September 8th, 2024 at 05:06 am

Malta Tightens Requirements for Foreign Nationals’ Resident Permits 2024

A new form that is needed for foreigners applying for residence permits through Identità, the Maltese identity card agency, cannot be signed or completed by notaries, according to a rule issued by the Notarial Council in Malta.

Notaries in Malta have been directed by the Notarial Council to cease signing and completing the new forms that Identità has provided for foreign nationals requesting residency permits. Notaries are advised under the Wednesday-issued directive to hold off on notarizing lease agreements until further notice.

Legal Certainty and Ongoing Changes

The Notarial Council asserts that these procedures must always be accompanied by legal certainty, albeit it did not go into any detail regarding the rationale behind the directive. This ruling is in response to Identità’s recent policy requiring third-country nationals requesting residency cards to submit a notarized lease agreement as evidence of their place of abode.

In the past, all that was required of applicants for residence permits in Malta was the presentation of a lease agreement on file with the Housing Authority.

A Novel Measure to Counteract Deceptive Applications

As part of Identità’s efforts to combat false documentation relating to ID cards and residency permits, the demand for notarized lease agreements went into force at the beginning of September. According to Identità, the purpose of this extra verification step—which entails notarized agreements—is to improve the dependability and correctness of the data that applicants give.

Important Points:

• The purpose of requiring notarized lease agreements is to prevent fraud in applications for residency permits.
• All leasing agreements will require the attestation of a notary, attorney, or legal procurator as of early September.
• The purpose of this stage is to improve Identità’s information verification and dependability.

Identità made it clear that to receive a residence permit, applicants need to have a notary public, attorney, or legal procurator formally attest to any property leasing agreement contained in the application. They added this extra degree of verification to guarantee the dependability and correctness of the data supplied to the agency.

Context: Disagreement about Counterfeit ID Cards

In reaction to a controversy in which it was said that officials had given thousands of false ID cards to foreign nationals in exchange for bribes, the new rule was implemented. In reaction to a controversy in which it was said that officials had given thousands of false ID cards to foreign nationals in exchange for bribes, the new rule was implemented.

Many alleged identity theft incidents have been reported by locals, and a magistrate’s investigation into these allegations is presently in progress.

What This Means for People Applying for Resident Permits

As Identità tightens its verification procedures, foreign people asking for residence permits should be ready for more scrutiny of their housing records. To comply with the new regulations, applicants must correctly notarize all lease agreements. To elucidate the developing protocols and direct the subsequent actions for notaries and applicants, the Notarial Council and Identità will offer more updates.