Malta Proposes Reforms to Public Registry Procedures

On April 16, 2026, the Maltese government proposed a series of reforms to the public registry aimed at simplifying procedures and enhancing services. Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri outlined key measures, including:

• Name Registration: Limiting the registration of newborn names to the Maltese or Latin alphabets, aligning with constitutional provisions on official languages.
• Cause of Death Access: Restricting public access to causes of death on certificates, with access permitted through court orders in sensitive cases.
• Biological Father Recognition: Simplifying the recognition process to reduce the need for lengthy legal procedures.
• Adoption and Surname Regulations: Removing the current five-year limit on certain surname choices and updating adoption rules.
• Digitization Efforts: Implementing online processes to allow some services to be completed digitally.

These proposals aim to modernize the public registry system, making it more efficient and user-friendly. The measures will now be discussed in parliament for further deliberation.

For more details, visit the news briefing: Malta News Briefing – Thursday 16 April 2026