Identità offices (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)
Notary Council issues directive telling notaries to not sign or fill in the new form issued by Identità needed by applicants for a residence permit
The Notary Council has issued a directive telling notaries to not sign or fill in the new form issued by Identità needed by applicants for a residence permit.
The directive issued on Wednesday calls on notaries to refrain from issuing a notarised lease agreement until further communication is issued.
“The Notary Council insists there should always be legal certainty,” it said in its directive.
Identità had announced that third-country nationals applying for a residence permit now require a notarised lease agreement. Previously, such applicants were required to present a Housing Authority registered lease agreement when applying for a permit.
The new practice, which came into force at the beginning of September, adds another requirement.
“Any property lease agreement presented as part of a residence permit application must be officially attested by a notary, lawyer, or legal procurator. This additional layer of verification is being introduced to further ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided to the agency,” Identità had said.
The change came about after it was revealed 18,000 fake ID cards were issued to foreigners against payments ranging from €2,000 to €5,000 for each document.
