Malta vs Cyprus: Golden Visa Programmes Compared
The lowest qualifying amount is €99,000 in fees, plus property in Malta and €300,000 in Cyprus. 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 →Open
Cyprus
€300,000minimum
Permanent Residence Permit by Investment (Regulation 6(2))
Read the Cyprus guide →At a glance
| Malta | Cyprus | |
|---|---|---|
| Programme | Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) | Permanent Residence Permit by Investment (Regulation 6(2)) |
| Status | MPRP open and repriced by Legal Notice 146 of 2025; the separate citizenship-by-investment scheme was repealed in July 2025 after the CJEU ruled against it | Open at €300,000 under criteria revised in May 2023; in September 2026 the government said it will tighten the scheme before Cyprus joins Schengen |
| Lowest qualifying amount | €99,000 in fees, plus property | €300,000 |
| Time you must spend there | No minimum stay | Visit at least once every 2 years |
| Route to citizenship | No direct path | About 8 years of actual residence, plus B1 Greek and a civics exam |
| Typical processing | Reported at roughly 4-6 months to approval in principle | Officially about 2 months |
| Main routes |
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Which is cheaper, Malta or Cyprus?
The lowest qualifying amount is €99,000 in fees, plus property in Malta and €300,000 in Cyprus. 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. Cyprus: Visit at least once every 2 years. 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. Cyprus: About 8 years of actual residence, plus B1 Greek and a civics exam. 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.
Cyprus: The criteria are set by cabinet decision rather than law, and the current version is their fourth revision; in September 2026 ministers announced a tightening ahead of Schengen entry and a review of around 12,000 permits issued since 2013, with no new terms published yet.
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.