5 August ‘99: Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs launches Quality Service Charter Minister for Home Affairs, Dr Tonio Borg, addresses the press during the launch of the Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs Department Quality Service Charter. To his right is Mr Joe Treeby Ward, Director of the department. Dr Austin Gatt, Minister of Justice and Local Government is shown third from right. The Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs Department's millennium project will be the amendments to the citizenship laws which are expected to be introduced later this year. Through these amendments Maltese citizens shall be allowed to have dual or multiple citizenship, whilst the acquisition of Maltese citizenship by foreigners on the strength of marriage shall only be possible after five years of marriage. This will help to curb abuse of the citizenship laws through marriages of convenience. This was announced by the Minister for Home Affairs, Dr Tonio Borg during the launch of the Quality Service Charter at the Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs Department. The launch of the Quality Service Charter forms part of a reform process which started a few years ago where the majority of the services offered by the Department have been fully computerised. Through this Charter the Department is committing itself to replying to requests within three weeks in cases where the service depends solely on the Department such as, freedom of movement, exempt person status and dual citizenship. In respect of the issue of an employment licence and of a residence permit the maximum period for reply is three months. For the naturalisation of a person as a citizen of Malta the maximum period of reply is four months from date of receipt of application. Since it is not possible to assess how long investigations in such cases as the registration of a person as a citizen of Malta, the Department is giving a minimum period of four months.
M r Stephen Falzon, member of staff at the Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs (facing), deals with clients requiring a service by the department.The Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs Department is responsible for citizenship matters, that is, for the registration / naturalisation of persons as citizens of Malta, dual citizenship, confirmation of national status and related matters. It is also responsible for issuing employment licences to enable foreigners who have invested in Malta or whose skills or expertise are required locally, to work in Malta, and for issuing of residence permits to enable foreigners who qualify under the Permanent Residence Scheme, to reside in Malta for an indefinite period. The Department saw its origin with Malta's independence on the 21st September 1964. On this day Maltese citizenship came into being and the Department was set up to see to the needs of Maltese citizens and other persons. The citizenship laws in the Constitution and the Maltese Citizenship Act of 1965, have been amended from time to time. Important amendments were effected in 1975 when Malta became a Republic and again in 1989 when the concept of dual citizenship for Maltese emigrants was introduced. |
