Cilia & Associates

Cilia & Associates is a notarial practice in Paola that has grown into a multidisciplinary firm. For UK buyers, sellers and families who need a Maltese deed signed, a will drawn up or a property contract prepared, it is a straightforward starting point, and it works with locals, expats and foreigners from around the world.

The firm was founded by Notary Dr Joe Cilia and works from five offices: Paola, Sliema, Tarxien, Għaxaq and Żurrieq. Our directory lists it among the notaries in Malta, and Paola, close to the Three Cities and Valletta, is also home to the prehistoric Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a short walk from the firm's main address.

What a Maltese notary does

A notary in Malta is a public officer who receives deeds and wills impartially, gives them public faith and is responsible for keeping them safe. Notaries are appointed for life by the President of Malta through a notice in the Government Gazette, and may practise anywhere in Malta and Gozo. This is a more central role than a notary plays in the UK, because most property transfers and many family arrangements pass through a public deed.

The notary alone is competent to confirm what the parties actually intend. Each person's identity is checked against an official identity card, a passport or a similar document, and the deed is read over and explained before it is signed. For overseas clients that explanation is valuable, since it means you hear in plain terms what you are agreeing to.

Notarial services offered

The firm's notarial work covers affidavits, contracts of donation, emphyteusis, exchange, partition and sale, leases, matrimonial regimes, powers of attorney, private writings, successions, voluntary organisations and wills. Each has its own page on the firm's site with a short definition, and together they cover most of the paperwork that a new owner or resident is likely to meet in their first years on the island.

Two terms may be unfamiliar. A donation is a contract in which the donor irrevocably and freely transfers immovable property to someone else, and it is only valid if made by public deed. Emphyteusis is a long-standing Maltese arrangement under which land or a building is granted for a stated annual ground rent, either in perpetuity or for a set number of years. If you are buying or inheriting property, it is worth asking whether ground rent applies.

Wills and successions matter to many British retirees and second-home owners, since a Maltese property is normally dealt with under local succession rules, and our guide to relocating to Malta from the UK explains the wider picture for people planning a move. The firm's founder lists succession, sale, lease and family law among his main areas of interest.

Corporate, citizenship and insurance work

Beyond notarial deeds, the firm offers corporate services, insurance and consultancy. Cilia & Associates is a multidisciplinary practice, so a client buying a flat or setting up a company can raise several needs with one team. Our Valletta guide helps if you are combining a meeting with a visit to the capital, and readers interested in business structures can find background in our guide to financial services in Malta.

Dr Cilia was appointed in 2014 by the Ministry for Home Affairs as an Individual Investors Programme concessionaire, handling the application and due diligence process for interested investors. The firm continues to present citizenship concessionaire work as one of its service lines.

The founder and how to get in touch

Dr Joe Cilia studied at the University of Malta, graduated as a Notary Public and as a Doctor of Laws in 1987, and later set up his own practice. He is also a Commissioner for Oaths and earlier spent seven years in the legal office of Bank of Valletta. His interests are fiscal legislation and civil law, including succession, sale, lease, property and family law.

The firm does not publish fees, so describe what you need and let the team advise. Use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to Cilia & Associates, who will reply to you directly.