Malta’s new citizenship by merit program – it’s all about the money
Malta introduced its revamped citizenship by merits program in 2025. The legal texts that were invented by the Maltese authorities are very similar to the Bulgarian citizenship by special merits program. There are still some very important differences between the two programs. While the Bulgarian program exists from 1999 and is well established, the Maltese program is an obvious replacement to its old, declared illegal, investment citizenship program. You can read more about the similarities and the differences between the Bulgarian and the Maltese programs.
Why the new Maltese Citizenship by Merits Program is flawed and unlikely to succeed
Investment citizenship again, but for the ultra rich
The Maltese citizenship by merits program was introduced right after the European Court of Justice declared the Maltese Golden Passport scheme illegal. The timing of the new program was not a coincidence. The moment the legal texts were released, it became clear that this was meant as a replacement of the cancelled citizenship by investment program.
Strong distrust on EU level
The new framework was presented as a modern solution. It was marketed as a merit based route that would comply with EU rules. Yet from the first day, EU officials raised serious concerns. The European Commission reacted with strong distrust. Many experts saw the program as another attempt to offer fast track investment citizenship under a different label.
Strict supervision on EU level
Today the citizenship by merits program is under strict supervision. EU institutions have placed it under continuous monitoring. The Commission wants to make sure Malta does not reintroduce the Golden Passport system through loopholes. This oversight is already limiting the program’s ability to function.
There are deeper structural problems as well. The new program lacks clear criteria. It uses ambiguous definitions of “merits,” which leaves too much room for interpretation. This creates uncertainty for applicants and for authorities. It also exposes Malta to more legal challenges from the EU.
Malta doesn’t want to be labelled as an offshore centre again
Credibility issue
Another issue is credibility. The previous Golden Passport program damaged Malta’s reputation across Europe. Many EU member states accused Malta of “selling” EU citizenship. The new program cannot escape this shadow. Even if the legal wording has changed, the underlying purpose appears the same: to attract wealthy applicants who want EU passports.
Questionable services
Many analysts are wondering what exceptional services can foreigners offer to the smallest EU member state. With a population of only about 550 000, it is very unclear how many foreigners can actually fit into the definition of being an “exceptional contributors” to the country. And many EU officials are wondering what these “contributions” can be, apart from “money”…
Legal risks
Because of this, demand will remain low. High-net-worth individuals avoid programs that face legal risks. No one wants to invest time and money in a process that may be suspended or cancelled again. The EU has already shown that it will act quickly against any form of investment-based citizenship. Malta, once considered an offshore centre (in its pre-EU times), would not be willing to be branded the same again.
EU banks to close or deny opening of bank accounts
There are already talks that EU banks will reject new clients, who have obtained Maltese citizenship for merits. Even existing clients, who have obtained Maltese citizenship after they have opened their bank accounts may be facing account closures. You can read more in the article – Malta citizenship by merits and the problems with EU banking.
Lack of long term strategy
The Maltese citizenship by merits program also fails to offer a real long term strategy. It does not support integration, economic development, or talent attraction in a meaningful way. Without these elements, the program is unstable and vulnerable.
In reality, the new system faces the same problems as the old one. The legal risk is high. The political pressure is constant. The trust of the EU institutions is low. The framework is unclear and inconsistent.
Applicants should think twice before going for the new Malta merits program
Because of these reasons, the Maltese citizenship by merits program is unlikely to survive for long. Most experts already predict its failure. It may exist on paper, but it cannot operate effectively under the current level of EU scrutiny.
Malta now faces a difficult choice: either reform the program completely, or abandon the idea of fast track citizenship altogether.
For more information, you can read a more detailed analysis of the new Maltese program for citizenship by merits.