Research Highlights Benefits of Malta’s Golden Visa for Chinese Nationals Despite Dual Citizenship Restrictions
Key Points:
1. A report by the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation raises concerns about Malta's Golden Visa Program, focusing on high-ranking officials' involvement and intermediary networks.
2. The report highlights unequal distribution of benefits among stakeholders, with significant implications for Malta’s real estate market.
3. Chinese nationals benefit substantially from Malta’s Golden Visa, despite China's prohibition of dual citizenship.
A recent analysis by the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation has shed light on controversies surrounding Malta’s Golden Visa Program, which allows wealthy individuals to obtain residency in exchange for financial investments. The report highlights concerns about the role of high-ranking officials and networks of intermediaries in administering the program.
While the Golden Visa Program has spurred demand in Malta's real estate sector, the benefits have not been evenly distributed. The report points out that local low-to-medium income residents face increasing competition for housing, often with high-income buyers who gain residency through the program.
Benefits for Chinese Nationals Despite Dual Citizenship Restrictions
Although China prohibits dual citizenship, the Malta Golden Visa offers Chinese nationals significant advantages. Visa holders can travel freely within the EU Schengen Zone, access high-quality healthcare, and enroll their children in European schools, all while retaining their Chinese nationality.
Malta’s passport, ranked 25th globally by **VisaGuide.World**, grants visa-free access to 114 countries and passport-free entry to 31.
Limited Residency Among Beneficiaries
The report also reveals that most Golden Visa holders do not reside in Malta. Of the 2,500 applications reviewed, only 67 individuals purchased property, while the majority opted for rentals. This trend has exacerbated housing challenges for local residents, intensifying competition between renters and affluent buyers.
The study, titled *“Malta’s Golden Visas: What problem are they solving and who benefits?”*, underscores the need to evaluate the program’s broader social and economic impacts.