The Maltese government has officially published the conditions that foreign nationals and stateless persons must satisfy to apply for citizenship by naturalisation based on residence in Malta. The policy outlines six specific requirements, along with key steps in the application process.
Age and Basic Conditions
All applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of application. Beyond that, the six conditions are as follows:
- The applicant must be a foreigner or stateless person.
- Continuous residence in Malta throughout the 12 months immediately before the date of application.
- Combined residence of at least four years out of the six years preceding that final 12-month qualifying period.
- Demonstration of good character.
- Adequate knowledge of either Maltese or English.
- Considered a suitable citizen of Malta.
Language Exemption
According to the Maltese government, the language requirement does not apply to adults who lack full legal capacity. In such cases, an application may be submitted on their behalf with the authorisation of the Civil Court (Voluntary Jurisdiction).
Steps Before Submitting an Application
Before filing any paperwork, prospective applicants must first book an appointment with the Agency responsible for citizenship matters. At that appointment, a residence certificate is compiled for the applicant. To facilitate this, applicants are required to bring their current passport as well as all expired passports that cover their period of stay in Malta.
Once the Agency reviews the residence certificate and confirms that the applicant qualifies to proceed, the applicant will then be asked to submit further supporting documents as part of the full application process.
Context and Related Opportunities
This announcement comes as part of Malta's broader immigration framework. In a separate development, Malta has also invited Nigerians and other foreign workers to apply for its in-demand jobs, offering work permits for skilled workers and fast-tracking their application process to address a skilled labour force shortage in the EU country.
