Malta digital nomad visa (Nomad Residence Permit)

You must be 18 or over, a non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss national, and able to work remotely using telecommunications, independent of location. You must fall into one of three groups: an employee of an employer registered abroad with a contract; a partner or shareholder doing business for a company registered abroad; or a freelancer or consultant whose clients have their permanent establishments abroad. Anyone contracted by a foreign company to serve its Maltese subsidiary, or who would provide services to Malta-based companies or individuals, is excluded.

The Agency publishes a list of ineligible countries that currently covers Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen and Venezuela, plus Russia and Belarus.

Employees submit a contract that describes the duties and states the work can be done remotely and independently of location. Self-employed applicants add the certificate of incorporation and share register of their foreign company. Freelancers submit service contracts showing duties and rates of pay. Everyone provides Form N4 for each person, a signed and dated letter of intent, a full PDF copy of every passport page, a CV, the bank statements and an original police conduct certificate less than six months old for each applicant aged 18 or over, translated into English where needed.

The minimum is €42,000 gross a year. Applicants who filed before 1 April 2024 keep the earlier €32,400 threshold, including at renewal. In every category you must show income guaranteed for at least five months (cumulative) from the application date. Bank statements for the last three months must be official PDF statements downloaded from the bank, in the main applicant’s name, unmasked, and the income must be paid directly into those accounts.

You apply on the Residency Malta online system. Once a compliance officer has checked the file, you receive instructions to pay €300 per applicant by bank transfer from the main applicant’s own account. Processing, including background checks, takes about 30 working days from the receipt of funds. A Letter of Approval in Principle follows, after which you have 30 working days to submit proof of accommodation for the full permit period and a one-year, fully prepaid health insurance policy covering at least €100,000 in the EU (including Malta) and the UK; travel insurance is not accepted.

Applicants whose nationality needs an entry visa are contacted about the visa application by the Central Visa Unit of Identità after final approval. Once in Malta you e-mail the Agency for a biometrics appointment, pay €100 per person for the residence card by card, and collect it in person after three to four weeks.

Submit the renewal two to three months before the permit expires, while your stay is regular; overstayers are refused. You need updated passports and work documents, the last three months of bank statements and a bank statement showing transactions in Malta proving at least five months of cumulative residence in the previous twelve. At the second and third renewal you add a declaration from a local tax practitioner confirming tax compliance. If a renewal is refused or not filed, a new application is possible only 12 months after the previous permit expired.

Holders are not entitled to free public healthcare, social benefits, a Maltese pension or free education, and neither they nor their dependants may work for Malta-based employers or companies. Tax obligations may arise in Malta and abroad; the Nomad Residence Permits (Income Tax) Rules, S.L. 123.210, apply only if all their conditions are met, and the Agency advises independent tax advice.

The Agency does not disclose reasons for refusal, which may include criminal records, eligibility issues, adverse media or earlier Schengen visa refusals. The decision is final and cannot be appealed; a fresh application can be made 12 months after the rejection letter.