Maltese citizenship law??

Its very very difficult to become a citizen unless you have Maltese roots. If you are a citizen of another EU country, you can live and work in Malta under (almost) the same conditions as a Maltese citizen anyway - I've sent you a PM

Do not count on becoming a citizen of Malta just because you may live on the island for a long time. I know people who have been here for 15 years and haven't been able to get it.

Citizenship by naturalisation is regulated by the Citizenship Act which provides for a residence period of 7 years. However, as i mentioned earlier, the national authorities enjoy very wide discretion.

http://www.mjha.gov.mt/DownloadDocument … d=8702&l=1

I agree with georgeingozo's comments.

Malta does have a permanent residency scheme. You would have to satisfy an income/wealth test, pay 4192 Euro annually and rent/buy property in Malta:
http://www.anchor.com.mt/?corporate-ser … ment-malta

I absolutely do not agree that citizenship applications are turned down on xenophobic grounds. Malta cannot be expected to grant citizenship to a person just because he resides on the island.

I've also heard that it can be quite difficult now to get citizenship here. I am married to a Maltese and I cannot get citizenship until after we have been married for 5 years. Someone else that I know who married a Maltese, finally was able to get their citizenship last year but she said it took about a year and a half after submitting the paperwork to be approved. As georgeingozo said, its quite difficult unless you have Maltese ties, but being from another EU country might make it somewhat "easier" but still quite the long process...it wont be the completely the same conditions as georgeingozo mentioned either.

check out this other post in the forum as well perhaps:
  https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=63585

might lead you in the right direction, or least a start to look into things further

I moved here in 2004 and I didnt get my citizenship until 2007. I was married for 15 years to my Maltese husband when I applied and it still took that long. I was lucky because my father-in-law did all the leg work for me but it seemed like he had to ask a lot of Gozo big shots for favors to get it done...I'm sure if I did it on my own, not having any connections, it would of taken me much longer.

I have lived in Malta for two years between the years 1982 and 1984. I loved the place and brought two brothers to study there as well. They are now married to Maltese and been living there for  more than 20 years. In 1995 I came back to Malta and my wife delivered Ali and lived for a year. We were promised that our son will have Maltese citizen ship when he will become 18. I had plans to go and live with my son in Malta however, an act came in 2000 that only born to Maltese parents will acquire citizen ship. My question how can an act which was out in 2000 apply to people who were born before this date? Can this be considered legal?

Hi Hussam,

welcome to the forum.

Citizenship issues are very complicated.

The facts seem to be that your son was born in Malta of non-Maltese parents in 1995.

The legal position in a country is always determined by the country involved. And laws can be changed!

Being born in Malta does not entitle the child or the parents to citizenship.

So it is legal.

Cheers
Ricky

i want to get citizienship of malta give me a procider for me i am national of pakistan

Hi amjad,

check out this link:

http://mhas.gov.mt/en/MHAS-Information/ … nship.aspx

to see if you qualify.

Generally speaking your parents or grandparents have to have been born in Malta and/or you yourself to qualify.

Cheers
Ricky

just for information - why would anyone want citizenship and what are the benefits to a "foreigner" in having it?

The poster is a Pakistan citizen !

The benefits are fairly obvious toon -))))

Cheers
Ricky

am not talking about the OP am talking generally.

toonarmy9752 wrote:

just for information - why would anyone want citizenship and what are the benefits to a "foreigner" in having it?

EU citizen - few really, other than less paperwork, but will get taxed on worldwide income unlike foreigners residing in Malta

non-EU - the difference between
(1) being able to live here by right (and anywhere else in the EU), and
(2) having to apply for the global residency scheme with its high minimum tax level