not2old

So, you are not an EU national nor do you have a spouse that is an EU national that would entitle you to live in Malta, or qualify as being eligible for Maltese citizenship by descent. Then there is another option

Malta Citizenship by Investment - Chetcuti Cauchi, Malta

Highlights the cost effective route

The Malta Citizenship by Investment Programme is the first EU approved citizenship programme.

Legal Basis for Maltese Citizenship by Investment

Malta Citizenship by Investment may be granted under an amendment passed in November 2013 to the Maltese Citizenship Act, Chapter 188 of the Laws of Malta. These amendments provided the framework for the enactment of LN 47 of 2014. The “Malta Individual Investor Programme (MIIP) rules provide for affluent persons of impeccable standing and repute to be naturalised and to receive Maltese citizenship on the basis of a contribution to and investment in Malta.

Eligibility for Maltese Citizenship by Investment

To qualify under the regulations, a Main Applicant for Malta Citizenship by Investment must be at least 18 years of age and must meet the requirements outlined in this factsheet.

The main applicant may also add dependents to a citizenship application his/her spouse, children and parents or grandparents, under certain conditions, to benefit under the Malta Citizenship by Investment Programme.

Property Purchase or Rental
Applicants are required to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 p.a. both on five-year contracts.

Investment in Bonds/Shares
Applicants are required to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares from time to time approved by the Maltese Government to be kept for at least five years. This investment will need to be made in stocks sanctioned by the government as beneficial to the Island.

Residence Stat​us
The “residence requirement” requires evidence of a genuine link with Malta. Approved Agents obtain advance written approval from Identity Malta of their clients' proposed links. Citizenship is granted after 12 months from effective date of commencement of the genuine link with Malta. Candidates must commit to some presence (but not 365 days) in Malta before citizenship is granted. Persons already resident one year prior to IIP approval already satisfy this requirement.

Gozit

Since you have to live 1 year in Malta to get your actual citizenship, do they give you a 1 year residence permit in your foreign passport in order to do so?

not2old

Without any ties to the EU/EEA - if I was going to Malta from say Russia, one of the Far East countries, sub-asian continents, even a commonwealth country, I would land get my 90 visitor visa, then the next day to a lawyer with proof of funds ready to do either one of the above in the OP.

Likely that would do it. Within 90 days, I'd have a visa good for at least a year. When the citizenship is issued & I'd spent 12 months consecutively or non-consecutively in Malta, I would be a citizen

euro 150k in government bonds is the cheapest way. Other than that buy an expensive 350k property.

After I have my Maltese passport I could move to the UK

Gozit

Exactly...

not2old

as a response to post 3 (for those that could not get to the UK by other routes) which simply means, collect all the UK benefits then island hop between Malta & the UK.

The EU/EEA system does or can have its benefits @ by descent, family permit, Surinder Singh route, Investment route (Malta is the cheapest route), ancestry, Marry an Italian ...and all or any that I have not included

Gozit

I think the EU is great and UK (or Malta) would be mad to leave it