These two are not equivalent today. Malta citizenship granted purely for investment has been ended, while Hungary offers a residence permit, not a passport.
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.
On 29 April 2025 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Malta investor citizenship scheme was contrary to EU law. Malta has ended the grant of citizenship purely for investment. Any remaining route to Maltese citizenship is governed by ordinary nationality law and the Community Malta Agency, not by a fixed investment price.
Hungary, by contrast, offers the Guest Investor Programme, which grants a residence permit administered by the National Directorate General for Aliens Policing. A residence permit is not a passport.
Because the investor citizenship route in Malta has been ended, there is no current qualifying investment amount to publish for a Maltese passport. Hungary continues to offer a residence permit reported to require at least EUR 250,000 into units of an approved real estate fund. Confirm the current position for both countries with the official authority.
There is no live investor timeline for Maltese citizenship to compare. For Hungary, the residence permit application is filed within a set period after first arrival, with the investment evidenced afterward. Confirm current processing times with the official authority.
Even before the ruling, these were different outcomes. Citizenship carries a passport, while the Hungary Guest Investor Programme grants residence with Schengen short stay travel only. With the Malta investor route ended, the only way to a Maltese passport now is through ordinary naturalisation rules. Confirm those rules before planning.
With the Malta investor citizenship route closed, applicants seeking a near term European outcome through investment are generally looking at residence routes such as Hungary, rather than a purchased passport. Take advice on what fits your goals and timeline.
| Item | Malta Citizenship | Hungary Guest Investor |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Investor route ended after the 2025 EU court ruling | Open |
| Outcome | Citizenship, no investor route available | Residence permit |
| Indicative minimum | No investor price; ordinary naturalisation applies | From EUR 250,000 into an approved real estate fund |
| Official authority | Community Malta Agency | National Directorate General for Aliens Policing |
| Passport | Only via ordinary naturalisation | Not a passport; residence only |
Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Community Malta Agency (Malta) and the National Directorate General for Aliens Policing (Hungary) publishes the binding detail. Verify before you act.
No. The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled the investor citizenship scheme contrary to EU law on 29 April 2025 and Malta has ended citizenship granted purely for investment. Any route to a Maltese passport now follows ordinary naturalisation law.
No. It is a residence permit. Citizenship would follow only through Hungarian naturalisation rules.
Confirm with the Community Malta Agency and follow official Maltese government sources rather than older marketing material.
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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