Both were ways for a European Union passport to follow a major contribution rather than years of residence. The position changed sharply in 2025, so read the current status carefully.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
Malta operated a route to citizenship by naturalisation for exceptional services by direct investment, often called citizenship by investment. In April 2025 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the scheme was contrary to European Union law, and Malta was directed to bring it to an end. For new applicants this route should be treated as closed.
Austrian citizenship by exception is a different thing. It is a discretionary grant under the Austrian Citizenship Act for an extraordinary contribution in the special interest of the Republic. It remains rare, with only a small number of grants each year, and it is not a published investment programme.
The Malta investor citizenship route should not be relied on. The Court of Justice found it incompatible with European Union law and Malta was told to dismantle it. People already naturalised are generally expected to keep their status, but new applications under the old model are not a safe basis to plan. Confirm the current position with Community Malta Agency.
Austria has not opened a comparable purchase route. Its citizenship by exception continues to depend on the strength of the contribution, not on a fixed payment, and any price quoted by an intermediary is not an official figure.
Because the Malta route is no longer available to new applicants, older figures should not be used to plan. Austria publishes no price for citizenship by exception, since the grant rests on the value of the contribution to the Republic rather than on a set investment. Confirm any current requirement directly with the official authority.
Both, where granted, lead to European Union citizenship with the travel and settlement rights that follow. The decisive difference now is availability. The Malta investor route is reported closed after the 2025 ruling, while Austrian citizenship by exception remains open in principle but only for a very small group whose contribution is genuinely outstanding.
Neither route is a realistic plan for most people. Anyone who was considering the Malta investor route should treat it as closed and look at lawful residence based paths instead. Austrian citizenship by exception is realistic only where there is a truly exceptional and documented contribution in Austria's interest.
| Item | Malta citizenship by investment | Austria citizenship by exception |
|---|---|---|
| Status in 2026 | Reported closed after the 2025 EU court ruling | Open in principle, discretionary and rare |
| Basis | Investment and contribution under the former scheme | Extraordinary contribution in the interest of the Republic |
| Published price | Not a safe basis to plan, route ended | None, the grant is not a purchase |
| Outcome | EU citizenship under the former scheme | EU citizenship, where granted |
| Official authority | Community Malta Agency | Provincial government with the Federal Ministry of the Interior |
Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Community Malta Agency, and for Austria the provincial government with the Federal Ministry of the Interior under the Austrian Citizenship Act publishes the binding detail. Verify before you act.
No. In April 2025 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled the scheme contrary to European Union law and Malta was directed to end it. Treat it as closed for new applicants and confirm with the official authority.
No. Austrian citizenship by exception is a discretionary grant for an extraordinary contribution in the interest of the Republic. It is not a purchase and has no published price.
People already naturalised are generally expected to keep their status, but the route is not a basis for new applications. Confirm the current position with the official authority.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
This route is reported closed or paused. Do not rely on older figures. Get the current position, and the routes that are still open, before you commit time or money.
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