S.L. 188.4 Art. 8Application process. 8 [S.L.

(1) Every application shall be presented to, and examined by, the Citizenship Unit within Identity Malta.

(2) Identity Malta shall cause due diligence checks to be performed by one or more internationally recognized specialized due diligence agents which in any case are to be approved by Identity Malta, in respect of every applicant. Such due diligence checks shall be of a four-tier nature. Identity Malta shall in any case be responsible for the proper carrying out of due diligence tests.

(3) Where a lawyer or notary public certifies a document to be a true copy of the original, that document must be authenticated by -

(a) an apostille in accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention of 5th October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement for Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, in the case of a jurisdiction that is a party to that Convention; or

(b) a validation of the certificate of the lawyer or notary public by the appropriate government department in the case of a jurisdiction that is not a party to that Convention; or

(c) a validation of the certificate by a Maltese consular or diplomatic representation in the case of a jurisdiction that is not a party to that Convention.

(4) Within ninety days of the presentation of an application for citizenship, the Citizenship Unit within Identity Malta shall verify that:

(a) the application is formally correct;

(b) all relevant information provided by the applicant has been verified by one or more independent due diligence agents;

(c) the background of the applicant has been verified by one or more independent due diligence agents;

(d) an appropriate risk weighting has been carried out. 188.04 SERVICES REGULATIONS

(5) Within thirty days from the date of the completion of the verification referred to above, the Citizenship Unit within Identity Malta shall further review the application submitted to it, shall carry out appropriate further background checks, if it deems necessary, and shall refer the particular application together with the supporting documentation and the due diligence report to be reviewed by the Board.

(6) Within one hundred and eighty days from the receipt of the documents referred to above, the Board shall review the application and all documentation and reports submitted in support thereof and prepare a reasoned opinion to be referred to the Minister responsible for Citizenship. In order to properly carry out the task entrusted to it, the Board may interview the applicant in person and, or the legal representative of the designated competent body endorsing the applicant. In its written reasoned opinion, the Board shall indicate whether it deems that a particular application merits favourable consideration.

(7) Within sixty days from the date on which the Board submits a particular application and all documentation and reports submitted in support thereof together with its written reasoned opinion for the attention of the Minister, the Minister shall determine whether a certificate of naturalisation as a citizen of Malta shall be granted to the particular applicant.