Malta vs Caribbean: Golden Visa Programmes Compared
The lowest qualifying amount is €99,000 in fees, plus property in Malta and $200,000 in Eastern Caribbean (five states). Here is how the two programmes differ on time in the country, the path to citizenship and processing, side by side.
Open
Malta
€99,000 in fees, plus propertyminimum
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)
Read the Malta guide →At a glance
| Malta | Caribbean | |
|---|---|---|
| Programme | Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) | Citizenship by Investment Programmes |
| Status | MPRP open and repriced by Legal Notice 146 of 2025; the separate citizenship-by-investment scheme was repealed in July 2025 after the CJEU ruled against it | All five accept applications, but the EU has asked for phase-out by June 2028 |
| Lowest qualifying amount | €99,000 in fees, plus property | $200,000 |
| Time you must spend there | No minimum stay | None, except five days in five years for Antigua |
| Route to citizenship | No direct path | Immediate citizenship |
| Typical processing | Reported at roughly 4-6 months to approval in principle | Reported averages about 5 to 18 months by country |
| Main routes |
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Which is cheaper, Malta or Caribbean?
The lowest qualifying amount is €99,000 in fees, plus property in Malta and $200,000 in Eastern Caribbean (five states). The cheapest route is not always the practical one: some low-entry routes are donations or contributions you never get back, while others are investments that can lose value independently of the permit. Add government fees, legal costs and, where relevant, family members before comparing totals.
How much time do you have to spend in each?
Malta: No minimum stay. Eastern Caribbean (five states): None, except five days in five years for Antigua. A permit that asks for little time in the country is convenient, but a path to citizenship usually depends on genuinely living there.
Which leads to citizenship?
Malta: No direct path. Eastern Caribbean (five states): Immediate citizenship. Naturalisation rules are set separately from the investment programme and can change while you are part of the way through.
The biggest caveat for each
Malta: Malta has reset the MPRP fee structure twice by legal notice since 2021 and can do so again at short notice, with no guarantee that terms are held open for applications not yet submitted.
Caribbean: Visa-free access has already been withdrawn or restricted by the UK and the US, and the EU has asked all five states to end the programmes by June 2028.
More programme comparisons
Information reflects our own independent research as understood in September 2026. These rules change often and differ by nationality. Plain Investor does not sell or advise on any programme. This is general information, not legal, immigration or tax advice; check the official government source and a licensed immigration lawyer before committing money.