7 benefits of Vanuatu citizenship
1. Visa-free travel to 108 countries. The Vanuatu passport opens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 108 countries, including Ireland, Australia, Singapore, and Russia. Some countries require electronic registration in advance.
2. Long-term US visas. Vanuatu citizens can obtain a multiple entry B-1/B-2 visa to the United States for 5 years and spend 180 days a year in the US for business meetings, travel, medical treatment, etc.
3. An opportunity to obtain a Vanuatu passport by investment. Foreigners can obtain Vanuatu citizenship remotely in just one month, which makes it the fastest citizenship by investment program in the world.
To do so, they need to make a non-refundable contribution of $130,000+ to the National Development Fund.
4. Dual citizenship. Vanuatu allows its citizens to have more than one passport, so you don’t need to renounce your other citizenship upon obtaining Vanuatu’s one.
5. Tax optimisation. Entrepreneurs can be exempt from corporate tax if they register an international business company in Vanuatu. Instead, a business owner only pays an annual fee of $300.
Vanuatu also does not tax wealth, inheritance, properties, or personal income.
6. Affordable studying in the UK. Vanuatu citizens can access Commonwealth Scholarships and study at British universities for free or for a lower tuition fee than non-Commonwealth citizens.
7. Holidays in paradise. Vanuatu is an archipelago known for its beautiful landscapes, pleasant climate, and many water activities. It is a great destination for quiet family holidays. Vanuatu citizens can enter the country anytime and spend as much time there as they want.
5 primary ways to obtain Vanuatu citizenship
By birth or descent. A person obtains citizenship by birth or descent if:
- they have at least one parent or grandparent of Vanuatuan ancestry;
- born in Vanuatu to two foreigners.
When applying for citizenship under the first option, the applicant must provide a document proving ancestry, for example, a parent’s birth certificate.
A child whose parent obtained Vanuatu’s citizenship by naturalisation is also eligible for a Vanuatu passport, provided the parent held the citizenship when the child was born.
Adopted children become citizens if adopted by Vanuatu citizens, and the adoption process is complete.
By naturalisation. To be eligible for citizenship by naturalisation, a foreigner must reside in Vanuatu for at least 10 years before applying. Other requirements are that the applicant:
- plans to continue to reside in Vanuatu;
- renounces their other citizenship;
- is of good character;
- can speak English, French, Bislama, or any Vanuatu dialect on the level to be able to communicate;
- has passed the Citizenship test in Bislama, which includes questions on Vanuatu’s history, politics and legislation;
- is not or is unlikely to become a charge on public funds;
- has a reasonable knowledge and understanding of the rights, privileges, responsibilities and duties of citizens;
- has taken and subscribed to an oath of allegiance.
Spouses and children have the right to obtain Vanuatu citizenship when the applicant gets one.
If a foreigner wants to keep their other citizenship, they must file a formal application to the Citizenship Commission before their dual citizenship is recognised. In case of approval, foreigners with Vanuatu passports are not required to renounce their other passports.
By marriage. A foreign person married to a Vanuatu citizen can obtain citizenship if the couple has lived together for at least 2 years. The non-Vanuatu spouse must take the citizenship test in the language of Bislama.
By investment. A Vanuatu passport can be obtained remotely within one month by wealthy foreigners who invest in the country’s economy. It is the fastest and easiest way to become a Vanuatu citizen.
Requirements for getting Vanuatu citizenship by investment
The first investment option is to make a non-refundable contribution of $130,000 to the National Development Fund. The money is used to develop Vanuatu's economy and fight against natural disasters.
The investment sum is not flat and increases depending on the number of people in the application:
- a single investor — $130,000;
- a married couple — $150,000;
- a family of four, parents and two children — $180,000.
The investor pays $15,000 for each additional dependent, starting from the fifth person in the application. Additionally, the investor must have a minimum of $250,000 in their bank account.
The second investment option is participation in the Capital Investment Immigration Plan. Under this program, the foreigner invests in a fund focused on developing the coconut oil industry designed to reduce the country's dependence on oil imports.
The minimum investment for a family of four people is $138,000. The investor pays $26,500 for each additional applicant, regardless of age.
To be eligible to participate in both programs, the foreigner must:
- be over 18;
- have no criminal record or prosecutions;
- have no serious illnesses;
- be capable of proving the legality of their income.
Investors can add family members to the application: a spouse, children and parents. Children aged 18 to 26 must be financially dependent on or reside with the investor and be full-time students at a university. Parents over 50 can be added if they are financially dependent on the investor.
Under the Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment program, the investor must pass Due Diligence, which includes a thorough check against international databases, such as Interpol. It helps the program authorities verify the investor is not a threat to Vanuatu.
Documents collected for the application are:
- a filled-out application form;
- a valid identification document, such as a passport;
- birth certificates of children, if applicable;
- a marriage certificate, if applicable;
- a police clearance certificate;
- a CV.
Depending on the investor’s situation, they might be required to prepare more documents.
How to obtain Vanuatu citizenship by investment: a step-by-step guide
The Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment program is the fastest investment program in the world: investors and their family members can get Vanuatu passports in as little as one month.
Immigrant Invest’s Compliance Department conducts an initial Due Diligence assessment. A qualified Compliance Anti-Money Laundering Officer evaluates the investor’s situation to identify potential risks.
Should any issues that could lead to application denial be detected during this preliminary check, Immigrant Invest proposes alternative citizenship programs. Following a successful initial Due Diligence review, the investor signs a cooperation agreement with Immigrant Invest.
Immigrant Invest’s legal team advises the investor on the necessary documentation to collect.
The legal team is responsible for translating and apostatizing documents and filling out the required governmental forms.
The lawyers submit the first set of documents to Vanuatu’s FIU, while the investor must pay a Due Diligence fee within 2 weeks.
With the complete document package submitted, the investor pays 25% of the investment sum.
Once the citizenship application is approved, the investor must pay the remaining 75% of the investment amount.
To finalise the process, investors swear an oath of allegiance, which can be done via a video call; travelling to Vanuatu is not necessary.
After the oath ceremony, the naturalisation certificate and passport are issued. Immigrant Invest ensures the delivery of these documents to an address specified by the investor.
Losing, renouncing and regaining citizenship
Losing a Vanuatu passport is possible if it was obtained by fraud.
If a foreigner does not file an application for the recognition of dual citizenship with the Citizenship Commission of Vanuatu, their Vanuatu citizenship may be revoked if they:
- declare their allegiance to another country;
- agree to become a national or citizen of another country;
- serve in the armed forces of another country;
- vote in a national, provincial, state, or local election in another country, or accept elective office there.
People who have acquired citizenship by naturalisation will lose it if they cross Vanuatu's border with a passport of another country.
To renounce citizenship, a person of full age and capacity must fill out a form of renunciation. The citizenship can’t be renounced if a person:
- doesn’t have any other passport;
- does it for the purpose of obtaining another citizenship.
Regaining citizenship is possible after a person files an application to the Citizenship Commission.
Renewal of a Vanuatu passport
The Vanuatu passport is valid for a maximum of 10 years. Its validity period starts on the date of issuance of the document.
To renew the passport, a Vanuatu citizen applies to an immigration office with the following documents:
- a completed application form;
- the most recent passport;
- two recent passport photos;
- receipt proving payment of an application fee.
It is also required to bring someone to act as a witness who is over 18 years of age and has known you for one year or more. The witness formally identifies you on the application form and certifies one of your photographs.
Fees and obtainment period for issuing a Vanuatu passport
| Type of service | Required time | Fee |
| Normal | Up to 21 days | VT 10,000, or $85 |
| Express | Up to 10 days | VT 20,000, or $169 |
| Urgent | Up to 3 days | VT 25,000, or $210 |
Key points on obtaining Vanuatu citizenship
- Vanuatu citizenship can be obtained by birth, descent, marriage, naturalisation, or investment.
- The benefits of Vanuatu citizenship are visa-free travel to 108 countries, an opportunity to get a US B-1/B-2 visa for 5 years, tax optimisation, and opportunities to obtain a passport by investment.
- To become a naturalised citizen, a foreigner must reside in Vanuatu for at least 10 years.
- Contributing to the National Development Fund is the fastest and easiest path to a Vanuatu passport. The minimum sum is $130,000. The passport can be obtained remotely in a minimum of 1 month.
Frequently asked questions
You can become a Vanuatu citizen by birth, descent, marriage, or naturalisation. The fastest and easiest way for non-Vanuatu citizens from birth is to participate in the Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment program. The investor makes a non-refundable contribution to the National Development Fund of $130,000 and gets a passport in one month.
Vanuatu citizenship can be suitable for business people who want to establish an international company and optimise their taxes. For example, in Vanuatu, there is no corporate tax. Instead, investors pay a flat tax of $300 annually.
With Vanuatu citizenship, one can also quickly obtain a US B-1/B-2 visa for 5 years and travel to hold business meetings, participate in conferences, or get medical treatment.
Although a Vanuatu passport gives visa-free access to 108 countries, the Schengen Area states are not part of it. To travel to the Schengen Area, it is better to look at the other Caribbean citizenship programs.
The Vanuatu passport is not too strong, but it still allows its holders to travel to 108 countries without any restrictions. Among the visa-free destinations are Australia, Ireland, and Singapore.
Vanuatu citizenship can be obtained in just one month under the Citizenship by Investment program. A foreigner must invest at least $130,000 to get a Vanuatu passport.
The easiest way to immigrate to Vanuatu, aside from having Vanuatuan roots, is to invest in the country’s economy. Foreigners contribute $130,000 to Vanuatu’s National Development Fund. Obtaining the country’s passport is entirely remote and takes only one month.
Afterwards, the foreigner with their family can move to Vanuatu with no restrictions if they want to.
It depends on the path you choose. Acquiring citizenship by naturalisation takes at least 10 years.
The investor can get a Vanuatu passport in one month if they invest at least $130,000 in the country.
Vanuatu allows its citizens to have a second citizenship. They must state in the application a passport of which country they have and want to keep when applying for citizenship.
Obtaining Vanuatu citizenship by investment costs at least $130,000. The sum increases if the applicant adds their family members. For example, a married couple must invest $150,000, a family of 3 must invest $165,000+, and a family of 4 contributes at least $180,000.
There are also Due Diligence, application and other fees to pay upon applying for citizenship.
