Italianised names on the new passports (1)
It is interesting to note that the question of names on passports, recently raised by Lawrence Dimech, who is always at the forefront of defending the rights and aspirations of Maltese people abroad, was also referred to some time ago by Francis...
It is interesting to note that the question of names on passports, recently raised by Lawrence Dimech, who is always at the forefront of defending the rights and aspirations of Maltese people abroad, was also referred to some time ago by Francis Tabone, Malta’s High Commissioner to Australia.
Last March, speaking at the Convention for Maltese abroad, Mr Tabone stated: “Following the launching of the biometric passport, one of the requirements is for the name of applicants to appear strictly as written on the birth certificate. Because of the English-speaking environment, many persons in Australia are known by the English version of their name.
“While one accepts that there has to be a rule, and that the name as it appears on the birth certificate is the name that should appear on all documents, does having an English version of the same name constitute a change in name? If it does not, the government may wish to consider delegating to the Director of Public Registry the authority to accept, on application, a translation of a person’s name on documents.”
Are the authorities going to do something about this matter, which is affecting Maltese migrants so badly and which, in a way, will also affect all of us, especially if the same procedure is applied when issuing the new identity cards?