Malta鈥檚 Junior Minister responsible for Citizenship, the Hon Julia Farrugia Portelli, stated that 鈥渕ore high net worth individuals are seriously weighing their options in resorting to global citizenship to ensure a better future for their families or to expand their business possibilities.鈥�
However, there are reasons that could cause the application to fall through. It is not very rare to see disappointed investors after the evaluation process. To know what might go wrong with the citizenship application through Malta鈥檚 Individual Investor Program, this guide might be helpful.聽
Criminal Record
Having a criminal record, or being the subject of criminal proceedings, automatically renders an applicant ineligible for the Malta鈥檚 Individual Investor Program. It might also jeopardize the standing of the applicant鈥檚 family in the process.
Malta鈥檚 Individual Investor Program does not instantly strip Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) from the right to pursue Maltese citizenship. Yet, these persons have to go through a rigorous due diligence process to ensure their clean source of wealth, reputation and the applicant鈥檚 status in consideration with Malta鈥檚 international relations.
A Threat to National Security
Understandably, if the applicant is deemed as a potential national security threat to Malta, or any other European Union member state, there is no way that an application would go through.
Submission of False Information
It is never, in a formal application, a good idea to represent false or incomplete information purposely and voluntarily. For whatever reason, this act directly leads to the rejection of the Maltese Citizenship Application.
Unclean Source of Wealth
If there are indications that the applicant鈥檚 source of wealth is not legitimate, it is highly possible that the application is going to get rejected. It is not enough to simply list the applicant鈥檚 total net worth to go through with the application of Malta鈥檚 Individual Investor Program. Lawyers of the applicant have to explain how the income was generated and they must represent the evidence support such declaration.
An Inauspicious Immigration History
On the occasion that an applicant was denied a visa to a country with which Malta has a visa-free travel arrangement and said applicant has not obtained a visa in that jurisdiction since, then the grounds for rejection of an application would be suitable.聽Still, if the applicant鈥檚 agent and lawyers demonstrate effectual reasons, the application might go through and the applicant might get the Maltese citizenship. For instance, if the rejection of the application for the visa was based on insufficient travel insurance coverage, the lawyers could point out this fact to eliminate other undesirable suspicion.
