Thirteen foreigners have now become Maltese citizens thanks to the Individual Investor Programme, the first group to be given the green light thanks to the controversial cash-for-citizenship scheme.

The foreigners were given the nod after paying €650,000 in addition to an investment of €350,000 in property and €150,000 in government bonds.

In reply to questions raised by Nationalist MPs Robert Arrigo and Claudio Grech, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said that, while 13 applicants have now satisfied all the necessary requirements, including proof of residency, the government is currently processing another 573 applicants.

Asked for a list of the identity of the Maltese citizens, where they came from, and how many are adults or minors, the government failed to reply.

Instead it said that “the names of persons, who are granted citizenship by means of the IIP programme, feature among the list of the names of all those persons who acquire Maltese citizenship by registration or naturalisation.”

This means that it is practically impossible to identify the list of those who had qualified for a Maltese passport.

According to the IIP programme – managed by a newly set up government agency called Identity Malta – applicants have to adhere to a number of rules to be eligible for citizenship.

Applicants have the option to lease a residential immovable property in Malta, instead of actually buying it, as long as the lease has a value of €16,000 a year and is kept for five years.

Although the main applicant is required to pay €650,000 to apply for citizenship, there is no limit on the amount of dependents who may apply together with the main applicant.

Applicants would have to pay an additional €25,000 for a spouse and children under 18 years. The price for passports for dependents over 18 doubles to €50,000 each.

Applicants may also acquire a passport for their parents aged 55 or over as long as they pay an extra €50,000 per dependent.

According to information given in Parliament, the overwhelming majority of IIP applicants are from Russia and other former Soviet Union states. The bulk of the other applicants are from Arab, Middle Eastern and Asian countries.

The initiative was mired in controversy from the moment it was unveiled in 2013 until it was resolved following discussion with the European Commission.

Originally the government did not make it mandatory for the new citizens to actually live in Malta.

However, following opposition by the PN and the European Commission, the government agreed to introduce a 12-month minimum residency requirement.

The onus of proof of residency was put on the applicant.

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