National authorities

The Immigration Act designated the Commissioner of the Malta Police as Principal Immigration Officer. The Malta Police are therefore responsible for all issues relating to legal and illegal immigration including border control. The National Focal Point of Contact for Frontex lies within the Malta Police Immigration Section. The Armed Forces of Malta are tasked with the control of Malta’s maritime borders on behalf of the Principal Immigration Officer. A legal notice gave the officers in the Armed Forces of Malta similar executive powers to be able to perform their role effectively. Specifically, the Armed Forces are responsible for the blue border control, a task carried out by their maritime and air assets. The Malta Customs are also a designated border control authority and is primarily responsible for the movement of goods. However, close relations and cooperation is ensured with the other authorities at the entry points.