Residency & citizenship
Citizenship by Investment in 2026: What to Verify
Decision in brief
A passport decision begins with the problem to solve: travel access, family contingency or a long-term move. These goals require different evidence. A comparison based only on a donation amount or a destination count is not enough to shortlist a programme.
Malta: an important correction
On 29 April 2025 the EU Court of Justice held Malta’s investor citizenship scheme contrary to EU law. It did not approve the scheme in 2024. Do not treat an old investment quotation as a current route.
Any proposed replacement or exceptional-contribution route must be identified by its current legislation and competent authority. This briefing does not present Malta as an operating transactional citizenship programme.
Build a programme file before comparing price
- Current legal basis and government authority, with the date checked.
- Written eligibility for the principal and every dependant.
- Documents needed for source of funds and source of wealth.
- Actual visa rules for the destinations the family visits.
- All contributions, investments, professional fees and renewal obligations.
- Refund, refusal and appeal provisions, including who holds funds.
Ask a specialist to answer these questions
| Question | Evidence to request |
|---|---|
| Is the route accepting this profile? | Current rule and written eligibility assessment |
| Does it solve the travel need? | Destination-specific entry rules for the resulting passport |
| What does the family receive? | Status, exclusions and separate applications for each member |
| What can change? | Policy risk and the contract’s treatment of a programme change |
When to stop
Stop if a provider promises approval, encourages incomplete financial disclosure or cannot name the authority and legal route. If the real need is residence rather than citizenship, compare that alternative before committing capital.
Sources and scope
Editorial briefing checked against the linked sources. No independent professional review is claimed. Application to your circumstances requires a qualified specialist.
- Judgment C-181/23: Malta investor citizenship, 29 April 2025
Court of Justice of the European Union · Source checked:
Define the next professional step
Share the objective, countries and timing. We review the request and discuss the specialist needed and whether an introduction is available. Agree the service scope and fees directly with the specialist.
Continue this topic
Residency and Citizenship in 2026: Build a Useful Shortlist
Choose a residence or citizenship route by family needs, legal eligibility, obligations and execution rather than an unsupported country ranking.
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