Prepare Your Investment Citizenship File With Us

Applying for Vanuatu citizenship through investment means making a non-refundable contribution to the government's Development Support Program (DSP). You'll also have to pass a strict due diligence check. The key is that you cannot do this alone; your application must be submitted through a government-designated agent. For a single applicant, the price starts with a $130,000 donation plus a separate, non-refundable $5,000 due diligence fee. Governed by the Citizenship Act [CAP 112], the process usually takes two to four months, and residence is not required, though biometrics and the oath happen in person.

What Are the Core Requirements to Apply for Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment?

The main path to a Vanuatu passport is the Development Support Program (DSP). To qualify, you must be over 18, have a clean criminal record, and be in good health. You also need to document a lawful source of funds, as the DSP regulations contain no net-worth minimum. Crucially, a government-recognized designated agent must handle your entire application. Direct applications are not accepted.

Vanuatu's Citizenship Act [CAP 112] and its regulations form the legal backbone of the program. The DSP was created to fund national development projects, but for applicants, its main draw is convenience. There is no physical residency requirement. Most steps, from the initial background checks to receiving your passport, go through your agent, while the passport biometrics and the oath happen in person. This is why it is seen as a convenient citizenship by investment program.

What Are the Official Investment Options for Vanuatu Citizenship?

Vanuatu offers a direct path to citizenship, primarily through a contribution to a government fund. While other options have existed, the Development Support Program is the most established and reliable route today.

Vanuatu Development Support Programme (VDSP): The Donation Route

This is the simplest and most common way to get citizenship. It’s a one-time, non-refundable donation to a government fund that supports national infrastructure. With clear rules and a relatively short timeline, the VDSP has no ongoing financial strings attached. The entire process is managed for you by a designated agent.

The donation amount is tiered based on how many family members are on the application. For a single person, the required contribution is $130,000. This straightforward model avoids the common headaches and hidden costs of real estate or financial instrument investments that other countries require.

Vanuatu Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP): The Real Estate / Fund Option

A second program, the Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP), once offered an alternative. That changed. As of early 2025, the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission suspended new applications under the CIIP until further notice. This suspension doesn't impact the VDSP, which continues to operate normally.

So, for all new applicants in 2026, the VDSP is the only active and recommended program. Always verify the current status of all programs with a designated agent before you start, as the regulatory landscape can and does change.

How Much Does It Cost to Become a Vanuatu Citizen by Investment?

The total cost is a combination of the main government contribution, mandatory due diligence fees, and your agent's professional fees. The biggest piece of the puzzle is the non-refundable donation to the Development Support Program (DSP).

Main Investment: The DSP Contribution

Set in U.S. dollars, the required donation changes based on family size.

Applicant Composition	Minimum DSP Contribution (USD)
Single Applicant	$130,000
Main Applicant + Spouse	$150,000
Main Applicant + Spouse + 1 Child	$165,000
Main Applicant + Spouse + 2 Children (Family of 4)	$180,000
Each Additional Dependent	set by the schedule

This table only shows the primary contribution. It doesn't include due diligence, government, or professional agent fees.

Mandatory Fees

• Due Diligence Fee: A non-refundable fee of $5,000 is mandatory for every application. You pay this fee upfront to the agent to start the background check with Vanuatu's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Crucially, this payment is required before your main application is even submitted and is non-recoverable—even if you later withdraw your application or get rejected.
• Government & Application Fees: Other administrative fees apply for processing, certificate issuance, and passport printing. These are often bundled into a single quote from your agent. It’s vital to ask for a personalized cost breakdown that clearly separates the government donation from all other fees.

Agent Professional Fees

Designated agents charge for their work, which includes preparing your file, legal reviews, managing the submission, and liaising with the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission. These fees differ between firms. A transparent quote should itemize every single cost to ensure you aren’t surprised by hidden charges later.

What is the Step-by-Step Application Process?

The application journey is broken into distinct stages, designed to protect both you and the program's integrity. A designated agent will manage this process for you from start to finish.

• Step 1: Initial Consultation and Due Diligence Pre-Check The process starts when you hire a firm to prepare your file and a designated agent for submission. You'll pay the initial, non-refundable $5,000 Due Diligence fee. Your details are then sent to Vanuatu's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) for a preliminary check. The result determines if you can even proceed.

• Step 2: Document Collection and Application Submission Once you get a positive FIU pre-clearance, the real work begins. You'll need a comprehensive file of personal documents: certified copies of passports, birth certificates, and police clearance reports from your country of origin and any other country where you've lived for over a year. A common pitfall here is missing a police certificate from a past country of residence, which can derail the entire application. Your legal representative confirms the file's accuracy, and the designated agent submits it to the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission.

• Step 3: Government Review and Approval-in-Principle The Citizenship Commission formally reviews your file, a stage that usually takes several weeks. After a successful review, the Commission issues an "Approval-in-Principle" letter. This is your green light—a formal confirmation that you've passed all checks and are now invited to make the full investment.

• Step 4: Final Investment and Issuance of Citizenship With the approval letter, you must transfer the full remaining balance of your DSP donation to the designated government account. Once the government confirms it has received the funds, your citizenship certificate is issued. This document is what officially makes you a citizen of Vanuatu.

• Step 5: Passport Application and Oath of Allegiance Your new citizenship certificate allows you to apply for a Vanuatu passport. The final hurdle is the Oath of Allegiance, which must be sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths in person; where that happens at present is something your designated agent will confirm. For a well-prepared application, the whole process—from the first FIU check to holding your new passport—usually takes two to four months, and the end date can never be fixed in advance.

What Are the Benefits and Limitations of a Vanuatu Passport?

A Vanuatu passport offers serious advantages, especially for global mobility and tax strategy, but it's critical to understand its current limits.

Vanuatu citizenship benefits

The key perks are speed, a friendly tax environment, and dual citizenship. Vanuatu has no personal income tax, capital gains tax, or inheritance tax for its citizens, a huge benefit for those who establish tax residency there. Plus, Vanuatu allows dual citizenship, meaning you don't have to give up your original nationality.

Vanuatu passport visa-free countries

Visa-free travel is a significant draw. The Vanuatu passport currently provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to around 88 countries and territories. This includes major business and travel hubs like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Russia. Still, this list is dynamic and can change based on international agreements.

Here's the catch: as of February 3, 2025, visa-free access to the EU Schengen Area is gone. The European Union suspended its visa-waiver agreement in a move formalized by Regulation (EU) 2025/11. The United Kingdom also introduced a visa requirement for Vanuatu nationals on July 19, 2023. Before planning any travel, you must verify the latest visa requirements yourself.

Vanuatu passport ranking

After losing visa-free access to the EU and UK, the Vanuatu passport's rank on global mobility indexes fell. While it doesn't rank as high as it once did, its value for many investors isn't just about the ranking. For many, its primary utility is the sheer speed of acquisition, its tax advantages, and its power as a solid Plan B and a travel document for specific regions outside Europe.

Who is Eligible to Apply and What Are the Key Requirements?

Eligibility hinges on your financial standing, personal background, and your ability to gather comprehensive documents.

Vanuatu Citizenship by investment requirements

Dependents can be included: a spouse, dependent children up to age 25, and dependent parents above the age set by the rules. Everyone on the application must be in good health.

Vanuatu passport application form

You can't just download and fill out a single "application form." The application is actually a complete file compiled by your legal team and submitted by the designated agent. It contains numerous official government forms, certified personal documents, and supporting evidence. The designated agent is responsible for ensuring you have the correct, most current versions of all necessary forms.

After my citizenship is approved, can a new wife or a later child still be added?

Yes. You can add new dependents after you've been granted citizenship. The process covers a spouse you marry post-naturalization or a newborn child. It does require a separate application with its own government and agent fees, but here's the good news: adding a newborn or new spouse is far simpler than starting a brand-new primary application from scratch. This gives you flexibility for long-term family planning without the headache of a full do-over.