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{{Short description|Travel document for citizens of Malta}}
{{distinguish|Sovereign Military Order of Malta passport}}
{{Infobox Identity document
| document_name = {{ubl|Maltese passport|{{lang|mt|Passaport Malti}}}}
| image = Malta passport.png
| image_caption =
| image_alt =
| image2 =
| image_caption2 =
| date_first_issued = 29 September 2008<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/|title=Home|website=www.consilium.europa.eu}}</ref> ([[biometric passport]])
| using_jurisdiction = {{flag|Malta}}
| valid_jurisdictions =
| document_type = [[Passport]]
| purpose = Identification
| eligibility = [[Maltese nationality law|Maltese citizenship]]
| expiration = 10 years
| cost = * €70-80 (applicants aged 16 and over; higher fee applies April to August)
* €40 (applicants aged 10 to 15)
* €16 (applicants under 4)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://identitymalta.com/unit/passport-office/|title=Passport Office | Identity Malta Agency|date=October 8, 2019}}</ref>
}}
The '''Maltese passport''' ({{lang-mt|passaport Malti}}) is a [[passport]] that is issued to citizens of [[Malta]]. Every Maltese citizen is also a [[Commonwealth citizen]] and [[Citizenship of the European Union|citizen of the European Union]]. The [[passport]], along with the [[Maltese identity card|national identity card]], allows for free rights of movement and residence in all member states of the [[European Economic Area]], as well as [[Switzerland]].
==Physical appearance==
Maltese passports share the common design standards of [[Passports of the European Union|European Union passports]]. The cover is burgundy with the [[coat of arms of Malta]] emblazoned in the centre. The words "{{lang|mt|UNJONI EWROPEA|italics=no}}" (English: European Union) and "MALTA" are inscribed above the coat of arms and the word "{{lang|mt|PASSAPORT|italics=no}}" (English: Passport) and the international [[biometric passport]] symbol are inscribed below it.
===
The passport contains a note from the issuing authority addressed to the authorities of all other states, identifying the bearer as a citizen of Malta and requesting that they be allowed to pass and be treated according to international norms. The note inside of a Maltese passport states:
{{block quote|The [[Government of Malta|Maltese Government]] requests all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer every assistance and protection as may be necessary.{{pb}}Every citizen of the [[European Union|Union]] shall, in the territory of a non-EU country in which the Member State of which he is a national is not represented, be entitled to protection by the diplomatic or consular authorities of any Member State, on the same conditions of the nationals of that State.}}
==Visa requirements==
{{main|Visa requirements for Maltese citizens}}
[[Image:Visa Requirements for Maltese Citizens.svg|650px|thumb|center|[[Visa requirements for Maltese citizens]]{{legend|#002377|Malta}}
{{legend|#1191E5|Freedom of movement}}
{{legend|#22B14C|Visa free}}
{{legend|#B5E61D|Visa issued upon arrival}}
{{legend|#61C7A1|eVisa}}
{{legend|#79D343|Visa available both on arrival or online}}
{{legend|#ABABAB|Visa required prior to arrival}}]]
[[Visa requirements for Maltese citizens]] are administrative entry restrictions imposed by the authorities of foreign states on citizens of [[Malta]]. {{As of|2022|7|19|post=,}} Maltese citizens had visa-free or [[visa on arrival]] access (including [[Electronic Travel Authorisation|eTAs]]) to 185 countries and territories, ranking the Maltese passport 8th in the world in terms of travel freedom (tied with [[Australian passport|Australian]], [[Canadian passport|Canadian]], [[Czech passport|Czech]], and [[Greek passport|Greek]] passports) according to the [[Henley Passport Index]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Henley Passport Index: Q3 2022 Factsheet |url=https://cdn.henleyglobal.com/storage/app/media/HENLEY_PASSPORT_INDEX_FACTSHEET_2022_Q3_220707_1.pdf}}</ref> Additionally, [[Arton Capital]]'s [[The Passport Index|Passport Index]] ranked the Maltese passport 5th in the world in terms of travel freedom, with a mobility score of 171 (tied with [[Singaporean passport|Singaporean]] and [[Slovak passport|Slovak]] passports), {{As of|2023|1|6|lc=y|pre=|post=.}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Passport Power Rank 2023 {{!}} Passport Index 2023 |url=https://www.passportindex.org/byRank.php |access-date= |website=Passport Index - Global Mobility Intelligence |language=en}}</ref>
Maltese citizens can live and work in any country within the [[European Economic Area]] (including the member states of the EU and the [[European Free Trade Association]]) as a result of the right of free movement and residence granted in Article 21 of the [[Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2008:115:0047:0199:EN:PDF|format=PDF|title=Treaty on the Function of the European Union (consolidated version)|publisher=Eur-lex.europa.eu|access-date=2015-04-17}}</ref>
== Investment-based citizenship scheme ==
Malta began a [[immigrant investor programs|citizenship by investment scheme]] in 2014 known as the Individual Investor Programme (IIP)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iip.gov.mt/|title=Attracting Talent and Trustworthy Investment}}</ref> where non-citizens could apply for Maltese citizenship in exchange for a significant contribution to a national development fund and other Maltese investments, contingent on maintaining residence in Malta and passing criminal background checks.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-11/passport-king-christian-kalin-helps-nations-sell-citizenship|title=Passport King Christian Kalin Helps Nations Sell Citizenship – Bloomberg Business|author=Clenfield, Jason |date=11 March 2015|work=Bloomberg.com}}</ref> [[Henley & Partners]] was originally appointed as sole agent to administer the IIP, but the [[Government of Malta|Maltese government]] later opened the scheme to Maltese firms too. The procedure is overseen by the Citizenship Unit of the government's Identity Malta Agency.<ref name=ToM>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/passport-buyers-origins-to-remain-a-secret.659705|title=Passport buyers' origins to remain 'a secret'|website=Times of Malta|date=6 October 2017 }}</ref>
The number and background of persons granted Maltese citizenship based on investment is unknown, as the [[Government of Malta|Maltese government]] does not publish such data. Malta's Data Protection Commissioner confirmed that the publication of the number of passport buyers and their country of origin “may prejudice relations with a number of the countries of origin” and that revealing the agencies that handled their application “could reasonably be expected to prejudice commercial interests and, ultimately, the competitiveness of approved agents as it would reveal commercially-sensitive information”.<ref name=ToM/>
The list of persons who were naturalised Maltese in the year 2015<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gov.mt/en/Government/Government%20Gazette/Government%20Notices/Documents/naturalised%20persons.pdf|title=Sorry. The page you are looking for does not exist}}</ref> includes over 900 names (listed by first name) without indication of previous/second citizenships and of reasons for naturalisation. Maltese politicians and commentators outside of the country viewed this process negatively, due to its potential for abuse by rich individuals who wished to acquire EU citizenship. The Maltese government, however, stated that these applications underwent careful scrutiny.<ref name=politico>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/malta-cash-for-passports-program-individual-investor-programme/ |website=Politico|title=Malta slammed for cash-for-passport program|date=17 August 2018|first=Harry|last=Cooper|access-date=10 December 2019}}</ref> The [[European Parliament]] had objected to the programme as a sell-out of [[EU citizenship]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20140110IPR32392/eu-citizenship-should-not-be-for-sale-at-any-price-says-european-parliament|title=EU citizenship should not be for sale at any price, says European Parliament | News | European Parliament|date=January 16, 2014|website=www.europarl.europa.eu}}</ref>
The income from Malta's passport sale amounted to €163.5 million in 2016. Of this, 70% is deposited in the National Development and Social Fund (NDSF), which was set up in July 2016. The use of the fund by the government is not regulated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/Passports-without-a-soul-Michael-Briguglio.662386|title=Passports without a soul - Michael Briguglio|website=Times of Malta|date=6 November 2017 }}</ref>
=== Criticism ===
The scheme has often come under fire{{by whom?|date=August 2020}} for being a fraudulent scheme where the [[Maltese Government]] sells [[EU citizenship]] to anyone willing to pay the price, legitimately or illegally, to the detriment of the Maltese people and the [[European Union]] as a whole.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://euobserver.com/opinion/146385|title=[Opinion] Time to end EU golden visas for corrupt elites|website=EUobserver|date=24 October 2019 }}</ref> Many who were granted a Maltese passport were found to be large-scale international criminals with ties to [[money laundering]] in multiple countries. The background checks performed on those willing to pay for citizenship have been criticized as being almost non-existent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theshiftnews.com/2019/10/18/fifth-malta-cash-for-passports-client-charged-with-financial-crime-this-year/|title=Fifth Malta cash-for-passports client charged with financial crime this year|date=October 18, 2019}}</ref>
Although the scheme is leaving money in the Maltese economy, it is doing so at the expense of the average Maltese citizen, as the Golden Passport scheme is partly responsible for the enormous inflation of the Maltese Housing Index since its introduction.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.centralbankmalta.org/site/Subscriber%20Categories/Real%20Economy%20Indicators/house_prices.xls|title=Central Bank Housing Index}}</ref> This phenomenon occurs because passport applicants are required to purchase or rent a property in Malta in order for the passport to be granted. Many of these properties have been found to left vacant with the owner in some occasions never even stepping foot in Malta.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-08-06/blogs-opinions/When-a-Russian-billionaire-is-registered-to-half-a-basement-flat-something-has-got-to-give-6736177475|title=When a Russian billionaire is registered to half a basement flat, something has got to give - The Malta Independent|website=www.independent.com.mt}}</ref>
With the contraction of the [[housing supply]] playing its part in pushing property prices to record levels, the average Maltese citizen is being priced out. With rents also on the increase the island has started to see the prevalence of [[homelessness]], something which before these last few years was non-existent in Malta.{{cn|date=January 2020}}
==See also==
* [[Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index]]
* [[Immigration to Malta]]
* [[Maltese identity card]]
* [[Maltese nationality law]]
* [[Passports of the European Union]]
* [[Visa requirements for Maltese citizens]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://identitymalta.com/passport-office/ Passport & Civil Registration Directorate]
{{Passports}}
[[Category:Passports by country]]
[[Category:Government of Malta]]
[[Category:
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