Home / Compare programmes / Portugal Golden Visa vs Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP)
Head to head · 2026 Q3 EditionPortugal Golden Visa and Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP), compared metric by metric on the Mirabello verified programme dataset, with the source and verification date on every row.
MCP
For applicants weighing published tax positioning, Portugal Golden Visa currently has the stronger position on this metric (verified 2026-03-20). For applicants prioritising published processing speed, Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) scores higher on published processing timelines. Both remain operational programmes with distinct published trade-offs, compared row by row below.
Rules-based comparison of published criteria, general information only, not legal, tax, immigration or investment advice; there is no universal winner.
Discuss these two with Vito MagagninoKey outcomes
In practice, Portugal Golden Visa tends to be examined first by applicants weighing published tax positioning, while Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) draws applicants prioritising published processing speed. The rows below show where each leads on the published data.
| 🇵🇹Portugal Golden Visa | 🇲🇹Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum qualifying route | €250,000 src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | €99,000Leads on this metric src: residencymalta.gov.mt · verified 2026-07-05 |
| Typical processing | 12-18 months src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | 6-12 monthsLeads on this metric value on the programme page |
| Outcome document | Residence permit | Residence permit |
| Visa-free mobility | 184 visa-free src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | 184 visa-free value on the programme page |
| Family inclusion | spouse/partner; dependent children under 18 (18-26 if unmarried dependent students); dependent parents (over 65 no proof; under 65 must prove dependency) value on the programme page | spouse; minor children; unmarried dependent adult children; financially-dependent parents & grandparents (no age limit) value on the programme page |
| Mirabello Index signal | 77 / 100 · rank 18 of 69 | 77.2 / 100 · rank 16 of 69Leads on this metric |
Family cost comparison
Set your family below and both columns recompute the government-side figure from the published fee schedules: the qualifying investment plus every mandatory official fee, itemised line by line. Rules-based and illustrative; a specialist confirms the exact total for your file.
Government-side costs only, recomputed from the published fee schedules embedded below; illustrative, not a quote and not advice. Excludes Mirabello professional fees and transaction costs.
Fee schedule: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-09
Fee schedule: residencymalta.gov.mt · verified 2026-07-09
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Qualifying Investment Fund (CMVM-regulated, non-real-estate), minimum investment | EUR 500,000 |
| ARI application analysis fee (per application) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Residence-permit issuance (per person), Main applicant | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| ARI renewal (recurring, per person), Main applicant | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Residence-permit issuance (per person), Spouse | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| ARI renewal (recurring, per person), Spouse | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Residence-permit issuance (per person), Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| ARI renewal (recurring, per person), Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Residence-permit issuance (per person), Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| ARI renewal (recurring, per person), Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Government-side total (verified lines) | EUR 500,000 |
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Property purchase route, minimum investment | EUR 375,000 |
| Non-refundable administration fee (per application) | EUR 60,000 |
| Government contribution (per application) | EUR 37,000 |
| Philanthropic NGO donation (per application) | EUR 2,000 |
| Government-side total (verified lines) | EUR 474,000 |
Every comparable metric
Each row carries its own source and verification date, so any figure can be checked against the official source it came from. Ties carry no marker; a marker reads "leads on this metric", nothing more, because a metric lead is not a recommendation.
| Metric | 🇵🇹Portugal Golden Visa | 🇲🇹Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) |
|---|---|---|
| Programme type # | Residency by investment | Residency by investment |
| Outcome document # | Residence permit | Residence permit |
| Minimum investment # | €250,000 Investment fund / cultural / scientific src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | €99,000 Government contribution + admin fee + donation (excl. property)Leads on this metric src: residencymalta.gov.mt · verified 2026-07-05 |
| Investment routes # | 5 published routes src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | 2 published routes src: residencymalta.gov.mt · verified 2026-07-05 |
| Typical processing time # | 12-18 months src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | 6-12 monthsLeads on this metric value on the programme page |
| Visa-free mobility # | 184 visa-free src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | 184 visa-free value on the programme page |
| Minimum stay requirement # | 7 days in year 1 src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | None value on the programme page |
| Family inclusion # | spouse/partner; dependent children under 18 (18-26 if unmarried dependent students); dependent parents (over 65 no proof; under 65 must prove dependency) value on the programme page | spouse; minor children; unmarried dependent adult children; financially-dependent parents & grandparents (no age limit) value on the programme page |
| Path to citizenship # | ENACTED LAW (Lei Orgânica 1/2026, Diário da República, in force 19 May 2026): 7 years of legal residence for EU and CPLP (Lusophone) nationals; 10 years for all other... src: diariodarepublica.pt · verified 2026-06-28 | Maltese citizenship by naturalisation possible after 5 years of continuous residence (under Maltese Citizenship Act). Requires demonstrating ties to Malta, language pr... value on the programme page |
| Government fees # | Fully itemised in the calculator above src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | Fully itemised in the calculator above value on the programme page |
| Mirabello Index composite # | 77 / 100 · rank 18 of 69 from the published Index, 2026 Q3 Edition | 77.2 / 100 · rank 16 of 69Leads on this metric from the published Index, 2026 Q3 Edition |
Read the full Portugal Golden Visa guide · Read the full Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) guide
Process, side by side
Stages and durations are indicative, from published guidance and Mirabello casework; individual files vary.
Risk and change
No verified regulatory or pricing changes affecting these two programmes are currently recorded in the observatory log.
Methodology and integrity
Each programme is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions, combined into a weighted composite. Where a dimension has no verified data it is excluded and the remaining weights are re-normalized (see data_completeness). The full weights, dimension definitions and official-source hierarchy are published on the Index methodology page. This comparison is rules-based: it reports where each programme leads on published criteria, and it does not recommend one programme over the other, because there is no universal winner.
Generated from the Mirabello verified programme dataset, 2026 Q3 Edition.
Questions
On published processing times, Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) currently lists the shorter indicative timeline (12-18 months for Portugal Golden Visa vs 6-12 months for Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP)). Individual files vary with due diligence and documentation; verify against the linked official source.
On the default routes, the illustrative government-side total for a family of four (two adults, two children under 16) is approximately EUR 500,000 for Portugal Golden Visa and EUR 474,000 for Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP), computed from the published fee schedules. Illustrative, not a quote; use the calculator above for your exact family shape.
Portugal Golden Visa leads to a residence permit: ENACTED LAW (Lei Orgânica 1/2026, Diário da República, in force 19 May 2026): 7 years of legal residence for EU and CPLP (Lusophone) nationals; 10 years for all other... Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) leads to a residence permit: Maltese citizenship by naturalisation possible after 5 years of continuous residence (under Maltese Citizenship Act). Requires demonstrating ties to Malta, language pr...
Portugal Golden Visa reports 184 visa-free destinations and Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) reports 184, per the current dataset. Destination counts move with bilateral agreements; verify against the linked official source before travel planning.
Yes. Governments amend investment thresholds, fees and rules; verified changes affecting either programme are recorded in the public Mirabello observatory change log, and every figure on this page carries a verification date. This page is a rules-based comparison of published criteria, general information only, and there is no universal winner.
A confidential, no-obligation conversation with a Mirabello specialist, in your language. We map Portugal Golden Visa and Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) to your budget, family and goals, on the verified figures.
Book a free consultation WhatsApp usMirabello Consultancy provides information and advisory services on investment-migration programmes. Figures on this page are indicative, verified against official sources and provenance-tracked; they are informational only, not an eligibility determination and not legal, tax, immigration or investment advice. Programme terms change; confirm the detail with a specialist and seek independent advice where appropriate.