Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment

In this complete guide, we discuss how to get citizenship in a country with extremely low taxation rates.

Vanuatu citizenship is a luring deal as it offers plenty of benefits: from eased taxation and dual nationality to a wet tropical climate. However, it wouldn’t be fair to title this place just a “tax haven” facilitated in a delightful corner of the world. The country also enjoys fairly low crime rates, neighbors breathtaking New Caledonia, and endows you with a right to visit about 50+ countries in a visa-free mode.

Our guide explains how you can obtain citizenship in Vanuatu, how the CBI program for foreign investors works, the overall cost, and also why considering citizenship in this tropical land is a mighty idea.

Vanuatu citizenship: the top 5 perks

There’s a caboodle of advantages provided together with the citizen status in Vanuatu. Let’s scrutinize:

1. Easiest to obtain.
   Vanuatu — whose exotic name means “the island standing independently” — always stays a mesmerizing place to see. But what’s even better for the future migrants is that you can garner its citizenship without setting foot on their soil whatsoever: unlike many other nations, Vanuatu’s initiative requires expats to live 0 days in the country before they can receive the passport legally. Compare it to other programs, which require applicants to spend three to five years on the nation’s land before they are welcomed to stay permanently.
   One of the benefits: there is no language proficiency test: you don’t have to perfectly speak English, French, or let alone Bislama — a beautiful, but hard to master language of indigenous people. Investors are also pardoned from knowing its history, following the program. The history of the Vanuatu people is worth checking, especially Lelepa’s cave drawings.
2. Fast process.
   Vanuatu’s citizenship by investment program is official amidst the fastest naturalization initiatives on the planet. Once the investment that you’ve made goes into the country’s economic bloodstream, this formal obtaining period takes only 1 month. (However, in some cases they can extend it to three months.) This must be the main reason why the Vanuatu passport is called “golden” — immigrants are set free from waiting for countless years and decades.
3. Forget about visas.
   A caboodle of countries welcomes a traveler holding a Vanuatu passport on a visa-free term. Among them are many popular destinations located on each continent of the world, with the Dominican Republic and Israel included. Previously, this passport allowed carefree voyages to the United Kingdom and almost the entire European Union, but the situation changed in 2023.
4. Reduced taxation.
   Among the pivotal economic benefits is Vanuatu’s lenient system of taxation. The initial investment — with a minimal contribution of $130,000 — is the only cost to be paid. Legislation pardons you from paying taxes on the capital gains, profits you’ve made personally, as well as wealth and inheritance.
   Economic benefits also allow the launching of a company capable of operating overseas. It will be subject to the regular tax, which equals t12.5%. Besides, there’s a formal corporate fee of $300 demanded to be paid annually. Each company can enjoy the “tax holidays” for 20 years, however, the law deters them from making money inside the state.
5. Two citizenships.
   Another favored perk is dual citizenship. The investment program permits requesting citizen status, while also letting foreigners keep their original passports. In case you come from a place that forbids such a sneaky move — Japan or Malaysia are examples — the original citizenship will have to be nullified once you join the Vanuatu nation.

Extra perks

Apart from a relatively low investment fee and multiple bonuses in the economic realm, there are some extra benefits to be named:

• Extended US visa. According to the Department of State, the islanders can receive 24 and 60-month visas with multiple entries.
• Cost of living. The cost of livelihood in Vanuatu isn’t considered overly cheap. However, it’s not too expensive either: for instance, an average lunch meal will cost you about 11 USD. All in all, the prices are comparable to those in Australia.
• Great destinations nearby. The island is roughly 5 hours away from Australia by plane. Or you may hop on a cruise ship going through the azure South Pacific Ocean to Fiji or another exotic place.
• Minimal crime rates. This is a peaceful country, with safety remaining in the crowd of key benefits. According to the British government, the crime risk is generally low, and the island doesn’t hold any recent history of terroristic activities.

Immense cultural heritage, unique local cuisine, tropical climate, and ocean views also complement the menu of benefits, making the country a must-see place.

Ways to get Vanuatu citizenship

There are 3 investment plans available through the investment program in total. Seeking candidates can:

Vanuatu Development Support Program (DSP)

The Vanuatu Development Support Program (DSP) is the most popular option for obtaining Vanuatu citizenship. Launched in 2017, it aims to attract foreign investment and stimulate economic development.

Requirements:

• Donation: A non-refundable contribution to the Vanuatu Development Support Fund
• Single applicant: $130,000
• Applicant and spouse: $150,000
• Applicant, spouse, and one child: $165,000
• Applicant, spouse, and two children: $180,000

Benefits:

• Fast processing time (1-2 months)
• No residency requirements
• Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 130 countries, including the Schengen Area, the UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore

Vanuatu Contribution Program (PR)

Vanuatu Permanent Residency is the fastest PR program in the world. Within one week, you can have PR from a Commonwealth Country with a 100% success rate. No need to visit or stay in Vanuatu, explain your income, or meet language requirements. All application documents only need scanned copies.

Eligibility:

• Must be over 18
• Must have a police clearance
• Must have assets

Permanent Residency Fees:

• Single Applicant: $5,500
• Family: $7,500
• Additional Child (under 18): $1,500 per person

Benefits:

• Provides a pathway to citizenship after maintaining residency
• Access to Vanuatu’s tax benefits, including no income, inheritance, or capital gains taxes

Vanuatu Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP)

The Vanuatu Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP) is tailored for high-net-worth individuals willing to make a substantial investment in Vanuatu’s economy

Requirements:

• Investment: Significant investment in government-approved projects or real estate, starting from $105,000 for a family of four, plus a $50,000 redeemable investment (terms and conditions apply)
• All-Inclusive Citizenship + Fees: $155,000 for up to 4 persons

Includes: Due diligence fee, government fee, processing, administration fees, DHL of documents, and a redeemable investment of $50,000 (terms and conditions apply)

• Additional Dependent Fee: $25,000

Benefits:

• Provides a pathway to permanent residency and eventually citizenship
• Supports the development of Vanuatu’s infrastructure and economy

Summary of Key Differences

Vanuatu citizenship by investment: Requirements

For obtaining a passport, it is imperative to follow the program requirements. Among them are:

1. Contribution.
   Select the investment type you prefer and make the respective donation to the National Development Fund. It’s essential to weigh all the benefits and drawbacks: for instance, if taking your entire family there is on the to-do list, the property package could be quite suitable: you both get the passport and a place to live.
2. Proof of financial stability.
   Additionally, you will be required to provide a bank statement validating that you have $250,000 available in your account at any time. This serves as a financial stability proof.
3. Have no criminal record.
   While the immigration law in Vanuatu is lenient and sets no harsh restrictions, the program makes it clear that applicants must not have any criminal history. Additionally, the applicant’s funds must be obtained in legal ways. In compliance with the law, you may need to provide proof that your money is legal.
4. Paying legal fees.
   Apart from the donation, we should mention four obligatory fees: Due Diligence (DD), passport processing, citizenship certificate, and application fees. While three of them barely exceed $100, the DD cost is $5,000 — note that it won’t be refunded.
5. Waiting period.
   When partaking in the Vanuatu investment citizenship program, you accept that the process will take 1–3 months. Only after that period, the passport can be issued.

Family requirements

In essence, the Vanuatu citizenship program sets no extraordinary requirements for the other family members. They also should have no criminal history, each one of them is subject to extra processing fees, and the investment cost increases according to their number.

However, you need to keep in mind that:

• You must be officially married to your spouse.
• The children should be fully dependent on you and their age can’t exceed 25.
• Parents should be older than 65, but in some cases, 50+ year-old individuals can qualify.

As for the rest, they also have to go through standard formal procedures.

Due Diligence requirements

Due Diligence (or DD) is the special process when the origin of your money and authenticity of your documents — passport or certificate of good conduct — go through scrutiny. Sometimes this may be a lengthy process, so it can be a reason why your application takes more time than one month.

DD comes with a $5,000 cost. The procedure was introduced in 2022 — but before that, there was no background investigation on the applicants in Vanuatu. It also has been announced that in case authorities find any violations of the immigration law, even those who received the citizenship way back in 2015 will inevitably lose it.

The initiative was introduced after the EU suspended visa-free entry for Vanuatu residents because the island’s immigration policy violated international rules while being advertised as a “golden ticket to the Schengen zone”.

Vanuatu citizenship process

Obtaining the Republic’s passport takes several steps:

Preparation of document.

Be sure to gather all necessary papers that contain:

• Birth certificate.
• Health certificate.
• Passport of your country.
• Bank statement and reference.
• The certificate of good conduct.
• Proof of investment in the National Development Fund.

You may be required to provide either a marriage certificate or medical records that demonstrate the exceptional health of your parents, which makes them highly dependent on you.

Commencing Due Diligence

It will start when you pay the amount mentioned.

Submitting application

An application must be filed with the Development Support Program (SDP) agency. Under the CBI algorithm, a submission will then go to The Citizenship Commission.

Investment

Assuming all goes well, the commission will send you a notification after two weeks of conducting your background check. Thus, it means that you can now proceed to pay the full amount invested.

Letter of approval

Once your contribution has been received, you will be issued with the letter of approval for citizenship. By using the program benefits, you can complete this procedure remotely and pronounce your pledge of allegiance through a video call, which is convenient.

Concluding

You can get your passport reclaimed at the nearest consulate in under a month.

Vanuatu passport ranking

Even though residency on the island will grant you the previous benefits in the EU zone, it’s still a valid investment that unlocks many benefits: economic, climatic, cultural, and social. Plus, the Vanuatu passport provides a chance to get an extended American visa, which is certainly a privilege of sorts.