ACT No. XXI of 2025 AN ACT to amend the Maltese Citizenship Act, Cap. 188.

I assent.

(L.S.)

MYRIAM SPITERI DEBONO

President

24th July, 2025

ACT No. XXI of 2025

AN ACT to amend the Maltese Citizenship Act, Cap. 188.

BE IT ENACTED by the President, by and with the advice and

consent of the House of Representatives, in this present Parliament

assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

The short title of this Act is the Maltese Citizenship

(Amendment) Act, 2025 and this Act shall be read and construed as

one with the Maltese Citizenship Act, hereinafter referred to as the

"principal Act".

In article 2 of the principal Act the definition "individual

investor programme" shall be deleted.

Article 3 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

(a) in sub-article (4) thereof the words "1st August

2007" shall be substituted by the words "1st August 2028";

(b) in sub-article (5) thereof the words "1st August

2007" shall be substituted by the words "1st August 2028" and

the words "1st August 2010" shall be substituted by the words

"1st August 2028";

(c)

in sub-article (6) thereof the words "31st July, 2010"

shall be substituted by the words "1st August 2028".

Article 5 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

Amendment of

article 5 of the

principal Act.

(a) in sub-article (4) thereof the words "1st August

2007" shall be substituted by the words "1st August 2028";

(b) in sub-article (5) thereof the words "1st August

2007" shall be substituted by the words "1st August 2028" and

the words "1st August 2010" shall be substituted by the words

"1st August 2028";

(c) in sub-article (6) thereof the words "1st August

2007" shall be substituted by the words "1st August 2028";

(d) in sub-article (7) thereof the words "31st July, 2010"

shall be substituted by the words "1st August 2028".

Sub-article (9) of article 10 of the principal Act shall be Amendment of

article 10 of the

substituted by the following new sub-article

principal Act.

"(9) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Act or any

other Act, the Minister may grant a certificate of naturalisation

as a citizen of Malta by merit to an alien or stateless person,

namely to a person who renders exceptional services or who

makes an exceptional contribution, including through job

creation, to the Republic of 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 superior or adding value, and

"exceptional services" and "exceptional contributions" shall refer

to services rendered and contributions made by scientists,

researchers, athletes, sports persons, artists, cultural performers,

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

who shall be deemed by the Minister to possess the necessary

skills, profile, qualities, talents and expertise that are considered

to 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 an eligible dependent of an alien

or a stateless person as referred 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.".

Article 17 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

(a)

sub-article (1) thereof shall be amended as follows

(i) in paragraph (b) thereof the words "male

adopter; and" shall be substituted by the words "male

adopter;";

(ii) in paragraph (c) thereof the words "reference to

the adopters." shall be substituted by the words "reference

to the adopters; and" and immediately thereafter there shall

be added the following new paragraph

"(d) any reference to the parents of a person

who was lawfully adopted on or after the 1st August

2020 and who was on the effective date of his

adoption under the age of eighteen (18) years, shall

be construed as a reference to the adopters.";

(b) sub-article (2) thereof shall be substituted by the

following new sub-article

"(2) For the purposes of this Act

(a)

the adoption of any person made on or

after the 1st January 1977 and before the 1st August

1989 shall be without effect and shall be treated as if

it had not been made;

(b)

the adoption of any person made on or

after the 1st August, 1989 and before the 1st August

2020 who on the effective date of his adoption was

ten (10) years or over, shall be without effect and

shall be treated as if it had not been made;

(c) an adoption of any person made on or

after the 1st August 2020 who on the effective date of

his adoption was eighteen (18) years or over, shall be

without effect and shall be treated as if it had not

been made.".

Paragraph (i) of article 24 of the principal Act shall be

Article 25 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

(a)

sub-article (1) thereof shall be amended as follows

(i) the words "for exceptional services and the

individual investor programme" shall be substituted by the

words "in accordance with article 10(9)";

(ii) the words "State Advocate or Permanent

Secretary" shall be substituted by the words "State

Advocate, Permanent Secretary, Director General or

Director of the Public Service";

(b) in sub-article (3) thereof the words "for exceptional

services" shall be substituted by the words "in accordance with

article 10(9)";

(c) in sub-article (6) thereof the words "through

exceptional services" shall be substituted by the words "in

accordance with article 10(9)";

(d) in sub-article (8) thereof the words "for exceptional

services or the individual investor programme." shall be

substituted by the words "in accordance with article 10(9).".

Article 25A of the principal Act shall be substituted by the Substitution of

article 25A of

following new article

the principal

Act.

(1) The Regulator may also investigate

"Investigation

of complaints.

complaints received by the applicant in the prescribed

form, about the application process for the granting of

Maltese citizenship by naturalisation on the basis of merit,

which resulted in the refusal of such application in the

manner prescribed under this Act.

(2) The Regulator shall present his conclusions to the

Minister.".

10. In sub-article (1) of article 25B of the principal Act the words Amendment of

"for exceptional services." shall be substituted by the words "on the article

the principal

basis of merit.".

Act.

11. Immediately after sub-article (3) of article 27 of the principal Amendment of

article 27 of the

Act there shall be added the following new sub-article

principal Act.

" Act No. XXI

(4) The Maltese Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2025

shall not apply in respect of any applications for the

granting of Maltese citizenship by naturalisation filed in

accordance with article 10(9) of the Act, before the

coming into force of this Act, subject to any regulations

as may be prescribed under this Act.".

Passed by the House of Representatives at Sitting No. 369 of the

23rd July, 2025.

ANĠLU FARRUGIA

Speaker

ELEANOR SCERRI

Clerk of the House of Representatives

€0.54