Immigration Act (Cap. 217), article 15

15. (1) A carrier by sea or air s hall be obliged to take all necessary measures to ensure that a person carried by it to Mal ta is in possession of the travel documents and any visa or other authorisation required for entry into, or transit through, Maltese territory before transporti ng such person to Malta. (2) At the request of the Principal Immigration Officer the carrier shall return a person refused entry on the grounds of n ot being in possession of any visa or document mentioned in the preceding subarticle, either to the State from which he was transported, or to the State which issued the travel document o n which he travelled, if any, or to any other State to which he i s guaranteed entry. (3) At the request of the Principal Immigration Officer the carrier shall also return, as specified in subarticle (2), a th ird country national in transit through Malta if the carrier which was to take him to his country of destination refuses to take him on b oard or the authorities of the state of destination have refused him entry and have sent him back to Malta. (4) A carrier which cannot retu r n a p e r s o n a s l a i d d o w n i n subarticles (2) and (3), shall find the means of onward 14 CAP. 217.] IMMIGRATION transportation immediately and bear the costs thereof, or, if immediate onward transportation is not possible, he shall assum e responsibility for the costs of the stay and return of the pers on concerned. Cap. 12. (5) A carrier may not carry from any State to Malta a person who is not in possession of any travel document, visa or other special authorisation where requir ed under this Ac t, required f or his lawful entry into Malta and in case of such default such carrie r shall be liable to pay to the Pr incipal Immigration Officer suc h penalty as may be established by him, not being more than eleve n thousand and six hundred and forty-six euro and eighty-seven ce nts (11,646.87) for each person carri ed or such other maximum sum a s may be prescribed by the Minister. Such penalty shall be recoverable by the Principal Immigration Officer, after the term within which an appeal to the Bo ard may be entered, has elapsed without an appeal having been ent ered, or after the decision of such Board as a civil debt due to the Government and the provisions of article 466 of the Code of Organization and Civil Procedure shall, notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, mutatis mutandis apply to such debt. Powers of arrest. Amended by: XXIII. 2002.14.