a rich South African. But I doubt you would want to live in Malta, with all the traffic and concrete.
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I am confused: did it really have to be put in terms of money? Can't a more dignified formula be found that does not put money first?
This is not only an insult to the native Maltese people but also to those who acquired and deserved it through a process of values that can not be quantified in terms of money.
Anyway with that sum of money one can surely buy a plot in hell or heaven depending on the preference...
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One has to see whether the EU will allow this. According to the European Court of Justice (in a judgement given in 2010) national legislation regarding citizenship may be subject to EU laws.
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As kukkanja said other countries bigger in size and economy than Malta have this program I for one have benefited from this kind of scheme I have Canadian and New Zealand citizenship and passports and I am no investor in any of these counties all I am is someone that have qualifications in fields that the mentioned countries lack and yes I believe it is a very good move these people that will come and I tell you there is a very big demand from people that are very well off to come and live/buy residences in Malta are not going to take jobs that the Maltese do it is the other way round they are very likely to invest and create jobs in Malta so yes thumbs up for such an incentives.
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If citizenship is an asset, then use it.
if it is a resources then as a country with no resources we should exploit this.
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A lot of shady people will be grateful for this. Not for the Maltese passport, but for the benefit of having a EU passport.
Viva malta u l-maltin kienu jghidu xi darba..
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Don't take it so hard.When i was in England 35 years ago you could be a citizen if you deposit £300,000.
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Din mhux bhal ma jaghmlu l-Amerikani l-Kanadizi, L-Awstraljani u New Zealand? Jekk int 'high worth individual': why not?
Issa se jistaghgbu tal-PN li kien ghalihom jaghtu ic-cittadinanza lil kull immigrant li jidhol f'Malta with no questions asked!
joseph mercieca •
Now this is rich we let Europeans come to Malta take our jobs and everything else as if they are Maltese citizens. That is alright but to ask money for the benefit to reside in Malta it's wrong. And anyway I don't think there will be a long queue waiting. Anyway it is nothing new as non Europeans to stay in Malta and have right of residence they must prove that they have money to support themselves. So what is wrong to attract rich people to come live and invest in Malta. So shame on you and for God's sakes quit this hypocracy. Labour is even government get used to it.
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The title should have read 'You can become an EU citizen for Eur650 000'
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They're thinking if it worked for the Roman Empire...
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I don't believe I've just read this crap. Labour is turning citizenship in to a form of prostitution and the politicians take great pleasure in being the pimps.
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I just cannot believe this .. fellow Maltese selling citizenship for money. It is wrong!very very wrong.
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I am Maltese born and raised and I find this news very appalling. If you want to make somebody a Maltese Citizen, that is fine but do not put a price on a countries citizenship,that is downgrading, I don't care how much money one pays, whether it is one euro or €650,000euros a Maltese citizenship should not be sold for any kind of money. I think that every Maltese citizen should object to this outrageous move by the government. Where is your pride? Maybe it is true that money is the root of all evil. Shame, shame shame. Mr PM do not do this to Malta and the Maltese. We are proud to be Maltese and NO Maltese Citizenship should not be on sale for any price. There must be some hard up people in our Government, and I thought the PN lacked scruples but it seems I was wrong. This one beats all.
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IS THIS FOR REAL?!
