Translation for Malta: identify the correct Identità procedure first
An Identità residence submission and the registration of a foreign civil-status record have different published document instructions. Begin with the unit receiving the file.
Residence documents: the Expatriates Unit route
The Expatriates Unit distinguishes documents issued in an EU member state from those issued in a third country. It also distinguishes translations by persons on the Identità authorised list from other translations. Non-English third-country documents have a published English-translation and authentication route. Record both the document’s issuing state and where the translation is being produced before deciding which checklist applies.
Source: Identità Expatriates Unit: Format of Foreign Documents — Translated Documents
Birth, marriage and death records: the Public Registry route
The Public Registry has its own policy for recognizing foreign public documents. Its requirements address English or Maltese translations, multilingual standard forms and verification of translators in EU member states. A document used to register a marriage should therefore be assessed under that procedure rather than importing the residence-permit checklist into the registration file.
Source: Identità Public Registry: Policy for the Recognition of Foreign Public Documents , Identità: Foreign Birth, Marriage and Death Registrations
Check the official translator list
Identità publishes a landing page linking its authorised-translator list. Check the current list and the relevant language before ordering a service which requires list membership. A professional qualification in another country and membership of an international professional body do not by themselves establish that a translator appears on this particular Maltese list.
A multilingual form can change the translation task
For certain EU public documents, a multilingual standard form can accompany the certificate as a translation aid. In the Malta Public Registry policy, additional fields written outside English or Maltese can still require translation. Send both the certificate and the form for assessment; ordering a translation from the certificate alone can overlook information supplied in the attached form.
Source: Identità Public Registry: Policy for the Recognition of Foreign Public Documents , European e-Justice Portal: Public documents
Keep authentication documents with the source
An apostille, consular certification or later endorsement should remain associated with the underlying document. Provide the whole chain of pages and state which text the recipient expects in translation. If authentication is still pending, settle the order of work with the relevant authority so a final stamp or attachment is not omitted from a translation already prepared.
What to send for a Malta assessment
Give the destination unit, document type, issuing country, language direction and deadline. Attach the current request or checklist received from Identità, a notary or another institution. For corporate work in Valletta, Sliema or St Julian’s, identify whether the translation is for internal review, contract negotiation or a particular filing. The same source text can require a different deliverable for each purpose.
Sources and further reading
- Identità Expatriates Unit: Format of Foreign Documents — Translated Documents
- Identità Public Registry: Policy for the Recognition of Foreign Public Documents
- Identità Public Registry: Translators List
- Identità: Foreign Birth, Marriage and Death Registrations
- European e-Justice Portal: Public documents
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