For those looking for European residency and mobility, but not wanting to spend over US$1M for citizenship (and also preferring to avoid a relatively complex application process with a high rejection rate), the combination of Malta residency and Antigua citizenship is the best value combination. Malta is the only country offering “guaranteed Permanent Residency” in the whole EU.
Here are the highlights:
Advantages of Malta Residence and Visa Programme : ( MRVP )
- The Only European Permanent Residency in Europe which sets no age limit for dependent children
- No Residency Permit withdrawal from dependent children at any age, irrelevant of their status
- Schengen residence card gives visa-free travel within Schengen area
- Free pass to 26 Schengen countries after getting the visa
- Right to reside indefinitely in Malta
- Five years’ permanent residence, renewable indefinitely
- Investment required only for first five years
- No residence requirement
- Family members can be included
- No World-wide taxation
- 0% on foreign capital gains
- Foreign income not brought to Malta are not taxed in Malta
The total cost for a family of four for Malta residency is US$140,110.
If you apply for Antigua citizenship as well, you will also have a passport that allows visa-free travel throughout Europe and the UK and many other countries besides. There is another reason this combination of options is proving popular and that is the idea of having a permanent foothold on both continents.
Here’s a comparison of the Malta Residence and Visa Programme versus Malta citizenship programme.
The advantages of Malta citizenship programme are:
- Main Applicant can include spouse, children, parents & grandparents
- Malta is a member of the EU, Schengen Area and the Euro zone
- The right to live, work and study in any of the 28 EU countries and Switzerland
- Travel visa-free to more than 180 countries, including the EU, Canada and US
- No minimum residence stay required
- World’s strictest due diligence standards and vetting of applicants, thus ensuring only highly respectable applicants will be admitted
- Citizenship of a well-respected EU country
- Investment in bonds and property can be recovered after 5 years
- Reasonable contribution and efficient application process
- Malta is an attractive place to live or to own a second home and is strategically located with excellent air links
- Good quality of life with excellent healthcare and education
- Taxation in Malta is based on domicile and residence – not citizenship. Obtaining Maltese citizenship does not automatically cause the applicant to acquire a new domicile. Becoming a citizen of Malta does not have to have any tax consequences!
Tax Considerations:
- No inheritance or death taxes
- No estate duty
- No net worth or wealth taxes
- No municipal taxes, rates or real estate taxes
There is no doubt Malta citizenship is attractive however if you’re not able or desirous of spending over 1M Euros, Malta also offers the best possible value route to residency in Europe with their MRVP program and coupled with an Antigua passport you will literally have the best of both continents for a third of the cost of the Maltese citizenship.
Whilst Maltese citizenship does offer visa free access to more than 180 countries including U.S., Canada, you can apply for multi-entry visas to Canada and the U.S. with your Antigua passport.
When planning for the future, having a secure base in both Europe and the Americas is prudent. There is also the possibility that you can reside in Antigua at some point in the future.
Antigua offers a wealth of attractions as a base for an expat for a variety of reasons:
- Antigua’s new international airport is now the largest and most advanced in the region with airlift increasing annually.
- Antigua is statistically one of the safest nations in the Caribbean with the second largest banking sector and is a major freight hub.
- Over one million visitors came to Antigua in 2018 which was more than a 10% increase from the previous year.
- 2018 saw the largest number of arrivals by air
- Home to almost 10,000 expats predominantly from Europe and North America.
- Foreign Direct Investment grew 128% over the last 4 years in Antigua, GDP increased 26%, inflation is low and population growth steady.
- Antigua has a strong history as a luxury second home and vacation destination.
- The growth of wealth globally continues to increase underpinning the steady growth of peaceful tropical offshore second/third home destinations such as Antigua, as well as second citizenships.
An application to the Antigua citizenship by investment program costs from approximately US$180,000 and from a cost / benefit ratio is one of the best in the world. You can also download our free Ultimate Guide to Antigua here.
Contact us for a consultation to discuss all your options and we will provide bespoke quotes for you and your family .
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