Citizenship eligibility
#16
Re: Citizenship eligibility
Hi I hope someone can help!
I was born in Malta in 1974, at the British Naval Hospital, to British parents (neither of whom had diplomatic immunity, they were civilian teachers). I cant work out from the info Ive found online whether or not I am eligible for Maltese citizenship or not. My birth certificate is British, will I also have a Maltese one that I can apply for?
]If anyone can help Id be most grateful
Thanks
I was born in Malta in 1974, at the British Naval Hospital, to British parents (neither of whom had diplomatic immunity, they were civilian teachers). I cant work out from the info Ive found online whether or not I am eligible for Maltese citizenship or not. My birth certificate is British, will I also have a Maltese one that I can apply for?
]If anyone can help Id be most grateful
Thanks
#17
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3
Re: Citizenship eligibility
Many thanks, I had already had a look on that website, just wasn't sure if it was worth paying the fee if I don't have a Maltese birth certificate and I didnt know how I could find out! I shall submit my form, cheers
Amanda
Amanda
#18
Re: Citizenship eligibility
If your parents weren't serving in the military then your birth should normally have been registered with the local authorities.
#19
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2015
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 262
Re: Citizenship eligibility
From your comment regarding being born at the British Military Hospital, you should also consider whether they were teaching at the British Forces schools (BFES) in Malta; as such, they would have been classified as UK-based civilians (effectively UK civil servants, but working overseas for HMG) and subject to the same Status of Forces agreement as the Forces themselves. It would explain your birth only being registered with the British authorities.
#20
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3
Re: Citizenship eligibility
From your comment regarding being born at the British Military Hospital, you should also consider whether they were teaching at the British Forces schools (BFES) in Malta; as such, they would have been classified as UK-based civilians (effectively UK civil servants, but working overseas for HMG) and subject to the same Status of Forces agreement as the Forces themselves. It would explain your birth only being registered with the British authorities.
Last edited by Amanda_C; Apr 19th 2017 at 6:51 pm.
#21
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2015
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 262
Re: Citizenship eligibility
Hi yes they were teaching at British Forces Schools, does that mean I'm not eligible for Maltese citizenship? I've sent off for my birth certificate and just today got an email saying it's been posted to me (it was one of those automatic emails, I've not actually got the document yet).
Afraid I don't know the answer regarding Maltese citizenship. I only know about the Status of Forces Agreements because I worked with them all over the world for a long time. It always depends on the Host Nation (in this case Malta) and whether they are willing to confer citizenship to dependents of non-Maltese nationals born in Malta. For example, many thousands of children were born to British parents living in Germany during time spent there serving in the Armed Forces; under the Status of Forces agreement between the UK and Germany, none of them had the right to German citizenship, unless one of the parents was a German national.
Surprisingly, I've actually found a copy of the Maltese/UK agreement from 1966 on line; if you follow this link, it will take you to it. Unfortunately, the search function on the PDF doesn't seem to work that well, so you'll have to read through it; I just had a quick skim and couldn't see anything relevant - so who knows, maybe you'll be lucky.
Best of luck.
#22
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1
Re: Citizenship eligibility
Hi yes they were teaching at British Forces Schools, does that mean I'm not eligible for Maltese citizenship? I've sent off for my birth certificate and just today got an email saying it's been posted to me (it was one of those automatic emails, I've not actually got the document yet).
I was born in the same hospital in 1967, same circumstances, and am very interested in the same thing as you are. I'm really hoping it worked out as I've just submitted my form and am waiting with fingers crossed.
Thanks.