Cap. 188 Art. 3Persons who became citizens of Maltaonappointed day.

(1) Every person who, having been born in Malta, was on the day before the appointed day a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, shall be deemed to have acquired Maltese citizenship on the appointed day:

Provided that a person shall not be deemed to have become a citizen of Malta by virtue of this subarticle if neither of his parents was born in Malta:

Provided further that the person mentioned in the preceding proviso who proves that he is a descendant in the direct line of an ascendant born in Malta of a parent likewise born in Malta shall be entitled, upon making an application as may be prescribed and upon taking the oath of allegiance, to be registered as a citizen of Malta. The provisions of sub-articles (4), (5) (6) and (7) shall apply mutatis mutandis.

(2) Every person who, having been born outside Malta, was on the day before the appointed day a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies shall, if his father became, or would but for his death have become, a citizen of Malta in accordance with the provisions of subarticle (1), be deemed to have become a citizen of Malta on the appointed day:

Provided that a person born outside Malta before the appointed day of a mother who became, or would but for her death have become, a citizen of Malta in accordance with the provisions of subarticle (1), shall be entitled, upon making an application as may be prescribed and upon taking the oath of allegiance, to be registered as a citizen of Malta.

(3) Any person born outside Malta before the appointed day who proves he is a descendant in the direct line of an ascendant born in Malta of a parent likewise born in Malta shall, subject to the following provisions of this article, be entitled, upon making an application as may be prescribed and upon taking the oath of allegiance, to be registered as a citizen of Malta.

(4) Any ascendant as provided in subarticle (3) who dies before the 1st August 2028 and who would, but for his death, have been entitled to acquire Maltese citizenship under this article, shall be deemed to have acquired such citizenship for the purposes of subarticle (3).

(5) Where any of the parents of a person applying to be registered as a citizen of Malta by virtue of subarticle (3) was alive on 1st August 2028 (for the purposes of this article referred to as "the relevant parent") and the relevant parent is also a descendant in the direct line of an ascendant born in Malta of a parent likewise born in Malta, such person shall not be entitled to be registered as a citizen of Malta by virtue of subarticle (3) unless the relevant parent had at any time acquired Maltese citizenship under this article; so however that any such relevant parent who dies before 1st August 2028 and who would have been entitled to acquire such citizenship under subarticle (3) shall be deemed to have acquired such citizenship for the purposes of that subarticle.

(6) The person applying to be registered as a citizen of Malta under subarticle (3) shall be entitled to be registered as a citizen of Malta if the relevant parent dies after the 1st August 2028 and the relevant parent had applied for and would have been entitled to be granted Maltese citizenship under this article.

(7) No person shall be registered under this article unless the Minister is satisfied that the grant of citizenship to such person is not contrary to the public interest.