S.L. 460.14 Art. 3Receipt of a request for transit.

(1) The Principal Immigration Officer shall be the authority responsible for the receipt of requests for assistance for the transit of third-country nationals in cases of removal by air from other Member States and shall decide the nature and extent of the assistance to be afforded in relation thereto.

(2) When the Principal Immigration Officer receives a request for assistance referred to in subarticle (1), he shall inform the requesting Member State of his decision within forty-eight hours of receipt of the request: Provided that the Principal Immigration Officer may extend the said period of forty-eight hours by a maximum period of another forty-eight hours in duly justified cases.

(3) Subject to consultations with the requesting Member State and within the means available and in compliance with relevant international standards, the Principal Immigration Officer shall provide all the assistance measures necessary from landing until it is ensured that the third-country national has left Malta:

Provided that emergency medical assistance for the third country national or his escort, where necessary, shall be provided without mutual consultations with the requesting Member State.

(4) In affording such assistance, the Principal Immigration Officer may request the assistance of other authorities in Malta, including the healthcare authorities where this is considered necessary.