No refugees naturalized as Maltese citizens, minister tells House

Refugees and other persons granted some form of protection by the Maltese state are not granted citizenship, the home affairs minister has precised in parliament.

Manuel Mallia was replying to a parliamentary question by Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi, saying that refugees or other asylum seekers who have been granted some form of protection - subsidiary or temporary humanitarian - are entitled, like other non-Maltese nationals, to apply for citizenship when they marry a Maltese spouse.

In such cases, citizenship through marriage is granted after five years of marriage and of living together.

Refugees and other people granted international protection in Malta, can also apply for naturalisation after living continuously in Malta for five years. But granting citizenship in such cases is entirely up to the discretion of the minister, and is not subject to any timeframes.

No statistics are available as to how many refugees were made Maltese citizens after marrying a Maltese spouse.

Refugees are given a residence permit of three years and keep enjoying refugee protection even after marrying a Maltese, or another EU citizens.

Since 2009, Malta recognised 218 refugees, which is the highest degree of protection enjoyed by an asylum seeker and granted when there is a real fear of persecution if they are returned to their country of origin. The rules governing the award of refugee protection are part of Maltese and European law, and are informed by international law.

Malta grants citizenship by naturalisation to a very small number of people.

A total of 6,805 people acquired Maltese citizenship through registration or naturalisation between 2004 and 2012. But the bulk of new citizens were either married to Maltese spouses or could trace descent to Maltese parentage.

In fact, only 339 migrants were naturalised as citizens due to their duration of residence in Malta in the last eight years.

The total number of new Maltese citizens by both registration and naturalisation increased from 584 in 2004 to 1,142 in 2012.

The highest number of citizenships was awarded in 2012, while the 'lowest' numbers of citizenships were awarded in 2006, totalling 474.

The bulk of acceded requests for Maltese citizenship by registration was on the basis of descent from Maltese nationals. Between 2004 and 2012, 3,988 individuals acquired Maltese citizenship by this type of registration.

2,359 individuals who acquired Maltese citizenship on the basis of marriage (registration). However, only 339 obtained citizenship by naturalisation, which is not obtained through marriage or descent.