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 2026-03-20 | €99,000Leads on this metric value on the programme page |
| Typical processing | 12-18 months src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-03-20 | 6-12 monthsLeads on this metric value on the programme page |
| Outcome document | Residence permit | Residence permit |
| Visa-free mobility | Schengen Area, visa-free travel across 27 European countries src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-03-20 | n/a 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 | 71.5 / 100 · rank 16 of 49Leads on this metric | 70.1 / 100 · rank 22 of 49 |
Family cost comparison
The published minimums for both programmes are shown below, each verified against the linked official source. Rules-based and illustrative; a specialist confirms the exact total for your file.
Verified per-fee schedules for these two programmes are not yet in the Mirabello fee master, so the published minimums are shown instead of a computed family total. No figure on this page is estimated or invented.
Published minimum: €250,000 (Investment fund / cultural / scientific)
src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-03-20Family terms (published): spouse/partner; dependent children under 18 (18-26 if unmarried dependent students); dependent parents (over 65 no proof; under 65 must prove dependency). verified 2026-06-06
A verified per-fee schedule for this programme is not yet in the Mirabello fee master, so no family total is computed here. Detailed family calculation available on the programme page.
Published minimum: €99,000 (Government contribution + admin fee + donation (excl. property))
value on the programme pageFamily terms (published): spouse; minor children; unmarried dependent adult children; financially-dependent parents & grandparents (no age limit). verified 2026-06-06
A verified per-fee schedule for this programme is not yet in the Mirabello fee master, so no family total is computed here. Detailed family calculation available on the programme page.
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 2026-03-20 | €99,000 Government contribution + admin fee + donation (excl. property)Leads on this metric value on the programme page |
| Investment routes # | 5 published routes src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-03-20 | 2 published routes value on the programme page |
| Typical processing time # | 12-18 months src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-03-20 | 6-12 monthsLeads on this metric value on the programme page |
| Visa-free mobility # | Schengen Area, visa-free travel across 27 European countries src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-03-20 | n/a value on the programme page |
| Minimum stay requirement # | 7 days in year 1 src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-03-20 | 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 # | Published schedule on the programme page src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-03-20 | Published schedule on the programme page value on the programme page |
| Mirabello Index composite # | 71.5 / 100 · rank 16 of 49Leads on this metric from the published Index, 2026 Q3 Edition | 70.1 / 100 · rank 22 of 49 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.
Published minimums are €250,000 for Portugal Golden Visa and €99,000 for Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP). Government fees per dependant differ by programme; the itemised family schedules are on the programme pages, and a specialist confirms the full government-side total for your family.
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: Schengen Area, visa-free travel across 27 European countries. Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP): n/a. Travel rights differ in kind between citizenship and residency outcomes; the comparison table above sets out both.
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.