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Comparison · PORTUGAL ↔ MALTA
Head-to-head dossier
Portugal vs MaltaGolden Visa, side by side — 2026
🇵🇹Portugal Golden Visa (ARI)
Portugal
EU residency with just 7 days a year on the ground.
From
€250,000
Time
12–24 months
Citizenship
5 years
Stay
7 days/year
🇲🇹Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)
Malta
EU permanent residency, but citizenship is now off the table.
From
€182,000
Time
4–6 months
Citizenship
Not available since 2025
Stay
0 days
The short verdict
Malta. Malta edges Portugal on the headline metrics most applicants weight first (entry price, speed, path to citizenship and physical presence).
The full picture is below — by the numbers, then category by category.
By the numbers
Headline metrics
| Metric | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 🇲🇹 Malta |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Reformed | Active |
| Headline minimum | €250,000 | €182,000 |
| Processing time | 12–24 months | 4–6 months |
| Path to citizenship | 5 years | Not available since 2025 |
| Physical presence | 7 days/year | 0 days |
| Tax overlay | NHR 2.0 (IFICI) for qualifying activities | Non-dom remittance basis |
| Best for | Founders, remote professionals and HNW families who want an EU passport without relocating immediately. | Families wanting permanent EU status without the relocation, language or citizenship-track requirements. |
Category by category
- 01
Lower entry price
Edge: MaltaPortugal starts at €250,000, Malta at €182,000.
- 02
Faster to a card
Edge: MaltaPortugal: 12–24 months. Malta: 4–6 months.
- 03
Faster path to citizenship
Edge: PortugalPortugal: 5 years. Malta: Not available since 2025.
Who each one is for
🇵🇹 Portugal — best for
Founders, remote professionals and HNW families who want an EU passport without relocating immediately.
- +Path to EU citizenship in 5 years
- +Only ~7 days/year physical presence
- +Family included (spouse, children, dependent parents)
- +Visa-free travel to 191 countries after naturalization
🇲🇹 Malta — best for
Families wanting permanent EU status without the relocation, language or citizenship-track requirements.
- +EU permanent residency — no expiry
- +Visa-free Schengen travel
- +English is an official language
- +Family included: spouse, children, parents, grandparents
The honest tradeoffs
🇵🇹 Portugal — working against you
- − Real estate route closed in October 2023
- − AIMA backlogs have stretched processing to 18+ months
- − Portuguese language A2 required for citizenship
🇲🇹 Malta — working against you
- − Citizenship-by-investment ended after April 2025 ECJ ruling
- − Mandatory non-refundable government contribution + donation
- − Tiny country — limited business ecosystem
Read the full dossier