Marrying and Sponsoring a Maltese Citizen
Listen to this articleMarriage to a Maltese Citizen
Every country has its own laws that apply to its citizens marrying a person from a different country. Getting married to a Maltese citizen with the goal of eventually bringing them to Canada to live is a process with many steps.
If you want to bring your Maltese spouse or partner to live in Canada, you must then file a sponsorship application for them to become a permanent resident. If they would like to visit you in Canada while their application is in process, they must also apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). For more information, please see our family sponsorship page and our eTA article.
Processing Time
If you file a Canadian sponsorship application for your Maltese spouse or partner, this application takes an average of 10-12 months.
An eTA for your spouse or partner to visit you in Canada while the sponsorship applications are processing will be issued instantaneously if approved.
Please see our pages on family sponsorship and the eTA for more information on the processing times of these applications.
Maltese Marriage Basic Requirements
Marriages in Malta are subject to the provisions of the Marriage Act, Cap 255, which became effective on the 12th August 1975.
The process as regards formalities in preparation for marriage is as follows:
Religious Marriages
Three months prior to the marriage date, the couple should make a request for the publication of marriage banns at the Public Registry. To avoid queues couples are requested to call for an appointment on Tel: 2220 9212 – 7.
The couple should provide:
- Birth certificates (In case of applicants whose birth is not registered at the Malta Public Registry)
- Identity cards and copies thereof
- A photocopy of the identity cards of the witnesses.
- The Marriage Registrar should be given the following information:
- The church or place where the marriage will be held
- The date of marriage
- The name and surname of the priest who will celebrate the marriage ceremony
- The surname which the bride will be using after marriage (her maiden surname, her husband’s or [in the case of widows] possibly that of her predeceased spouse).
- Ten days prior to the marriage date the couple are to collect three documents prepared by the Marriage Registry and submit them to the Parish Priest of the place where the wedding ceremony will be held.
- After the Nuptial Mass, together with the witnesses and the priest who administered the Marriage Sacrament, the couple should sign their Marriage Certificate; the bride should sign using her maiden surname, or if she is widowed, her late husband’s surname.
Maltese nationals who plan to marry foreigners or persons who have lived abroad for a period of time, should request more information from the Marriage Registrar.
Those couples who are getting married in Gozo should apply for their marriage banns at the Marriage Registry in Victoria, Gozo.
Telephone number: 22156380.
Marriages can take place on board passenger vessels (Cruise Liners) registered in Malta. The officiating of Marriages has also been delegated to Local Council Mayors. One still has to apply at the Marriage Registry.
Civil Marriages
The Marriage Registry provides also services for Civil Marriages. Those couples who opt for a Civil Marriage have to satisfy the same obligations and formalities requested for a religious marriage.
A Civil Marriage may take place at:
- The Marriage Registry, or
- At any other public place that is accepted by the Marriage Registrar.
Family Members
If your Maltese spouse has dependent children, this does not affect the Maltese Marriage document application.
If you have dependent children, they have no effect on the application to marry a Maltese citizen.
List of Maltese Consulates in Canada
The Consulate General of Malta in Canada
Calling Malta from Canada
011 – 356 – local number
Malta does not use area codes. Malta cell numbers usually begin with either 7 or 9.
Calling Canada from Malta
00 – 1 – Area Code – local number, where
- 00- Exit code for Malta, and is needed for making any international call from Malta
- 1 – ISD Code or Country Code of Canada
Area Codes of Canada
| Province | Code | Province | Code |
| Alberta | 403 / 587 (southern Alberta)
587 / 780 (central and northern Alberta) |
Nunavut | 867 |
| BC | 236 / 250 / 778 (majority of BC)
236 / 604 / 778 (Metro Vancouver) |
Ontario | 226 / 519 (southwestern Ontario)
249 / 705 (northeastern Ontario) 289 / 365 / 905 (Greater Toronto Area) 343 / 613 (eastern Ontario) 416 / 647 (Toronto) 807 (northwestern Ontario) |
| Manitoba | 204 / 431 | PEI | 782 / 902 |
| New Brunswick | 506 | Quebec | 418 / 581 (eastern Quebec)
438 / 514 (Montreal) 450 / 579 (Greater Montreal) 819 / 873 (remainder of Quebec) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 709 | Saskatchewan | 306 / 639 |
| Northwest Territories | 867 | Yukon | 867 |
| Nova Scotia | 782 / 902 |
Time Difference
Malta is on Central European Time (GMT+1). Malta practices Daylight Saving Time however Europe begins and ends their DST at slightly different times than Canada, so there are two week-long windows when the below time differnces do not apply. Saskatchewan does not observe DST so the time difference is 1 hour greater in the summer.
| Canadian Time Zone | # of Hours Malta is Ahead |
| Pacific (BC, Yukon) | 9 hours |
| Mountain (Alberta, western Nunvaut, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan) | 8 hours |
| Central (Manitoba, Northwest Territories, central Nunavut, northwestern Ontario, Saskatchewan*) | 7 hours |
| Eastern (most of Ontario, most of Quebec) | 6 hours |
| Atlantic (Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, eastern Quebec) | 5 hours |
| Newfoundland | 4.5 hours |
Emergency Information for Canadians in Malta
Consulate of Canada in VallettaDemajo House, 103 Archbishop Street Telephone: 356 2552-3233 |
View Larger Map |
Embassy of Canada in RomeVia Zara 30 Telephone: 39 06-85444-2911 |
View Larger Map |
The Government of Canada’s Travel Alerts for Malta
Sponsoring Your Maltese Spouse to Come to Canada
The sponsorship process is complicated and time-consuming; to learn more about it click the button below:
Want to know more about marrying in Malta? Let us know!
Sponsorship Review
Immigroup will review your completed spousal sponsorship application. . Immigroup will make sure you have not made any mistakes on your application or in gathering the documentation of your relationship. We will assess your sponsorship letter and give you peace of mind that you are submitting an application with a very good chance of success. Don’t lose sleep at night worrying about whether you’ve done enough. Call us at 1-866-760-2623 for a review.
