Maltese Citizenship Act (Cap. 188), article 10

10. (1) An alien or a stateless person, being a person of full age and capacity, on making appli cation therefor to the Ministe r in the prescribed manner, may be granted a certificate of naturalisation as a citizen of Ma lta if he satisfies the Minist er - (a) that he has resided in Malta throughout the period of twelve months immediately preceding the date of application; and (b) that, during the six year s immediately preceding the said period of twelve mont hs, he has resided in Malta for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than four years; and (c) that he has an adequate knowledge of the Maltese or the English language; and (d) that he is of good character; and (e) that he would be a suit able citizen of Malta: Provided that the Minister may, if he so thinks fit in the special circumstances of any par ticular case, allow periods of residence earlier than seven yea rs before the date of applicati on to be reckoned in computing the ag gregate mentione d in paragraph (b): Provided further that the requirements of paragraph (c) shall not apply to any person on behalf of whom an application is sub mitted with the authorisation of the C ivil Court (V oluntary Jurisdiction) under sub-article (3) of article 21 . MALTESE CITIZENSHIP [CAP. 188. 9 (2) Any person of full age an d capacity born outside Malta may, on making application therefor to the Minister in the prescribed manner, be granted a certificate of naturalisation a s a citizen of Malta - (a) if his father, or in the case of a person born on or after the 1st August, 1989, if either of his parents became, or would but for his death have become, a citizen of Malta by virtue of article 3(2), or (b) if his father, or in the case of a person born on or after the 1st August, 1989, if either of his parents, at the time of that person’s birth, was, or would but for his death have been, a citizen of Malta by virtue of article 5(2): (3) Any person of full age and capacity who - (a) has emigrated from Malta (whether before, on or after the 21st September, 1964) and, having been a citizen of Malta by virtue of article 3(1) or article 5(1), has ceased to be such a citizen; or (b) emigrated from Malta before the 21st September, 1964 and, but for his having ceas ed to be a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies before that day, would have become a citizen of Malta by virtue of article 3(1), may, on making application therefor to the Minister in the prescribed manner, be granted a certificate of naturalisation a s a citizen of Malta. (4) Any person of full age and capacity who proves descent from a person born in Malta and who is a citizen of a country o ther than the country in which he resides, and whose access to the country of which he is a citizen is restricted, may on making application therefor to the Mini ster in the prescribed manner, be granted a certificate of naturalisation as a citizen of Malta: Provided that such person shall not be entitled to be granted a certificate of naturalisation as a citizen of Malta under the provisions of this subarticle if the Minister is satisfied that the grant of citizenship to such person is contrary to the public i nterest. (5) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, and in all cases provided for in this article, a person shall not be granted a c ertificate of naturalisation as a citizen of Malta unless and until he has ta ken an oath of allegiance in the form s pecified in the Schedule to thi s Act. (6) Subject to the provisions of subarticles (7) and (8), a pers on shall be entitled, on making application to the Minister in the prescribed manner, to be granted a certificate of naturalisatio n as a citizen of Malta if he satisfies the Minister that he is and al ways has been stateless, and - (a) that he was born in Malta, or (b) that his father was a citizen of Malta at the date of his birth by virtue of the provisions of article 3(2) or 10 CAP. 188.] MALTESE CITIZENSHIP article 5(2) or that his moth er was at that date a citizen of Malta. (7) A person referred to in subarticle (6)( a) shall not be entitled to be granted a certificate of nat uralisation as a citizen of M alta under the provisions of that subarticle if the Minister is sati sfied - (a) that he has not been ordinarily resident in Malta throughout the period of five years ending with the date of the application; or (b) that he has either been convicted in any country of an offence against the security of the State or has been sentenced in any country to a punishment restrictive of personal liberty for a term of not less than five years. (8) A person referred to in subarticle (6)( b) shall not be entitled to be granted a certificate of nat uralisation as a citizen of M alta under the provisions of that subarticle if the Minister is sati sfied - (a) that he has not been ordinarily resident in Malta throughout the period of three years ending with the date of his application; or (b) that he has been convicted in any country of an offence against the security of the State. (9) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Act or any other Act, the Minister may grant a certifi cate of naturalisation as a cit izen of Malta by merit to an alien or stateless person, namely to a per son who renders exceptional services or who makes an exceptional contribution, including through job creation, to the Republic o f Malta or to humanity, or whose naturalisation is of exceptional interest to the Republic of Malta: Provided that for the purposes of this sub-article, "exceptional" means manifestly s uperior or adding value, and "exceptional services" and "exceptional contributions" shall re fer to services rendered and contributions made by scientists, researchers, athletes, sports persons, artists, cultural perfor mers, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and technologists, amongst other persons of interest to the Republic of Malta from time to time, or to humanity and "exceptional interest" shall refer to any person w ho shall be deemed by the Minister to possess the necessary skills , profile, qualities, talents and expertise that are considered t o significantly advance or benefit the national interest of the Republic of Malta: Provided further that the Minister may also grant a certificate of naturalisation to a n eligible dependent of an al ien or a stateless person as r eferred to above: Provided further that an application is submitted by such person in such manner as may be prescribed and upon taking the oath of allegiance in Malta. Minors. Substituted by: XXIV . 1989.4. Renumbered by: IV . 2000.4.