Maltese citizenship via naturalisation

This subject has already been covered, if you do a search on here hopefully you will find your answer, good luck.

I went to the Evans building  thinking it was 4 years of permanent  residence.  & had my form completed ( with my sponsors),  but as stated it is 5 years , you 1st have to email for an interview  appointment,   then after complete the form and return it to the evans building , a €10 charge if you need  the form authacated on site, & a fee  of €450, with a €50 charge for the certificate.   Good luck.

north8 wrote:

Hi there,

I've been doing my research on Maltese citizenship. Online sources tell me that after five years of legal residency I'll be eligible to apply. However, people have told me that the timeline is actually much longer, something in the range of 18 years.

Has anyone here successfully obtained Maltese citizenship via naturalisation, without having marriage, family ties, or using the golden visa route. How long did it take you?

Thanks for any insights.

It is a very rare occurrence for citizenship to be granted to a non Maltese person, many have applied after 5 years but very few succeed. Malta would rather sell citizenship!

So I'm gathering!
Clearly the citizenship by investment program is their primary goal.
That's really disappointing, as on the surface, Malta seemed like a good bet with its supposed 'five year' timeline.

Since they sell passports for near a million euro, you are eligable to apply but they have zero obligation to approve or even consider you, its a bit a joke

Portugal easier if you're into starting a business there for example.

I live here 10 years, work, pay tax, submitted all documents right, had witnesses who know me 7 years.. I payed 450 euros plus much more for obtaining all the necessary documents...I really hoped I will get it, BUT after 4 monthsI I got their refusal without any explanation. They don't explain why just take your money and time.. I don't recommend to apply at all...

Yes, don't apply, they just take your money and they don't even explain why they refuse you... As they don't even have any reason, they just put this 5 years to give people hope and to gather a lot of money..

I went all through this, after 10 years of living and working here..and they refused without any explanation..Better if you don't even try as you just loose money and time..

That’s terrible. Is there anyone that you could call to ask for a reason ? I knew a girl who had just been staying for 6 months. She met an English guy who has been in Malta for years.  She got hers within a few months.

They should clearly say they want only rich people here and not to give hope to middle class and poor ones who work hard to earn that big amount of money for the application  and than get refused without explanation...

I wrote them and they sent me letter that they don't have to explain anyting and there is no way to complain.

very interesting...

my wife went through the same after 13 years residency. They refused.
went to a lawyer.  Approved.

My advice, go to a Labour Party friendly lawyer, my wife did.

Never give up.

They wrote me I have no right to go on court either. Now they even changed it.
"The Minister shall not be required to assign any reason for the grant or refusal of any application under the Act and the decision of the Minister on any such application shall not be subject to appeal to or review in any court. "

very mean and unfriendly letter

they just take your money that's it

Citizenship is not obligatory, it's at their discretion. They are not required to provide a reason.
Ignore the refusal, find a Labour friendly lawyer and reapply.  As the foreign minister stated, the rule of law is secondary to the rule of friends/family.

disneyshopmalta wrote:

they just take your money that's it

please, don't spam!!!

disneyshopmalta wrote:

very mean and unfriendly letter

Perhaps your income is not enough to pay for citizenship.

YvieCuthill wrote:

That’s terrible. Is there anyone that you could call to ask for a reason ? I knew a girl who had just been staying for 6 months. She met an English guy who has been in Malta for years.  She got hers within a few months.

Probably residency not citizenship.

Can you advise, as on what grounds the lawyer can make an appeal. My wife and I have been living in Malta for 13 years this November. I am British and my wife is from the Philippines. Thanks

Although the law states that one can apply for citizenship after living in Malta for 5 years, I was told personally that it is not normally approved until after 18 years. I dont know if the European Union would intervene and help, as I think that the 5 year residency rule, is a European Union directive and all EU countries should apply the same rules.

Gozo Tony wrote:

Although the law states that one can apply for citizenship after living in Malta for 5 years, I was told personally that it is not normally approved until after 18 years. I dont know if the European Union would intervene and help, as I think that the 5 year residency rule, is a European Union directive and all EU countries should apply the same rules.

No, the EU rule is that after 5 years you get permenant residency, there are no EU wide rules for naturalisation like this.

Each state in the EU have their own rules and laws, there is not an EU law in gaining citizenship.

Thanks for the information. My main problem is that because the UK is not part of the Schengen agreement, after June 2021, if my wife,(a non EU national) wants to accompany me on a visit to the UK, it looks as if she now needs to apply for a Family visit visa, 95 GB pounds, plus attend an interview, at extra cost. We have been through this process before, which was very stressful, one can only apply 3 months before a planned visit and the last time my wife received the visa the evening before we were due to leave ! It seems so unfair that as a spouse of some 13 years to a UK citizen, provided relevant information to show that she is not a terrorist threat, does not have a police record, etc and complied with previous visas, did not overstay the visa limits,etc, we still have to go through these procedures. Yet if a non EU national marries a Maltese citizen and resides in Malta for 5 years, they can apply and are mostly approved for Maltese citizenship, dual passport and can visit the UK, without requiring a visa !
That is why it is so frustrating that the citizenship by naturalisation in Malta takes 18+ years. Having said that, so glad to be living here. Thanks

Gozo Tony wrote:

Thanks for the information. My main problem is that because the UK is not part of the Schengen agreement, after June 2021, if my wife,(a non EU national) wants to accompany me on a visit to the UK, it looks as if she now needs to apply for a Family visit visa, 95 GB pounds, plus attend an interview, at extra cost. We have been through this process before, which was very stressful, one can only apply 3 months before a planned visit and the last time my wife received the visa the evening before we were due to leave ! It seems so unfair that as a spouse of some 13 years to a UK citizen, provided relevant information to show that she is not a terrorist threat, does not have a police record, etc and complied with previous visas, did not overstay the visa limits,etc, we still have to go through these procedures. Yet if a non EU national marries a Maltese citizen and resides in Malta for 5 years, they can apply and are mostly approved for Maltese citizenship, dual passport and can visit the UK, without requiring a visa !
That is why it is so frustrating that the citizenship by naturalisation in Malta takes 18+ years. Having said that, so glad to be living here. Thanks

The UK has never been part of the Schengen agreement.

Gozo Tony wrote:

Thanks for the information. My main problem is that because the UK is not part of the Schengen agreement, after June 2021, if my wife,(a non EU national) wants to accompany me on a visit to the UK, it looks as if she now needs to apply for a Family visit visa, 95 GB pounds, plus attend an interview, at extra cost. We have been through this process before, which was very stressful, one can only apply 3 months before a planned visit and the last time my wife received the visa the evening before we were due to leave ! It seems so unfair that as a spouse of some 13 years to a UK citizen, provided relevant information to show that she is not a terrorist threat, does not have a police record, etc and complied with previous visas, did not overstay the visa limits,etc, we still have to go through these procedures. Yet if a non EU national marries a Maltese citizen and resides in Malta for 5 years, they can apply and are mostly approved for Maltese citizenship, dual passport and can visit the UK, without requiring a visa !
That is why it is so frustrating that the citizenship by naturalisation in Malta takes 18+ years. Having said that, so glad to be living here. Thanks

Has nothing to do with Schengen, UK has never been party to the agreement and even if it had it would not be now.  It is simply the fact that the UK is no longer in the EU that your circumstances change from June 2021.

I never said that the UK was part of the Schengen agreement and stated that as such that is why it was always necessary to apply for a visa. I stated that as the UK was not part of the Schengen agreement it was necessary to apply for a visa. The visa rules did change and it was no longer necessary to obtain a visa and a free Family permit was relevant. If one reads what I said, I stated that as a result of Brexit, that after June 2021, the rules change and a visa was now necessary.

Gozo Tony wrote:

I never said that the UK was part of the Schengen agreement and stated that as such that is why it was always necessary to apply for a visa. I stated that as the UK was not part of the Schengen agreement it was necessary to apply for a visa. The visa rules did change and it was no longer necessary to obtain a visa and a free Family permit was relevant. If one reads what I said, I stated that as a result of Brexit, that after June 2021, the rules change and a visa was now necessary.

Obviously read it wrong!!

that is what they usually do. you are all right.they only want to selling the citizenship. I am a maltese. my wife is Chinese. we were married in malta over 8 years. my wife applied citizenship last year. but she was rejected. the only reason is because me and my wife working in the restaurant not always stay at home. but if they try to come to my restaurant they will find we were together working in my restaurant all the day. but they don't want. they just send a letter to us. to rejected my wife's application. this year I talked to ministry. so we see what will be going on.

cryptosailor wrote:

Never give up.

I read somewhere that foreigners can apply max 3 times. Is it true?
and also - can you suggest/recommend some good Labour-Friendly lawyer please? Thanks