Buying property in Malta as a foreigner: 2026 guide

Malta is an English-speaking EU island with a small, tight property market. It lets non-EU citizens buy, but under rules that depend on where the property is and whether the buyer is an EU citizen. This guide sets out the rules as we could confirm them in October 2026. It is informational, not legal or tax advice.

Market snapshot

Malta's National Statistics Office reported that its Residential Property Price Index stood at 104.19 in Q1 2026, 6.7% above a year earlier and 1.8% above the previous quarter; apartments rose 6.9% and maisonettes 5.3% (as reported by Maltese business media). See our news item. Land is scarce and the market is small, so prices reflect limited supply and a good deal depends heavily on the exact locality. Compare with other countries in property prices per m² by country.

Who can buy

• EU citizens: free to buy a home in which they will live. Malta retained a rule that an EU citizen who has not lived in Malta for five continuous years needs a permit only for a secondary residence. Check with your notary which applies to you.
• Non-EU citizens: need an Acquisition of Immovable Property (AIP) permit to buy outside Special Designated Areas. The permit fee is EUR 233, whatever the price, and the authority aims to issue it within about 35 days of a complete application. Third-country nationals who hold long-term resident status are reported to be treated as residents. The official information is at the Malta Tax and Customs Administration.
• Minimum value. A permit is available only if the price is above a threshold that is adjusted each year by a property price index. One official summary quoted EUR 174,274 for a flat or maisonette and EUR 300,619 for any other property under a 2024 legal notice; we could not confirm the 2026 figures, and one commercial source says they rose again by 6.7% for 2026. Ask the notary for the current figure in writing.
• Conditions. A property bought with an AIP permit must be your residence and, according to the summaries, cannot be let to third parties or divided into several dwellings. A copy of the final deed must be sent to the permit section.
• Special Designated Areas (SDA). In these designated developments, such as Portomaso, Tigne Point and others, any nationality can buy without an AIP permit, and letting is allowed. Reports mention about two dozen zones; check the current list for the project you are considering.

Step by step

• Decide whether you are buying in an SDA or elsewhere, and whether you need an AIP permit.
• Search through licensed agents. Maltese agents often act for the seller and charge the seller a commission.
• Make an offer and sign a promise of sale (konvenju) before a notary or privately, normally with a deposit of about 10% and a stated deadline for the final deed. In an AIP case make it conditional on the permit.
• Your notary researches title for about 30 years and checks for encumbrances, planning permits and the status of the building.
• Obtain the AIP permit if needed.
• Sign the final deed before a notary, pay the balance and stamp duty and register.
• Take over keys and transfer utilities.

Documents

• Passport, and a Maltese tax number from the Commissioner for Revenue, usually obtained through the notary.
• Source of funds evidence and bank statements for the notary's anti-money-laundering checks.
• For an AIP permit: the promise of sale, passport copies, and a declaration on residence and other property.
• Foreign documents may need an apostille; see apostille and legalisation. Most are accepted in English.
• A power of attorney is common if you cannot attend; see power of attorney.

Costs and taxes

• Stamp duty. The standard rate is 5% of the price, paid as 1% when the promise of sale is signed and the rest at the final deed. Reports say that since late October 2025 a first-time buyer who will live in the home pays the standard rate only above the first EUR 200,000, and that urban conservation areas have a lower rate; confirm these reliefs and whether they are open to you as a non-EU buyer.
• Notary fees are reported at about 1% to 3% of the price, plus research and registration charges of a few hundred euros, and a survey if required.
• Agent's commission is normally paid by the seller.
• The seller pays property transfers tax, reported at 8% of the price by default (a different rate can apply to older sales); this matters when you sell. See total cost of ownership abroad.
• We found no annual property tax on residential owners in secondary sources, but check ground rent and service charges for flats.
• Rental income: an optional final tax of 15% on gross rent has been reported; verify before relying on it. See rental income abroad by country.

Residence options

The Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) is run by the Residency Malta Agency, see residencymalta.gov.mt. According to the 2025 amendments (Legal Notice 146 of 2025) as summarised by law and advisory firms, the main applicant buys a qualifying home for at least EUR 375,000 or rents one for at least EUR 14,000 a year, holds it for five years, pays a government contribution of EUR 37,000, an administration fee of EUR 60,000 and a donation of EUR 2,000, and shows assets of EUR 500,000 (including EUR 150,000 of liquid assets) or EUR 650,000 (including EUR 75,000). Adult dependants cost extra and due diligence is reported to take about three to seven months. Fees and thresholds have changed repeatedly, so take the figures from the agency and an authorised agent. The programme is permanent residence, not citizenship, and does not itself give EU free movement. For context read residency vs citizenship by investment.

An AIP purchase alone does not give a right to live in Malta.

Rental and yield

Letting rules differ by route. A home bought with an AIP permit cannot be let to third parties, whereas homes in SDAs and homes bought by EU citizens can be, subject to Maltese rental registration and tax rules. Short lets need a licence. We could not confirm a reliable average yield for Malta, so treat quotes from sellers as unverified; see rental yield by country.

Practicalities for Russian-speaking buyers living in the EU

Contracts and the notary work in English, which removes the translation step but not the checks. Maltese banks and notaries apply strict anti-money-laundering and sanctions screening, so prepare passport, residence card, proof of address, tax number and documents that show where your funds came from; see bank checks for Russian citizens living in the EU and documents from Russia and CIS. Pay from an account in your own name, answer compliance questions fully, and avoid any intermediary who proposes to skip them. Russian-speaking agents and lawyers exist but verify their licences; see how to choose a Russian-speaking agent.

Risks and due diligence

• Title and permits: old buildings, unfinished developments and unpermitted extensions are known problems; your notary and an architect should check planning permits.
• Off-plan: confirm the developer, the bank guarantee and the delivery date; see how to verify a developer.
• Construction noise and neighbouring development in dense areas.
• Resale restrictions for AIP homes and the narrow pool of eligible buyers.
• Scheme and fee changes in the MPRP: do not buy on the basis of a programme alone.

Follow our pre-purchase checklist.

FAQ

Can non-EU citizens buy property in Malta? Yes. Outside SDAs they need an AIP permit, and the price must exceed a yearly adjusted minimum.

What is an SDA? A Special Designated Area where any nationality can buy without an AIP permit and where letting is allowed.

What is the stamp duty? The standard rate is 5%, paid 1% on the promise of sale and the rest at the deed, with reliefs for some buyers.

Can I rent out a home bought with an AIP permit? Summaries say no. In an SDA or as an EU buyer you can, within the letting rules.

Does buying give residence? Not by itself. The MPRP requires a qualifying home, several fees and asset tests.

Where are the official rules? At the Malta Tax and Customs Administration and Residency Malta.

How we help

We are a trilingual (English, Russian, Polish) platform that finds properties and coordinates independent local lawyers and tax advisers. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice; rules change, so verify them with the authorities and your adviser before you act. See also the country overview.