Residency Malta is offering a residency pathway for certain individuals operating within family office structures. The initiative introduces a dedicated residency route for senior employees and ultimate beneficial owners of Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA)-authorised entities which form part of family office structures. This framework combines a clearer regulatory environment with an enhanced pathway to long-term residence.
The permits grant holders the right to live and work in Malta, while also enabling visa-free travel throughout the Schengen Area for short stays. More specifically, the initiative provides three-year renewable residence permits to qualifying ultimate beneficial owners, as well as their senior employees and dependants.
Applications will be administered by Residency Malta following a comprehensive due diligence process, complemented by fitness and properness assessments conducted during the authorisation stage.
The permit enables families to manage cross-border wealth from within a stable European regulatory framework. Malta is structurally well suited to the family office model, particularly for internationally oriented families seeking a European foothold without the complexity or cost associated with larger financial centres.
Family offices in Malta can adopt a range of legal forms depending on the nature of their activities and the needs of the family. Importantly, certain structures may benefit from licensing exemptions, allowing them to operate efficiently while remaining within the boundaries of regulatory oversight.
The MFSA has also signaled openness to accommodating diverse wealth management models. Family offices may be Shariah-compliant, for example, and do not necessarily need to be entirely physically based in Malta.
Contact Information
Contact MFSA at ausecurities@mfsa.mt for queries related to the authorisation of entities which form part of family office structures.
Contact MFSA at hqpapplications@mfsa.mt for queries in relation to applications under the Highly Qualified Persons Rules.
Contact Residency Malta at clientrelations.residencymalta@gov.mt for further information on applying for a residence permit under the Family Office structure.