Malta citizenship · by descent
Malta citizenship by descent & ancestry
If you have a Maltese parent, or an ancestor born in Malta, you may be entitled to Maltese — and therefore EU — citizenship without any investment at all. It is not a programme you buy into; it is a right you prove. Whether you qualify depends on your exact family line.
Maltese citizenship can pass by descent to people born abroad to a Maltese parent, and a registration route exists for certain descendants of an ancestor born in Malta — all under the Maltese Citizenship Act (Cap. 188). There is no investment and no fixed programme fee. Malta has allowed dual citizenship since 2000.
Who may qualify
A Maltese parent
People born abroad to a Maltese citizen parent are generally Maltese citizens by descent, subject to conditions that depend on when and where you and your parent were born.
A Maltese-born ancestor
A registration route can be open to people descended in the direct line from an ascendant born in Malta, subject to the conditions and documentary proof set out in Cap. 188.
Proof, not payment
These routes turn on evidence — birth, marriage and civil-status records establishing the line back to Malta — not on a contribution, property purchase or minimum tax.
Legal basis: Maltese Citizenship Act, Cap. 188, as amended. Eligibility is fact-specific and turns on your exact lineage and dates; the summary above is general and not a determination. Figures and legal status verified September 2026.
How it differs from the investment routes
Malta’s former citizenship-by-investment route closed in 2025, and Citizenship by Merit is discretionary with no fixed price. Descent and registration are different in kind: they are not discretionary grants or purchases but the confirmation of a status you may already be entitled to. That makes them, where available, the most secure and lowest-cost path to an EU passport — but only if the family connection is there and can be documented.
Think you may have a Maltese ancestor?
Send us what you know of your Maltese line and we’ll tell you whether a descent or registration claim looks viable, and what records you’d need.
Check your eligibility All Malta key figuresSources & last updated
Verified September 2026. Source: Maltese Citizenship Act, Cap. 188 (legislation.mt); Komunità Malta. Sourced information, not legal advice; eligibility must be confirmed against your own records.
Common questions
Can I get Maltese citizenship through ancestry?
Possibly — citizenship can pass by descent through a Maltese parent, and a registration route exists for some descendants of an ancestor born in Malta. It depends on your exact line under Cap. 188 and needs a case-by-case check. No investment is required.
Does it require an investment?
No. It is based on your family connection to Malta, not a payment, contribution or property purchase. Only administrative and documentary costs apply.
Does Malta allow dual citizenship?
Yes, since 2000. Confirming Maltese citizenship by descent does not by itself require renouncing another nationality — though check your other country’s rules.
Is there a language test?
No language exam applies to the descent and registration routes. English is an official language of Malta; the focus is documentary proof of lineage.