Kenya → Malta: the Malta Nomad Residence Permit (NRP) roadmap
The Nomad Residence Permit, issued by the Residency Malta Agency, is Malta's dedicated route for non-EU remote workers, freelancers, and business owners who earn their income from employers or clients based outside Malta. It grants legal residence for one year, renewable up to three times for a four-year maximum, and pairs with a special 10% flat tax on authorized work income. It is explicitly a temporary permit: it does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship, and time held under it does not count toward long-term residence eligibility.
Moving from Kenya
- You apply for the Malta Nomad Residence Permit (NRP) at the Malta consulate, embassy, or visa application centre that serves Kenya, confirm the office and the current appointment wait for your region.
- Qualifications and work experience earned in Kenya usually need a credential assessment or recognition before they count toward Malta's requirements.
- Budget for certified translation and apostille or legalisation of your Kenya documents (degree, police certificate, civil records).
- Check whether a Kenya passport needs a short-stay visa for any in-person biometrics or interview steps.
General guidance for any Kenya to Malta applicant; the eligibility and fees below are set by Malta.
At a glance
Who qualifies
- Must be a third-country national (non-EU, non-EEA, and non-Swiss).
- Must earn a minimum gross yearly income of EUR 42,000 (approx. EUR 3,500/month); EUR 32,400 grandfathered rate applies only to applications filed before 1 April 2024.
- Income must come from outside Malta via one of three routes: a contract with a foreign-registered employer, business activity in a foreign-registered company you partly own, or freelance/consulting work for clients with foreign establishments.
- Must hold health insurance covering risks across the EU (including Malta) and the UK.
- Must have a valid travel document, a property rental or purchase agreement in Malta, and a clean police conduct certificate.
- Must be able to work remotely using telecommunications; applicants contracted by foreign firms servicing those firms' Maltese subsidiaries are excluded.
Your step-by-step roadmap
Phase 1: Application and background check
- Submit the application and required documents via the Residency Malta online portal.
- Pay the EUR 300 non-refundable fee per applicant by bank transfer, which triggers processing.
- Undergo a background verification check taking about 30 working days.
Phase 2: Approval and final documents
- Receive a Letter of Approval in Principle if the background check clears.
- Within 30 days, submit proof of Malta accommodation and compliant health insurance.
- Receive the Letter of Final Approval.
Phase 3: Entry and residence card
- Travel to Malta and book a biometrics appointment.
- Pay the EUR 100 card fee at the office and complete biometrics.
- Collect the residence card after roughly 3-4 weeks of production.
Phase 4: Renewal cycle (up to 4 years total)
- Apply for renewal 2-3 months before the current permit expires.
- Provide a Maltese bank statement proving at least 5 cumulative months of residence over the prior 12 months.
- Renew up to 3 times while continuing to meet the income and eligibility criteria.
Government fees
Timeline & path to citizenship
Timeline: Expect roughly 30 working days for application approval plus 3-4 weeks for the residence card, with the permit valid for 1 year and renewable up to three times for a maximum of four continuous years.
Citizenship: There is no path to permanent residence or citizenship through this permit: the Nomad Residence Permit is capped at four years total, and time spent under it does not count toward Malta's long-term residence or naturalization requirements (separate programs such as the Malta Permanent Residence Programme would be needed).
This is general information to help you plan, not legal advice. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration professional.