Withdrawal of Protection
The International Protection Agency may decide to withdraw your refugee status on the basis that it has ceased if you:
- You have voluntarily re-established yourself in your country of origin
- You have acquired a new nationality and enjoy the protection of the country of your new nationality
- You have voluntarily re-availed yourself of the protection of your country of origin
- The circumstances in connection with which you have been granted refugee or subsidiary protection status have ceased to exist or changed to such a degree that protection is no longer required
Your refugee status may also be revoked, ended or not further renewed if it is established that you should have been or you are excluded from refugee status in accordance with the relevant grounds, or that you misinterpreted or omitted facts, including by using false documents, and this was decisive for granted you refugee status.
Refugee Status can also be revoked, ended or not further renewed if there are reasonable grounds to regard you as a danger to national security or, having been convicted by a final judgment of a particularly serious crime, you constitute a danger to the community of Malta.
The International Protection Agency may decide to withdraw your subsidiary protection status on the basis that it has ceased if the circumstances which led to you being granted subsidiary protection no longer exist or have changed to such a degree that protection is no longer required.
The IPA shall also revoke, end or refuse to renew your subsidiary protection status if you should have been or you are excluded from this status in accordance with the relevant grounds, for e.g., that you committed a crime against peace, a war crime, a crime against humanity or a serious crime.
In all the above cases, the IPA will notify you in writing that your protection status is being reconsidered by the Agency and you will be given a right to reply in writing or in an interview before a decision is taken.
LAPSED
Furthermore, failure to renew your Protection Certificate within a period of one year from the date of its expiry may be considered as an unequivocal renunciation of your refugee status in Malta and could lead to the lapse of your refugee or subsidiary protection status. This means that you are no longer a beneficiary of refugee or subsidiary protection status in Malta. It is therefore very important that you make an appointment with the IPA to renew your Protection Certificate by the renewal date indicated on the certificate.
RENUNCIATION
If you intend to renounce your refugee or subsidiary protection status because you want to return to your country of origin, consider using voluntary return assistance. Assisted voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR) is offered to those migrants who are unable or unwilling to stay in Malta and who are interested in returning to their home country. The program is run in partnership with the Maltese government Returns Unit and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Returns Unit
- 28/12, Vincenti Buildings, Strait Street, Valletta Malta
- +356 25689777
- +356 99131777
- returns@gov.mt
- @Voluntary Return Malta
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
-
Apt. 2, De Vilhena Residence, Trejqet il-Fosos,
Floriana, Malta - +356 21374613
- +356 79374613
- iommalta@iom.int
- https://malta.iom.int
- @Voluntary Return Malta
Returns Unit
- 28/12, Vincenti Buildings, Strait Street, Valletta Malta
- +356 25689777
- +356 99131777
- returns@gov.mt
- @Voluntary Return Malta
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
-
Apt. 2, De Vilhena Residence, Trejqet il-Fosos,
Floriana, Malta - +356 21374613
- +356 79374613
- iommalta@iom.int
- https://malta.iom.int
- @Voluntary Return Malta
