Obtaining Vanuatu Citizenship in 2026

Vanuatu citizenship in 2026 can be obtained through the government investment program (DSP/CIIP), by naturalization, through marriage, or by right of descent. This island state in Oceania is primarily suitable for immigrants as an international financial “safe haven,” but it is less often chosen for permanent relocation because of its remoteness and infrastructure characteristics.

The Vanuatu passport remains one of the most popular among citizens of non-European countries due to the speed of processing, the absence of residence and language-test requirements for investors, and the zero tax rate on worldwide income and capital. Adult applicants with no criminal record and with proven lawful income may obtain the status. A spouse, children, and parents may be included in the application. At the same time, the legislation imposes restrictions on citizens of a number of countries (for example, Iran, North Korea, and Syria) and also takes into account the suspension of the visa-free regime with the EU.

In this article, we will examine in detail the real and unrealistic ways of obtaining the status, official processing times, the exact cost, and the legal pitfalls of the process.

Advantages of Vanuatu Citizenship

When assessing the advantages offered by obtaining Vanuatu citizenship, it is necessary to take into account the current status of the country’s passport. Thus, the visa-free regime with the EU for holders of the document has been permanently suspended. Vanuatu citizens are required to obtain a standard permit for travel to European countries, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. Asian destinations that remain accessible visa-free or with an entry permit on arrival include Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Israel. Russia (with visa-free entry for up to 90 days), Fiji, and a number of visa-free countries in Oceania, the Caribbean, and Africa also remain open.

The tax system is the main advantage of Vanuatu citizenship for international entrepreneurs and investors. The country has no taxes on personal income, capital gains, inheritance, gifts, or wealth. No taxes are levied on dividends, interest, or royalties.

When tax residency is established (subject to the rules on physical presence or economic ties), the passport makes it possible to legally diversify assets. In Vanuatu itself, the healthcare system is basic. Public clinics provide first aid, but specialized treatment requires evacuation to Australia, New Zealand, or Singapore. Citizenship does not provide automatic access to free healthcare in developed countries, but it facilitates obtaining long-term medical insurance and travel to Asian medical hubs (for example, Singapore).

The country has basic schools and a branch of the University of the South Pacific. Due to the cancellation of benefits in some regions, the passport itself does not guarantee free places at universities in Europe or the United Kingdom. At the same time, citizenship of a Commonwealth member state may, in certain cases, preserve access to specific scholarship programs.

For foreigners who most often choose the investment citizenship program, the arguments in favor of the passport are the speed of obtaining it, the fully remote procedure, the absence of residence requirements, and the ability to retain their first citizenship. The application may include a spouse, children under 18 (as well as up to 25 if they are financially dependent on the applicant and studying full-time), and parents aged 50 or older.

If the investment route is not suitable, there are alternative citizenship programs around the world that do not require a large financial contribution. Specialists will help assess your situation and select the optimal citizenship strategy based on the available grounds.

Main Ways to Obtain Vanuatu Citizenship

Vanuatu legislation provides for several grounds for obtaining a passport. Depending on your goals, budget, and willingness to relocate, the routes differ—from investment programs that do not even require a visit to the country to a lengthy naturalization process involving permanent residence in the country.

Naturalization and Marriage

Obtaining citizenship under the standard procedure is regulated by the Vanuatu Citizenship Act. Naturalization and marriage routes differ significantly in their requirements and time frames. General naturalization requires at least 10 years of continuous lawful residence in the country before the date of application. The route through marriage reduces the required residence period: at least 2 years of continuous marriage to a citizen and joint residence in the country are required.

The registration fee for filing an application is about 5,000 VUV, equivalent to USD 42. Issuance of a naturalization certificate costs about USD 5,000 (600,000 VUV). The certificate fee for citizenship through marriage (Form B) is about USD 420. The main expenses are the long-term renewal of visas and residence permits, legal support, and language-testing fees. Obtaining a passport through naturalization is quite difficult—it requires physical presence in Vanuatu, passing an exam in the national language Bislama (or fluency in English/French). A separate written citizenship test must also be passed.

Applicants must also demonstrate an understanding of local culture, laws, and traditions, confirm financial independence, and have no debts to the state. In the case of standard naturalization, the law requires renunciation of the previous passport. Unrestricted dual citizenship is mainly permitted for investors and those born in the country.

Investment

Investment is the fastest and most sought-after way to obtain a Vanuatu passport. The programs governing this route are the Development Support Program (DSP) and the Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP), administered by the Vanuatu Citizenship Department. The process takes from 1 to 3 months and is conducted entirely remotely. The basic non-refundable contribution is USD 130,000 for the main applicant. A married couple must pay USD 150,000, a family of 3 – USD 165,000, and a family of four – USD 180,000.

Additional fees include the mandatory due diligence check in the amount of USD 5,000, as well as government administrative fees and the cost of ID cards and passports. Citizenship by investment is one of the simplest routes and does not require residence in the country, knowledge of the national language, or renunciation of the existing passport.

Repatriation

Status is granted automatically or upon application to persons whose parent or ancestor was an indigenous citizen of Vanuatu. Documentary proof of kinship (birth certificates, archival extracts) certified by government authorities must be provided. Applications are reviewed by the Citizenship Commission. Under the legislation, the verification procedure takes up to 3 months.

Administrative fees for registration and passport issuance amount to approximately USD 545, excluding the cost of archival searches and document preparation. Repatriation to Vanuatu is a simple way to obtain status for direct descendants, but it is unavailable to most foreigners.

Requirements and Procedure for Obtaining Vanuatu Citizenship

To obtain a Vanuatu passport through naturalization, a foreign national must meet the following criteria:

1. officially and continuously reside in the country with a temporary/permanent residence permit for at least 10 years;
2. reach the age of majority;
3. prove basic proficiency in the national language Bislama, English, or French;
4. confirm knowledge of the country’s laws, customs, and culture;
5. have no criminal record either in Vanuatu or in the country of original citizenship;
6. prove a lawful source of income or a business in the country;
7. renounce citizenship of their country within 3 months after approval of the Vanuatu citizenship application, if applicable.

To file an application with the Citizenship Commission through the Immigration Department, the following will be required:

1. a completed official application form (Form A for naturalization, Form B for spouses, Form C for the investment program, Form D for other grounds provided by law);
2. a valid international passport and national birth certificate;
3. copies of all documents confirming continuous residence in the country;
4. a document from the Vanuatu Police, as well as a certificate of no criminal record from the country of first citizenship;
5. bank statements from Vanuatu banks, tax returns, proof of property ownership, or business/employment contract documentation;
6. a marriage certificate and a copy of the passport of the spouse who is a Vanuatu citizen (for applications under Form B);
7. letters from respected local persons (community elders, business partners, or employers) confirming good character and integration;
8. current passport photographs of the required format.

The naturalization process begins with entry into the country and obtaining a residence visa. Grounds for the application may include employment, establishing a business or investment project, financial independence, property ownership, or marriage to a Vanuatu citizen. The applicant renews the equivalent of a residence permit annually or every 3–5 years, files tax reports, and continuously resides on the island.

After 2 or 10 years, it is necessary to compile the dossier and submit an application to the Immigration Department. After the review, an interview is conducted to assess proficiency in the national language. If the decision is positive, the Commission issues preliminary approval, and the foreign national has 3 months to provide a document confirming renunciation of the first citizenship. The applicant takes an oath of allegiance to the Republic of Vanuatu, receives a certificate of naturalization, and applies to the Passport Office for a national Vanuatu passport.

If long-term residence in the country is not an optimal option, citizenship-by-descent programs in European countries may be considered. Many EU states provide procedures for the restoration or confirmation of citizenship for persons who can document descent from citizens of the country—such programs make it possible to obtain a passport without many years of naturalization where a documented family connection exists.

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How Much Time and Money Are Needed to Obtain Vanuatu Citizenship

The most popular and fastest way in the world to obtain a second passport without residence in the country, language knowledge, or a personal visit is the investment program. The time required for wealthy foreigners to obtain status is up to 45 days. The procedure is conducted entirely remotely, and the oath is taken online or at the nearest consulate. Costs depend on the number of persons included in the application and the investment subtype of the process. At least USD 130,000 must be paid for the main applicant and from USD 180,000 for a family of 4. The due diligence check costs USD 5,000 and does not depend on the number of persons. In addition, a service fee must be taken into account, which varies between authorized agents.

Obtaining citizenship through naturalization requires 10 years of continuous residence but costs less. Obtaining and annually renewing a residence permit costs from USD 200 to USD 5,000 depending on the type of visa and its validity period. The application fee is USD 42, and the certificate costs USD 5,000. Applications are reviewed in about 3 months.

What Does Not Work: How You Cannot Obtain a Vanuatu Passport

Obtaining a Vanuatu passport is a procedure surrounded by a huge number of myths and fraudulent schemes. “Fast and cheap” ways of obtaining citizenship are often offered online, but in practice they are either legally impossible or lead to criminal prosecution. Among the most common offers are:

1. Buy a ready-made passport without checks. Sellers promise to produce an original passport for tens of thousands of dollars without income checks or document submission, in just a few days. In reality, a passport is only a document confirming status. Without a decision of the Citizenship Commission and an entry in the state register, such an identity document is a forgery. Violators face criminal liability and deportation. A modern Vanuatu passport contains a biometric chip, and the data are entered into Interpol and border-service databases. At the first check at an airport or attempt to open a bank account, the document is scanned, the forgery is confiscated, and the holder is arrested for using forged documents, followed by deportation and a lifetime entry ban.
2. Obtain citizenship for children of foreigners by birth in Vanuatu. Vanuatu does not have absolute “jus soli.” Under Article 10 of the Constitution of Vanuatu, a child acquires citizenship at birth only if at least one parent is a citizen of Vanuatu. Birth in the country to two foreign tourists does not give the child any rights to status. The result is money wasted on giving birth abroad and the need to obtain documents from the child’s home country through the embassy.
3. Obtain a passport through a sham marriage to a Vanuatu citizen. Quickly obtaining status by paying a Vanuatu citizen to sign a marriage certificate is fraud. Under the law, to apply under Form B, spouses must live in a lawful marriage and shared household for at least 2 years in Vanuatu. The Vanuatu Immigration Service regularly conducts checks of cohabitation, interviewing neighbors and carrying out inspections at the place of residence. If the sham nature of the marriage is discovered, the foreign national loses the residence permit and is deported, while the local participant in the scheme faces criminal prosecution.
4. Obtain a passport by purchasing any property or land. The official government program requires a non-refundable contribution to a state fund. The purchase of ordinary private property is not part of this program. Only an investment through a specially government-approved project with a clearly defined share amount is permitted, rather than the purchase of any desired property. Purchasing a non-qualifying asset on the island (where all land is leased for up to 75 years rather than transferred into full ownership) does not confer any right to a passport.
5. Hide criminal records or income. Promises that the competent Vanuatu authorities do not check anything and that certificates of no criminal record and proof of lawful capital can therefore be falsified are a myth. Due diligence in Vanuatu is a two-stage process. It involves not only local authorities but also international investigative agencies, Interpol databases, and global compliance systems. At best, status will simply be denied or an already granted status will be revoked. At worst, criminal proceedings for fraud will be initiated.

Dual Citizenship in Vanuatu: Is It Permitted to Hold Multiple Passports?

In 2026, dual citizenship is officially permitted in Vanuatu. Until 2013, the laws required renunciation of the first passport when obtaining local status. The situation changed with the adoption of amendments. Article 13 of the Constitution was revised, and Part 3A regulating the procedure for acquiring and holding dual status was added to the Citizenship Act.

Under these acts, investors and indigenous citizens of the country are officially permitted to hold two or more passports without having to renounce the first. The requirement to renounce the first passport remains only for standard naturalization based on the residence period, unless special permission is obtained from the Citizenship Commission. In legal practice, dual and second citizenship are different concepts:

1. Dual citizenship is a situation in which two states have concluded a special international agreement. Both states mutually recognize a person’s rights and obligations (for example, military service or payment of taxes is recognized in both countries).
2. Second citizenship is a situation that arises when a person holds passports of two different countries, but each state regards that person only as its own citizen.

Vanuatu does not have international dual-citizenship agreements with most countries of the world, but it officially recognizes the right to hold a second passport. In practice, the state treats the investor as a full citizen on its territory without notifying the country of origin that the document has been issued.

Where Is It Faster and Easier to Obtain a Second Passport: Overview of Alternatives

The disadvantages of becoming a citizen of Vanuatu are considered to be the relatively small number of visa-free destinations opened by the country’s passport and the price of the investment program. The obvious advantages are the speed of application processing and the right to retain the existing original citizenship.

At the same time, the European Union has programs that allow a passport to be requested no less quickly than in Vanuatu. For example, repatriation to Romania, Slovenia, or Bulgaria takes from 4–6 months but, unlike the Vanuatu program, does not require investment. There are no residence requirements either before or after citizenship is obtained.

A “golden visa” can be obtained in Portugal or Greece through capital investment. The period until EU citizenship is obtained is from 5 years, but as a result you receive a passport that grants all the rights of an EU citizen with visa-free access to 170+ countries. Without investment, naturalization after 5 years is available in Spain and Germany. However, the status requires passing an examination in the national language and successful integration into society.

If your goal is a passport as a “safe haven,” programs that require living in the country for 183 days a year are not suitable for you. Naturalization is also not an option if you are not prepared to take a language exam. Since there are no direct programs in Europe for purchasing a passport through capital investment, simplified programs remain the only lawful, fast, and financially affordable way to obtain a passport immediately, bypassing the stage of many years of residence permits and without freezing funds in investments.

An experienced international law attorney who is familiar with current legislative amendments and developments in immigration programs will help you choose the option that suits you. According to reviews from those who have obtained a second passport, specialist assistance is indispensable if you want to obtain a second citizenship without the risk of refusal.

Support at all stages of the process guarantees compliance with legislative requirements and conditions, while filing the application without having to leave the country of permanent residence becomes an additional advantage of cooperation. During the consultation, you can check your right to an EU passport and learn everything about the process of acquiring a second citizenship.

Specialists will also help assess the possibility of obtaining EU citizenship by descent. An analysis of documents and family history will make it possible to determine the available grounds and choose the most suitable route for obtaining status without undergoing a lengthy naturalization process.