Malta digital nomad visa (Nomad Residence Permit)
Malta's Nomad Residence Permit is for people working remotely for employers or clients outside Malta, earning at least EUR 42,000 a year before tax. You apply online, from abroad or in Malta, and it lasts a year at a time, for up to four.
At a glance
- The visa
- Nomad Residence Permit
- What you need
- About $3,930 a month (EUR 42,000 a year); in pounds, about £2,950 a month
- What counts as proof
- Bank statements showing the work income, plus a contract, service contracts or company papers. You also need a guaranteed income source for at least five months from the date you apply.
- Who can apply
- Employees of a company abroad: yes (only if the employer is registered abroad. Working for its Maltese subsidiary does not count). Freelancers: yes (only if your clients have permanent establishments abroad. Malta-based clients rule you out). Owners of a company abroad: yes.
- How long
- One year, renewable three times: four years at most
- Without a visa
- British and American visitors: 90 days in any 180 across Schengen
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
- Need no visa: they can live and work there anyway.
The catch. Every renewal needs Maltese bank transactions proving five months there in the last 12, on top of a registered 12-month lease and a year of prepaid health cover.
See where you stand against Malta and every other country. Check your income
How to apply
- Apply online with Residency Malta. If you're already in Malta, your current stay must have at least 30 days left.
- Pay the EUR 300 fee by bank transfer from your own account. The 30-working-day clock starts when it arrives, and background checks run.
- If you're approved in principle, send proof of accommodation and health insurance within 30 working days.
- After final approval, book biometrics by email, pay the EUR 100 card fee in person, and collect your card from Residency Malta's offices, with your passport, three to four weeks later. American, British and Singaporean passport holders don't need an entry visa; Indian ones do.
- Refusals are final, with no appeal. You can reapply after 12 months.
Fees and timing
- Application
- EUR 300 per person, not refundable.
- Residence card
- EUR 100 per person.
- How long it takes
- 30 working days from when your fee arrives, then three to four weeks for the card.
The documents
The main items. Your consulate's own checklist is the one that counts, so check it before you start.
- Passport
- A contract with an employer abroad, your company's papers, or contracts with clients abroad
- Bank statements showing the income
- A police certificate issued in the last six months, translated into English if needed
- After approval: a lease or property for the whole permit, registered with the Housing Authority
- Health insurance
Health insurance
Required: at least EUR 100,000 of cover in the EU, including Malta, and in the UK, paid a year up front. Travel insurance and monthly-paid policies aren't accepted.
Nomad policies differ on cover limits, excess and whether they're accepted for a visa. Compare nomad health insurance
Family, renewing and tax
- Family
- A spouse and children can be included, at EUR 300 plus EUR 100 each. Residency Malta sets no extra income for them.
- Renewing
- Apply online two to three months before it expires, with Maltese bank statements showing you spent at least five of the last 12 months in Malta. Four years at most, and it doesn't lead to permanent residence.
- What it leads to
- Nowhere: it does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship
- Tax
- More than 183 days in a year, or from the day you arrive if you come to live there. Nomad income is untaxed for 12 months, then 10 per cent
Worth knowing
- Nationals of Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran, DR Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen, Venezuela, Russia and Belarus can't apply.