A free PDF guide — English is an official language
A guide to the nomadvisa of Malta
A permit for people working remotely for foreign clients: the one country in the Schengen area with English as an official language. We set out the €42,000 threshold, the three categories of employment and the presence requirement.
- PDF in English
- Free of charge
- Verified on 12.08.2026
- Sent by email, WhatsApp or Telegram
Preliminary information is not tax advice. The decision is the Residency Malta Agency’s.
01 / The essentials first
What to know about the permit before you file
Four things that decide whether the status is open to you and how long it runs.
- English is an official language
The only country in the Schengen area where English is official: school, documents and daily life with no language barrier.
- The threshold is fixed
A gross income from €42,000 a year for applications made from April 2024. The family does not raise the threshold.
- A year and three renewals
The permit is issued for 1 year and renewed 3 times — 4 years at most. Then a break of 12 months before a new application.
- Presence is evidenced from the account
To renew you have to spend at least 5 months on the island over the year — and that is checked against the bank statements.
02 / Income
What you will have to evidence
Choose the category of employment and the family: the threshold is fixed and only the fees change.
03 / Three categories
Employment, a share in a company, or freelancing
The income requirement is the same; what differs is what you show the agency.
The values were checked against the official material on 12.08.2026. Only the rows for which there is no official wording are marked separately.
| Criterion | EmployedA contract with a foreign employer | A shareA partner or shareholder in a foreign company | FreelanceClients outside Malta |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you evidence | the employment contract | your interest in the company | the contracts with clients |
| Income | from €42,000 | from €42,000 | from €42,000 |
| Where the source is | outside Malta | outside Malta | outside Malta |
| A Maltese branch | may not be served | limits on the structure | foreign clients only |
| The term of the status | up to 4 years | up to 4 years | up to 4 years |
| The family | in the first application | in the first application | in the first application |
| Who it usually suitsA BRIDGES estimate | You have a settled employer | Your own business abroad | A book of clients |
- What you evidence
- the employment contract
- your interest in the company
- Income
- from €42,000
- from €42,000
- Where the source is
- outside Malta
- outside Malta
- A Maltese branch
- may not be served
- limits on the structure
- The term of the status
- up to 4 years
- up to 4 years
- The family
- in the first application
- in the first application
- Who it usually suitsA BRIDGES estimate
- You have a settled employer
- Your own business abroad
In every category the source of the income is outside Malta — that is the foundation of the programme.
04 / The country
What the country looks like
Briefly about the country and about what sets the terms of the programme.
- The essentials firstThe key facts of the programme: what decides the matter.
- A comparisonThe terms of the programme in one table.
- How the work runsThe process step by step — from the check to the documents.
- The analysisWhat is checked before the status is granted.
- The limitsWhat affects the timings, the costs and keeping the status.
- Your teamWho runs the case and what each specialist answers for.
05 / The order of work
How the process runs
The agency works to its own rules: with a complete pack the decision comes quickly.
- The employment is checked
We settle the category: employment, a share in a company, or freelancing. The pack of documents follows from it.
- Evidencing the income
Statements and contracts showing a gross income from €42,000 a year.
- Insurance and housing
A policy covering the EU and the United Kingdom, and a lease or purchase of a home in Malta.
- Filing with the agency
The application goes to the Residency Malta Agency along with the background check and a certificate of no criminal record.
- Approval and the visa
Once approved the entry is arranged and the residence card issued.
- Renewals
Three yearly renewals, each with 5 months of presence evidenced. The whole process takes 1-2 months.
07 / The check
What the agency examines
The category of employment, how steady the income is, the insurance cover and the applicant’s background.
- The category of employment
The agency checks that the source of the income is outside Malta and falls into one of the three categories.
- The income and how steady it is
The gross annual income is evidenced with contracts and statements for a period before the filing.
- The insurance cover
The policy has to be valid in the EU and the United Kingdom — a requirement of the programme in its own right.
- The background check
A certificate of no criminal record and a full check on the applicant before the permit is granted.
The insurance requirement is a particular one: the cover has to be valid in the EU and the United Kingdom.
08 / The limits
What to take into account in advance
Five limits that bear on the term of the status and on the family’s plans.
Four years at mostA year plus 3 renewals
Once the term is used up a break of 12 months is required before a new application.
Presence is required5 months over the year
It is evidenced by bank statements: merely holding the card will not do.
A Maltese employer is excludedAnd so is serving a branch
Employees of a foreign company who work for its Maltese arm have no right to the permit.
The family only at the first filingThey cannot be added later
Dependants are included in the first application: the family is planned in advance.
Tax is worked out separatelyThe regime is not automatic
Special rules apply to holders, but whether they apply is examined case by case.
09 / Your team
Who runs your case
The work is led by specialists who deal with the Residency Malta Agency.
The editorial record
The material was prepared and checked by
- First published
- 12 August 2026
- Last updated
- 12 August 2026
The official sources
- The Nomad Residence PermitResidency Malta Agency · checked 12.08.2026The income threshold, the categories of employment, the renewals and the presence requirement.
- The Residency Malta AgencyThe Government of Malta · checked 12.08.2026How to file, the background check and the set of documents.
- The tax rules for holders of the permitLegislation Malta, S.L. 123.210 · checked 12.08.2026The separate rules for taxing the income of Nomad Residence Permit holders.
10 / Common questions
Questions about the nomad visa of Malta
How much do I have to earn?
A gross income from €42,000 a year for applications filed from 1 April 2024. Applications filed earlier keep the former threshold of €32,400.
Does the threshold change with the family?
No. The requirement is set on the main applicant and does not depend on the number of dependants.
How long is the permit granted for?
For 1 year with 3 renewals — 4 years in a row at most.
How long do I have to live in Malta?
At least 5 months in all over the year — checked against the bank statements at renewal.
Who cannot take part?
Employees of a foreign company who serve its Maltese arm, and anyone whose income arises in Malta.
What about the family?
A spouse, minor children and dependent adult children are included only in the first application.
What insurance is needed?
A policy covering the EU and the United Kingdom — an express requirement of the programme.
How long does the process take?
1-2 months from the filing of a complete pack with the agency.
Free of charge
Take the guide and a check on your employment
We will send the PDF with the terms of the programme and a preliminary check on your situation.
- The income threshold and how to evidence it
- The three categories of employment, with examples
- The presence requirement and the renewals
- What is examined in the insurance and the background