Indian Family Obtains Malta EU Citizenship — Visa-Free Access to 184 Countries
How a Mumbai family office obtained full EU citizenship for three generations in under 18 months
€3,250,000 (across both families)
14 months
184 countries
Indian
Client Background
Nationality
Indian (Mumbai)
Profile
Third-generation family business — pharmaceuticals and manufacturing
Family Size
Two adult brothers + wives + three children
Net Worth
€14M liquid assets
Primary Goal
EU citizenship for global mobility — eliminate visa delays for European business
Secondary Goal
Children's access to EU universities without international fees
The Challenge
Two brothers running a family pharmaceutical business were spending 3–4 months per year in Europe — Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Every trip required Schengen visa applications, processing delays, and the ever-present risk of rejection. An EU passport would eliminate this permanently. Their children were approaching university age, and EU citizenship would open every European university at domestic tuition rates. Malta was the only realistic route to full EU citizenship (not just residency) within a reasonable timeline for Indian nationals.
Programme Recommended
Malta Citizenship by Exceptional Investment — 12-month naturalisation pathway
Why This Programme
- The only EU full citizenship programme open to Indian nationals (vs. Portugal/Greece which offer residency only)
- Malta passport: visa-free access to 184 countries including USA, UK, Schengen, and Canada
- Both brothers could apply simultaneously as separate principal applicants with dependants
- Children included — EU citizenship for the next generation
- 12-month naturalisation pathway available (vs. 36-month standard route)
- Malta's flat-tax Non-Dom regime available post-citizenship for tax planning
Investment Made
Timeline from Enquiry to Approval
Month 1
Applications submitted — Community Malta Agency (CMA) review begins
Month 2
Due diligence checks initiated — Interpol, financial background
Month 5
Due diligence cleared — in-principle approval received
Month 6
Government contribution paid — 12-month naturalisation clock starts
Month 12
Real estate lease maintained — naturalisation period complete
Month 14
Citizenship oath ceremony — Malta passports issued for all 9 family members
Key Benefit Achieved
Nine family members — two brothers, wives, and three children — now hold full Malta EU citizenship with visa-free access to 184 countries, including unrestricted work and residency rights across all 27 EU member states.
Outcomes
Full EU citizenship for 9 family members — both generations
Visa-free travel to 184 countries including USA, UK, EU, Canada, and Japan
Unrestricted right to live, work, and establish businesses across all 27 EU member states
Children enrolled at Dutch and German universities at EU student rates
Malta Non-Dom tax regime available — effectively 0% on non-Malta source income
No Indian citizenship renounced — Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) maintained alongside Malta passport
"As an Indian passport holder, every international trip started with visa applications — sometimes weeks of uncertainty. Now my family simply boards the plane. The Malta citizenship changed everything: our children's university options, our tax planning, our business expansion into Europe. The investment was significant but the return — in freedom of movement alone — is incalculable."— Family business chairman, Mumbai — Malta Citizenship client, April 2026