Help British Parents in Malta Access Support During Immigration and Family-Court Difficulties

Petycja skierowana do: Bürgermeister Joseph Agius

When British parents living in Malta face immigration uncertainty, financial hardship and family-court proceedings at the same time, finding reliable help can feel impossible. No family should have to navigate such a complex situation without clear information or meaningful support.

We call on the UK Government to improve support and guidance for British citizens in Malta facing immigration insecurity, financial hardship and family-court proceedings.

British citizens living in Malta may face overlapping challenges involving residence status, legal advice, housing and family-court proceedings. For parents of young children, these difficulties can be especially urgent. Limited finances, uncertain residence rights and restricted access to professional support can make it difficult to understand their options within Malta’s legal and administrative systems.
I am a Welsh-born British mother of two young children living in Malta. I am experiencing serious financial hardship while navigating immigration difficulties and ongoing family-court proceedings concerning my children.
My experience has shown how urgently British citizens in Malta need clearer information and better support, particularly when they are dealing with Maltese immigration authorities, local services and family-court processes at the same time.

We ask the UK Government to:

1. Publish and maintain plain-language guidance specifically for British citizens in Malta facing immigration difficulties alongside family-court proceedings. This should explain what UK authorities can and cannot do, identify relevant Maltese authorities and services, list key documents to gather and direct people to independent, Malta-specific legal advice.
2. Strengthen consular signposting through a single, regularly updated source for British citizens in Malta covering consular assistance, independent Maltese lawyers, legal-aid providers, domestic-abuse organisations, child-protection services and emergency support. It should include contact details, eligibility information and alternatives if a referral is unavailable.
3. Clearly explain what practical assistance may be available to British parents in Malta with limited income or insecure accommodation, including the limits of UK welfare support overseas, Maltese and charitable services, emergency accommodation, travel-document issues and eligibility criteria. This must not imply that UK authorities can provide benefits or housing in Malta.
4. Establish a clear coordination process among relevant UK departments, the British High Commission in Malta and appropriate consular teams to ensure consistent signposting, published response standards and reliable referral information. This must respect the independence of Maltese courts, Identità and other local immigration authorities, Maltese safeguarding procedures and the legal rights of all parties, and must not involve intervening in, directing or influencing Maltese court proceedings.

This campaign seeks to raise awareness and improve signposting for British families in Malta; it does not replace qualified legal advice or emergency services. Anyone facing domestic abuse or immediate danger should contact Malta’s local emergency services or a relevant specialist organisation without delay.
No parent in Malta should face a complex international legal situation without knowing where to turn, what help may be available or how to protect their family’s wellbeing.

Please support this campaign by signing, sharing and raising awareness. Your support can help secure clearer Malta-specific guidance, better access to assistance and greater recognition of the challenges British families may face in Malta.