How Maltese citizenship by descent works
The eligibility rules for Maltese citizenship by descent, in plain English — who may qualify, what disqualifies, and the legal regimes over time, each cited to its primary statute.
Who may qualify
A qualifying path — via the jure sanguinis route
Date keying
- Applies to people born on or after 2013-01-01 (regime selected by birth date, not by when the case is assessed).
Requirements
ALL of the following
the applicant must be the parent of the qualifying ancestor.
- relationship:
- parent
the qualifying ancestor must have held maltese citizenship at the moment the applicant was born, passing it down the line by descent.
- required citizenship:
- maltese
ANY of the following
the qualifying ancestor has a recorded citizenship held such that mode = birth_in_territory.
- mode:
- birth_in_territory
the qualifying ancestor has a recorded citizenship held such that mode = at_independence_founding.
- mode:
- at_independence_founding
Every intermediate ancestor between the applicant and the qualifying ancestor must have still held citizenship when they passed it to the next person down the line (the chain must be unbroken), where a break can be caused by: naturalization, renunciation.
- chain-breaking events:
- naturalization, renunciation
ANY of the following
This rule applies to people born on or after 2013-01-01 (it selects a legal regime by the applicant's birth date, not by when the case is assessed).
- birth-date regime boundary:
- 2013-01-01
- comparison:
- born on or after
the applicant has a qualifying pre 2013 transmission confirmed (value).
- value:
- true
Primary sources
- § Maltese Citizenship Act, Cap. 188, Art. 5 — jus sanguinis (child of a Maltese citizen at birth)
- § Non-transmissibility: citizenship acquired by registration on the basis of descent is NOT transmissible to a child born abroad (Global Citizen Solutions) — only a parent Maltese by birth or a citizen at independence transmits via Art. 5
A qualifying path — via the declaration route
Requirements
ALL of the following
the applicant has a qualifying two consecutive malta born ascendants (confirmed).
- confirmed:
- true
the qualifying ancestor must have held maltese citizenship at the moment the applicant was born, passing it down the line by descent.
- required citizenship:
- maltese
the qualifying ancestor must have been registered via malta descent registration before the applicant's birth.
- registration type:
- malta_descent_registration
Every intermediate ancestor between the applicant and the qualifying ancestor must have still held citizenship when they passed it to the next person down the line (the chain must be unbroken), where a break can be caused by: naturalization, renunciation.
- chain-breaking events:
- naturalization, renunciation
Primary sources
- § Maltese Citizenship Act, Cap. 188, Art. 5(3) (2007 amendment) as amended by Act XXI of 2025 — registration by descent; two consecutive Malta-born ascendants; each generation must register; link-severance deadline extended to 1 Aug 2028
A qualifying path — via the declaration route
Requirements
ALL of the following
the applicant has a qualifying descent path (maternal only pre 1989).
- maternal only pre 1989:
- true
the applicant has a qualifying two consecutive malta born ascendants (confirmed).
- confirmed:
- true
the qualifying ancestor must have held maltese citizenship at the moment the applicant was born, passing it down the line by descent.
- required citizenship:
- maltese
Every intermediate ancestor between the applicant and the qualifying ancestor must have still held citizenship when they passed it to the next person down the line (the chain must be unbroken), where a break can be caused by: naturalization, renunciation.
- chain-breaking events:
- naturalization, renunciation
Primary sources
- § Maltese Citizenship Act, Cap. 188 (2007 amendment) — maternal-line registration sub-path for persons born before 1 Aug 1989 with a Maltese-born mother and maternal grandparent (former CUKCs); pre-1989 births otherwise required patrilineal descent abroad
- § IMI Daily — pre-1989 maternal exclusion / 2007-amendment maternal extension: https://www.imidaily.com/europe/how-to-qualify-for-maltese-citizenship-by-descent-hundreds-of-thousands-likely-eligible/
See how these rules apply to your family
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