Ethiopia → Malta: the Malta Startup Residence Programme (SRP) roadmap
The Malta Startup Residence Programme (SRP), run by Residency Malta in partnership with Malta Enterprise, is the primary official route for non-EU founders to relocate to Malta to build an innovative startup. Founders/co-founders need a minimum tangible investment or paid-up share capital of EUR 25,000 (plus EUR 10,000 per co-founder beyond four) and must live and pay tax in Malta; the permit is issued for 3 years and extendable for a further 5. It is a genuine residence track: after 5 years of continuous lawful residence a holder can apply for long-term/permanent residence, and citizenship by naturalisation is possible (broadly 5 years of residence in the prior period), though approval is discretionary and not guaranteed. Confidence is medium because the per-applicant application fee and processing time are sourced from reputable advisory firms rather than confirmed on the official page; the core capital and salary thresholds are well corroborated.
Moving from Ethiopia
- You apply for the Malta Startup Residence Programme (SRP) at the Malta consulate, embassy, or visa application centre that serves Ethiopia, confirm the office and the current appointment wait for your region.
- Qualifications and work experience earned in Ethiopia usually need a credential assessment or recognition before they count toward Malta's requirements.
- Budget for certified translation and apostille or legalisation of your Ethiopia documents (degree, police certificate, civil records).
- Check whether a Ethiopia passport needs a short-stay visa for any in-person biometrics or interview steps.
General guidance for any Ethiopia to Malta applicant; the eligibility and fees below are set by Malta.
At a glance
Who qualifies
- Non-EU/EEA/Swiss national aged 18+ who is a founder or co-founder of the startup (or a qualifying core employee)
- Startup registered or operating for no more than 7 years and not yet having distributed any profit
- Minimum tangible investment or paid-up share capital of EUR 25,000, plus EUR 10,000 for each co-founder beyond the first four
- Innovative/scalable business endorsed under the Malta Enterprise Start-up framework
- Genuine economic presence: founder must reside in Malta and become locally tax resident
- Clean criminal record, valid travel document, health insurance and proof of sufficient financial means; not a national of an excluded sanctioned state
Your step-by-step roadmap
Business endorsement & preparation
- Register or structure the startup in Malta and prepare a business plan demonstrating innovation/scalability
- Secure the minimum EUR 25,000 capital (plus EUR 10,000 per extra co-founder beyond four)
- Obtain the required Malta Enterprise / Start in Malta endorsement of the venture
Application submission
- Submit the SRP application to Residency Malta with personal, financial and business documents
- Pay the application and card fees and provide health insurance and a clean criminal record
- Include any qualifying co-founders, core employees (min. EUR 30,000 salary) and family members
Approval & residence card
- Undergo due-diligence review and await approval (advisory estimate ~4-6 months)
- Collect biometrics and receive a 3-year residence permit for founders and dependants
- Establish tangible presence: live in Malta, run the business and register as a local tax resident
Renewal & permanent residence
- Extend the permit for a further 5 years on proof of continued business activity and eligibility
- After 5 years of continuous lawful residence, apply for long-term/permanent residence
- Optionally pursue citizenship by naturalisation later, subject to residence, language and good-character tests (discretionary)
Government fees
Timeline & path to citizenship
Timeline: After endorsement and submission, applications are typically decided in roughly 4-6 months (advisory estimate; not officially published), with a 3-year permit that can be extended for a further 5 years.
Citizenship: There is a genuine onward path: after 5 years of continuous lawful residence a holder may apply for long-term/permanent residence, and Maltese citizenship by naturalisation is possible (broadly 5 years of residence within the relevant period, plus language, good-character and integration requirements), but it is discretionary and not automatic on meeting the time threshold.
This is general information to help you plan, not legal advice. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration professional.