The Maltese Government has published annual reports to public ensuring full transparency on the citizenship by investment programme. These reports are published by Office of the Regulator Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services which are available from 2014 to 2020
The Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services (GCES) is intended as an enabler to allow for the grant of Maltese citizenship by a certificate of naturalization to foreign individuals and their families who render exceptional services to the Republic of Malta by direct investment in its economic and social development.
Here are quick summary of the statistics of the maltese direct citizenship program for exceptional investments
Statistics
| Year | Applications | Approved | Refused | Refusal % |
| 2015 | 484 | 189 | 49 | 10.12% |
| 2016 | 436 | 382 | 63 | 14.45% |
| 2017 | 371 | 277 | 70 | 18.87% |
| 2018 | 286 | 227 | 116 | 40.56% |
| 2019 | 328 | 239 | 117 | 35.67% |
| 2020 | 317 | 185 | 103 | 32.49% |
| Total | 2,222 | 1499 | 518 | 23.31% |
Naturalizations
| Naturalizations | Main Applicant | Dependants |
| 2015 | 108 | 168 |
| 2016 | 254 | 657 |
| 2017 | 369 | 971 |
| 2018 | 223 | 548 |
| 2019 | 2014 | 497 |
| 2020 | 134 | 309 |
| Total | 3102 | 3150 |
Download Annual Reports
- ORiip’s First Annual Report (2014)
- ORiip’s Second Annual Report (2015)
- ORiip’s Third Annual Report (2016)
- ORiip’s Fourth Annual Report (2017)
- ORiip’s Fifth Annual Report (2018)
- ORiip’s Sixth Annual Report (2019)
- ORGCES Seventh Annual Report (July 2019- December 2020)
On 31st July 2020 amendments were carried to the Malta Citizenship Act, Cap. 188, applications for the granting of citizenship in terms of the Individual Investor Programme were stopped, the Regulations pertaining to this Programme were repealed and the Malta Individual Investor Programme Agency was wound up.
In November 2020 a fresh set of regulations titled the Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services Regulations were published and the Community Malta Agency was set up to administer and process all Maltese citizenship related matters. This includes accepting and processing applications for the acquisition of Maltese citizenship by descent, citizenship through merit, citizenship by naturalization through long term.
About OR-GCES
The Office of the Regulator OR-GCES (Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services) was previously Office of the Regulator (Individual Investor Programme), in short ORiip
Appointed by the Prime Minister after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, the role of the Regulator and the functions of his office are regulated by the provisions of Article 25 of the Maltese Citizenship Act (Cap 188). In addition to his functions under this Act (and such other functions as may be assigned to him under any law), the Regulator shall keep under review all aspects related to the Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services.
In particular, as provided by Article 25A of this Act, the Regulator is empowered to investigate complaints received in the prescribed form, by the applicant or his agent on behalf of the said applicant, as defined in the Agents (Licences) Regulations (S.L. 188.05), about the process undertaken during the eligibility assessment, which led to its refusal in the manner prescribed under this Act. The Regulator shall then present his findings to the Minister.
The Regulator may, at any time, report to the Minister on any matter relating to the discharge of his functions under this Act. In particular, the Regulator shall make an annual report on the discharge of his functions to the Minister. Such report shall not include personal data relating to individuals who have acquired Maltese Citizenship under the Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services. The Minister shall lay a copy of each annual report made by the Regulator under Article 25(8) on the Table of the House as soon as possible after this report is made to him.
The Regulator shall be required (if so requested) to attend meetings of the Monitoring Committee (set up as per provisions of Article 25B of the Citizenship Act) and to report to it on matters related to the Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services. The Committee (which shall regulate its own procedures) consists of the Prime Minister, the Minister responsible for matters relating to Maltese Citizenship and the Leader of the Opposition. The meetings, to be held at least once a year, are presided over by the Prime Minister.
