Public Registry
- To make a change in name, a supporting document (Maltese Identity Card/Maltese passport/marriage certificate) issued before the 1st December 2012 is required, unless the change in name is considered by the Director of Public Registry as a minor. A fee of €5 is applicable.
- Form V can also be submitted in cases where a person wants to have his/her name reflected with the Maltese diacritic letters of the Maltese alphabet. No fees are applicable.
- To adopt the surname of any of the parents or the surname of both parents in any choice.
- If the child already has a double-barrelled surname, the form can be used to remove one of the surnames.
- ‘Surname’ includes the surname of the parent at birth or the surname of the parent at the time of the child’s birth.
- The applicant’s surname will be changed on all acts of civil status. (if the applicant is married, the other spouses’ surname will be unchanged unless that spouse fills in Form UU).
- Where the child has not yet attained 18 years of age, the submission of Form TT shall be made by both parents, or by one of the parents if the other is deceased, or, if both parents are deceased, by their tutor or curator.
- The Form must be filled in and signed before a witness that must be a Public Registry official or a member of the legal profession.
- A fee of €5 is applicable in all instances.
- To use the surname chosen by an ascendant/spouse in the Form TT.
- Where the child has not yet attained 18 years of age, the submission of Form UU shall be made by both parents, or by one of the parents if the other parent is deceased, or, if both parents are deceased, by their tutor or curator.
- The Form must be filled in and signed before a witness that must be a Public Registry official or a member of the legal profession.
- A fee of €5 is applicable in all instances.
- To adopt the surname of any of the parents or the surname of both parents in any choice.
- If the child already has a double-barrelled surname, it can be used to remove one of the surnames.
- ‘Surname’ includes the surname of the parent at birth or the surname of the parent at the time of the child’s birth.
- The applicant’s surname will be changed on all acts of civil status. (if the applicant is married, the other spouses’ surname will be unchanged unless that spouse fills in Form XX).
- Where the child has not yet attained 18 years of age, the submission of Form WW shall be made by both parents, or by one of the parents if the other is deceased, or, if both parents are deceased, by their tutor or curator.
- The Form must be filled in and signed before a witness that must be a Public Registry official or a member of the legal profession.
- A fee of €5 is applicable in all instances.
- To use the surname chosen by their ascendant/spouse in Form WW.
- Where the child has not yet attained 18 years of age, the submission of Form XX shall be made by both parents, or by one of the parents if the other is deceased, or, if both parents are deceased, by their tutor or curator.
- The Form must be filled in and signed before a witness that must be a Public Registry official or a member of the legal profession.
- A fee of €5 is applicable in all instances.
- To change the surname after marriage of one or both spouses married in Malta before the 29th December 2020. If both spouses choose the same surname and they have a family name on the marriage certificate, the family name (and the surname of previous children who had assumed the old family name) will automatically be changed to reflect the new surname. If the spouses already have children registered with the old family name, there is no need to submit a new form as this is done automatically by the same Form Y. Any other previous children born to the same couple in respect of whom a family name had not been chosen, will be able to adopt the new surname by means of Form TT.
- If by means of Form Y, spouses chose different surnames and a family name had already been selected, the spouses may jointly change the previous family name and the surname of previous children so that these assume the new family name. In such cases, there is no need to submit a new form as this is done by the same Form Y. Any other previous children born to the same couple in respect of whom a family name had not been chosen will be able to adopt the new surname by means of Form TT.
- The Form must be filled in and signed before a witness that must be a Public Registry official or a member of the legal profession.
- A fee of €5 is applicable in all instances.
- More information on Annotations and Adjustments regarding gender change and the recognition of the new gender: (link) https://www.identitymalta.com/gender-recognition/
- More information on Annotations and Adjustments regarding adoptions: (link) https://www.identitymalta.com/adoptions/
- More information on Annotations and Adjustments regarding registrations of cohabitations: (link) https://www.identitymalta.com/services_3/marriage-registration/#cohabitation
- More information on Annotations and Adjustments regarding registrations of separations: (link) https://www.identitymalta.com/services_3/marriage-registration/#separations
- More information on Annotations and Adjustments regarding registrations of divorces: (link) https://www.identitymalta.com/services_3/marriage-registration/#divorces