~ Legal professionals, some questions/answers to assist you ~

• When the existence of a will has been established, who has to be contacted to obtain information about its content?

A copy of the original public will can be obtained either from the Notarial Archives or from the office of the Notary who published it. The contents of a secret will are published by the Notary who delivered the will to the Court Registry, after an application is made to the Court by any interested third party. The contents will then be publicly available, in the same manner as a public will.

• Who is entitled to receive the information?

After the death of the testator and the opening of the will, the will becomes public. Anyone can obtain a copy.

• Is there a particular procedure to be followed? If so, which one?

Succession in Malta is opened on the day of the testator’s death. Therefore, the contents of a public will are available to anyone who produces a death certificate of the testator.

In the case of a secret will, any interested party can file an application in court for the opening and publication of the secret will upon the presentation of a death certificate.

• By what means can the information be sent?

A certified copy of the will is sent by post or collected by the interested parties in person.

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