Few people get citizenship in Malta unless they marry Maltese or have a Maltese parent, JAMES DEBONO writes
Just over 2,000 of Malta’s 2,817 new citizens in the last four years became Maltese citizens either by marriage or from birth to a Maltese parent.
Statistics presented in parliament show that since 2004, over 1,000 men and women married foreigners, who later went on to become Maltese citizens after five years of marriage.
Foreign wives who gained citizenship mainly hailed from Britain (157), Australia (83) and Russia (55). Husbands on the other hand mainly hailed from Britain (107), Australia (78) and also Italy (56) and Libya (49).
Significantly Italian men were much more likely to gain Maltese citizenship through marriage than Italian women, only nine of which opted for citizenship.
Russian women were also much more likely to acquire Maltese citizenship through marriage than Russian men, only eight of which became citizens.
But more Libyan men became Maltese citizens than women, seven of which are today Maltese citizens.
Likewise, just one of 16 Nigerians granted Maltese citizenship was a woman.
This gender imbalance doesn’t apply to other North Africans like Moroccans, where just five men acquired citizens through marriage, while 17 women got citizenship.
And while 18 women from the Philippines became citizens by marrying a Maltese man, only four Filipinos married a Maltese wife.
Citizens of Maltese descent In the past two years, 190 adult foreigners and 67 minors have claimed citizenship through Maltese descent after citizenship laws changed in 2007.
Most of those claiming Maltese descent hailed from Australia (121) and Great Britain (31), the United States (19), South Africa (18) and France (17).
Amendments to the Citizenship Act in August 2007 made it possible for all persons of Maltese descent to obtain Maltese citizenship by registration. A person only has to provide documentary evidence such as birth, marriage and death certificates to be registered as a citizen. This documentation must show direct descent from an ancestor born in Malta of a parent who was also born in Malta.
If a person has parents or grandparents who are still alive, and are also direct descendants themselves, they will also have to make applications for citizenship as the direct line cannot be broken.
The registration procedure may take place at any Maltese embassy or consulate, or the citizenship and expat department in Malta. Residence in Malta is not even required.
Only 353 naturalised
In contrast to the extension of the citizenship to residents of foreign countries claiming Maltese descent, only 353 foreign residents living and working – with no ties by marriage or parentage – in Malta were given Maltese citizenship since 2004.
The highest number of naturalised Maltese, 51, hailed from the UK.
Although it is possible ‘to become eligible’ to acquire Maltese citizenship by naturalisation after five years of legal residence, acquiring Maltese citizenship is a considered a very difficult process.
MaltaToday is informed that applications are only given a favourable consideration to persons who have resided in Malta for more than 18 years. Maltese-born children of non-naturalised foreigners are still treated as foreigners and are even asked to pay for university fees.
Neither do these foreigners, some of which have lived in Malta for more than a decade, qualify for a Maltese pension.
Persons applying for naturalisation also need two sponsors, one of whom must be an MP, a judge, a magistrate, a parish priest, a doctor, a lawyer, a notary public or an officer in the army, civil service or police.
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