Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
A low-cost CBI route with a statutory three-month decision period, but reduced travel access after losing its EU and UK visa waivers.
By Civita Research, Research desk ·Reviewed under our editorial policy
Part of our independentcitizenship by investment comparison, built from the same certification-backed program record.
Minimum from
$130,000- Timeline
- Statutory decision within 3 months after receipt under the governing law
- Citizenship
- On approval
- Presence
- No ongoing residence period is stated for the DSP
Comparative editorial judgments, not an eligibility result or investment recommendation.Method and limits
Overview
Vanuatu publishes a DSP citizenship route with no residence period and a non-refundable contribution from USD 130,000 for a single applicant. The Citizenship Act provides a three-month decision period after the Commission receives the application; passport issuance follows approval. Current biometric, interview and appearance mechanics must be confirmed before filing.
The honest problem is the passport itself. Vanuatu sold a large volume of passports in a short window, and the security concerns that followed cost it the two destinations that mattered most. The United Kingdom withdrew visa-free access in July 2023. The EU first partially suspended the waiver in 2022, applied a temporary visa requirement to all Vanuatu nationals from 4 February 2023, and made the removal permanent from 3 February 2025 after the Council adopted the measure on 12 December 2024. What remains is visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to roughly 90 destinations, concentrated in Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, including Singapore and Hong Kong. That is a real travel document, but it is no longer a Europe-and-UK key, which is precisely what most buyers historically wanted. Anyone choosing Vanuatu in 2026 should do so understanding that the mobility map can change again with little notice, in either direction.
The tax story is genuinely strong and is one of the few areas where Vanuatu still clearly leads. There is no personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance or estate tax, no wealth tax, and no tax on worldwide income. For a globally mobile individual who can establish real economic substance elsewhere, that is a meaningful planning advantage. It is not automatic, though. Holding a Vanuatu passport does not by itself relieve you of tax obligations in your country of residence or, for US citizens, your country of citizenship. Treat the zero-tax headline as an opportunity to coordinate with qualified cross-border counsel, not as a finished strategy.
Vanuatu sits in a specific niche in 2026. It is the right tool if your priorities are speed, simplicity, a low entry cost, a second legal nationality as a backstop, and a zero-tax base, and if EU and UK access is not central to your plan. It is the wrong tool if visa-free Europe is the goal, in which case a Caribbean program or a European residence route delivers far more durable mobility for the money. The program is open and recently reformed, which improves its compliance posture, but the reputational discount on the passport is real and should be priced into any decision.
Decision and mobility
A three-month decision does not restore two lost visa waivers
Processing speed and passport access are different dimensions. The UK and EU changes materially altered the mobility case.
Separate adjudication
DSP file
Three-month statutory decision period
The Commission must decide a DSP application within three months after receipt.
GateThis is a decision period, not a passport-delivery guarantee.
Source: Vanuatu Court of Appeal
Status acquired
After approval
Registration remains separate
New-citizen registration, identity records and passport issuance follow the citizenship decision.
Source: Vanuatu Civil Registration
Decision warning
United Kingdom
Visit visa now required
The former UK visa-free benefit ended in 2023.
Source: UK Government
Decision warning
European Union
Visa exemption withdrawn
The EU has removed Vanuatu's visa exemption after the earlier suspension process.
Source: European Union law
Conditional outcome
Current planning
Judge the passport on today's access
No current page should sell the program using obsolete UK or EU mobility.
Source: UK Government and European Union
Qualifying routes
Vanuatu qualifying investment routes
| Route | Minimum investment |
|---|---|
| Development Support ProgramAdd USD 5,000 FIU due diligence and VUV 5,000 application charge per person; additional applicants add USD 10,000. | USD 130,000 single; USD 180,000 couple + 2 children |
| Vanuatu Contribution ProgramUse the current Commission fee schedule and authorised channel; do not substitute provider pricing. | Official contribution schedule applies |
| Real Estate OptionThe route remains an official category, but no definitive current price should be displayed without a primary instrument. | Current threshold not published on the official fee page |
| Capital Investment Immigration PlanThe December 2024 official release describes mandatory investment and continuing revocation monitoring. | USD 50,000 investment + applicable program charges |
Verified route map
Four official categories, not four verified price tags
DSP has a current official family schedule. REO remains active without a current threshold on the Commission fee page.
Development Support Program
USD 130,000 single / USD 180,000 couple + 2 childrenAdd USD 5,000 FIU due diligence and VUV 5,000 application charge per person. Additional applicants add USD 10,000.
Source: Vanuatu Citizenship Commission fee schedule
Vanuatu Contribution Program
Current official contribution scheduleUse the Commission's current schedule and authorised channel rather than substituting a provider quote as the official price.
Source: Vanuatu Citizenship Commission
Real Estate Option
Current official threshold not publishedThe route is officially active, but the current Commission fee page does not publish a threshold. No definitive number should be invented.
Source: Vanuatu Citizenship Commission REO notices
Capital Investment Immigration Plan
USD 50,000 investment + program chargesThe December 2024 release describes a mandatory investment and continuing revocation monitoring.
Source: Vanuatu Citizenship Commission December 2024 release
The real cost, drawn
Initial entry-cash model
Single applicant · USDAdvertised qualifying amount
$130,000Modeled entry cash
$135,000Run it for your family
These are the published numbers for the standard family shapes currently modeled. See the reviewed single-applicant and family-of-four entry-cash model, assumptions and operating currency in our True Cost Index. The planned $149 Program-Fit Report uses your stated family, passports and source of funds to produce preliminary written orientation across Civita's currently covered program set. Checkout is temporarily paused.
Tax
Vanuatu imposes no personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance or estate tax, and no wealth tax, and it does not tax worldwide income. There is no requirement to become tax resident, and citizenship alone does not create a tax filing obligation in Vanuatu. The practical caveat is that a passport does not change where you are actually taxed. If you remain tax resident in a high-tax country, that country still taxes you, and US citizens remain subject to US worldwide taxation regardless of any second passport. The genuine benefit appears only when Vanuatu citizenship is paired with a deliberate change of tax residence and real substance. This is planning territory, not a settled outcome, so coordinate any structure with qualified cross-border tax and legal counsel before relying on it.
Strengths
- A statutory decision period of three months after Commission receipt, with passport issuance after approval
- No residence period or language test is published; current appearance and biometric steps must be confirmed
- Low entry cost for a citizenship, from a USD 130,000 contribution
- Citizenship for life, granted on approval, and inheritable by descendants
- Dual citizenship permitted, with no need to renounce your existing nationality
- Zero personal income, capital gains, inheritance, and wealth tax, and no taxation of worldwide income
- No requirement to relocate, learn a language, or maintain physical presence
- Program recently reformed in 2026, improving its governance and due diligence framework
Trade-offs
- No EU/Schengen visa-free access; the waiver was fully and permanently suspended in December 2024
- No UK visa-free access; withdrawn in July 2023
- Visa-free reach has fallen to roughly 90 destinations, weak relative to Caribbean rivals that still reach Europe
- Reputational discount on the passport after security concerns and high past issuance volume
- Mobility is volatile and can change with little notice, so the value you buy today may not hold
- Contribution is non-refundable, with no underlying asset or return
- Pricing and rules were amended in 2026 and can shift again between gazette cycles
- Tax benefits require an actual change of tax residence, and do not help US citizens taxed on citizenship
Weighing Vanuatu against another program? Orienting that trade-off is one purpose of the written $149 report.
Get the fit answerQuestions
How much does Vanuatu citizenship by investment cost in 2026?+
The official DSP contribution schedule is USD 130,000 for one applicant, USD 150,000 for a couple, USD 165,000 for a couple plus one dependent and USD 180,000 for a couple plus two dependents, then USD 10,000 for each additional dependent. One USD 5,000 FIU due-diligence fee applies to the application, with document and passport charges beyond it.
How long does it take to get a Vanuatu passport?+
The Citizenship Act requires the Commission to decide a DSP application within 3 months. Passport issuance follows approval. Current interview, biometric and collection steps should be confirmed with the Citizenship Commission before filing.
Does the Vanuatu passport give visa-free access to Europe or the Schengen Area?+
No. The European Union ended Vanuatu's Schengen visa exemption. Vanuatu citizens require a Schengen visa. ETIAS is for visa-exempt travellers and is not a substitute for that visa.
Can Vanuatu citizens travel to the UK visa-free?+
No. The United Kingdom withdrew visa-free access for Vanuatu nationals in July 2023, citing abuse of the citizenship-by-investment scheme. A UK visa is now required.
How many countries can I visit visa-free with a Vanuatu passport?+
Roughly 90 destinations offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access, concentrated in Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, including Singapore and Hong Kong. Counts vary by source between about 88 and 120 depending on how visa-on-arrival and e-visa entries are counted.
Is there any physical presence or residency requirement?+
No residence period is published. Current biometric, interview and appearance steps must be confirmed with the Citizenship Office before filing.
Is Vanuatu citizenship for life, and can I pass it to my children?+
Yes. Citizenship is granted on approval, held for life, and passes to descendants. Passports are issued for 10 years and are renewable.
Does Vanuatu allow dual citizenship?+
Yes. Vanuatu permits dual citizenship, so you do not have to renounce your current nationality, provided your home country also allows it.
What taxes will I pay as a Vanuatu citizen?+
Vanuatu has no personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance or wealth tax, and does not tax worldwide income. However, a passport does not change where you are actually tax resident, and US citizens remain taxed by the US regardless. Treat the zero-tax position as a planning opportunity to coordinate with cross-border counsel.
What is the difference between the DSP and CIIP routes?+
The Development Support Program (DSP) is a straightforward non-refundable contribution and is most popular for single applicants. The Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP) is a separate route; Vanuatu lifted its earlier CIIP suspension on 21 March 2016. Current contribution, eligibility, and implementation terms must be confirmed with the Citizenship Office before choosing between routes.
Is the Vanuatu citizenship program still open in 2026?+
Yes. It is open and operating. Vanuatu published amendment orders in Official Gazette No. 25 of 2026 on 19 March 2026, tightening the DSP and contribution rules with a short transition period. The program continues to run.
Who is Vanuatu citizenship a good fit for?+
It can suit people who want a lower-cost direct second nationality and for whom EU and UK access is not essential. It is a poor fit if visa-free Europe is the main goal. Current appearance, due-diligence and processing steps must be confirmed before filing.
Will Vanuatu regain EU or UK visa-free access?+
It is uncertain. Vanuatu has been in dialogue with the EU, and some agents speculate about restoration, but the EU suspension is described as permanent and there is no confirmed timeline for either the EU or the UK. Do not buy on the assumption that access will return.
Sources
What this report is built on
The primary and official sources used in the latest certification pass, dated above. We publish them so you can check the figures yourself.
- 1Vanuatu Citizenship Commission: fees and charges
- 2Vanuatu Citizenship Commission: citizenship categories
- 3Vanuatu Citizenship Commission: REO announcement
- 4Vanuatu FIU: 2025 file-screening notice
- 5Vanuatu Citizenship Commission: December 2024 enhanced due diligence and CIIP
- 6UK Government: Vanuatu visit-visa requirement
- 7European Union: withdrawal of Vanuatu visa exemption
- 8Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission (official government program site)
- 9Legislative Framework: Citizenship Act [Cap 112] & DSP Regulations Order No. 33 of 2019 · Vanuatu Citizenship Office
- 10Vanuatu: Council ends visa exemption · Council of the EU press release
- 11Vanuatu/European Union: European Council Fully Suspends Visa Waiver Agreement · Fragomen
- 12EU Gives Vanuatu 18 More Months to Fix CIP Before Full Suspension of Schengen Visa-Waiver · IMI Daily (Investment Migration Insider)
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