Malta Nomad Residence Permit 2026: €42,000 Income, Family and Extensions

I like this permit for its clarity. The income, the categories and the extension rules are all written as numbers on the Residency Malta nomad portal. I also compared it with the BRIDGES page, updated on 9 October 2026.

Who qualifies

You work for someone outside Malta in one of three ways:

• under a contract with an employer registered abroad;
• as a partner or shareholder in a company registered outside Malta;
• as a freelancer or consultant for clients with permanent establishments abroad.

Serving the Maltese branch of a foreign company does not count.

The income threshold

A gross income of €42,000 a year for applications from 1 April 2024. People who applied before that keep the old figure of €32,400. The threshold does not depend on how many family members you bring.

Documents

• proof of employment and income;
• health insurance covering the EU and the United Kingdom;
• a lease or purchase of housing in Malta;
• a police clearance certificate.

Family

A spouse, minor children and dependent adult children, including children with a disability without an age limit, join in the first application. They cannot be added after approval, except newborns.

Term and extensions

The card is valid for a year and can be extended three times, so four years in total. For each extension you prove at least five months of presence in Malta over the past year, through bank statements. After four years a new application needs a 12-month pause.

Taxes

Separate tax rules for permit holders exist in S.L. 123.210. BRIDGES notes that they are not applied automatically and the conditions are checked individually. I did not verify the details of this regime for this guide, so I would discuss it with a tax adviser.

My honest view

Malta’s threshold is higher than in Spain or Greece, but English is an official language and the rules are clear. The weak point is the end: after four years there is no path to permanent residence. If you want to stay, plan the MPRP or another status in advance.