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Pathway

Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment

Vanuatu Citizenship
Pathway overview

At a glance

Vanuatu lists several separate contribution- or investment-linked citizenship programs, including DSP, VCP, CIIP, and REO. Their rules and costs are not interchangeable, so an applicant should confirm the exact current program, approved agent or project, government charges, and due-diligence requirements before paying.

Type
Citizenship by investment
Investment fit
Applicants using one of Vanuatu's current contribution- or investment-linked citizenship programs
Core requirements
The exact program's contribution or investment, lawful funds, due diligence, fees, and Commission approval
What to know
Vanuatu has several distinct citizenship-investment programs; confirm the current route and charges before paying
Minimum investment
USD $130,000
Investment choices
Government donation

Summary

Vanuatu operates several investment- or contribution-linked citizenship programs. The Citizenship Office currently lists the Development Support Program (DSP), Vanuatu Contribution Program (VCP), Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP), and Real Estate Option Program (REO) among its citizenship categories. These are direct citizenship applications, not ordinary residence visas followed by naturalization.

The program names are not interchangeable. A contribution application uses the government-prescribed contribution and fee schedule. An REO applicant must purchase property in a Vanuatu Government Approved Project and pay the separate prescribed fees. CIIP has its own statutory conditions. Before paying, obtain written confirmation from the Citizenship Office or a currently recognized program agent identifying the exact legal route, form, approved project or contribution, dependents, and government charges.

Vanuatu permits dual citizenship under its amended law, but another country may restrict or end its citizenship when a person naturalizes elsewhere. Check the other country's rule independently.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

The detailed requirements vary by program, but an investment-linked application normally requires all of the following:

For the REO route, the Citizenship Office says the applicant must buy in a government-approved project; an ordinary home purchase is not enough. Its current public page names four approved projects, but that list and the status of a master agent or project must be rechecked at the time of filing.

The Citizenship Office currently publishes an FIU diligence charge of USD $5,000 and a contribution schedule beginning at USD $130,000 for one applicant, with higher amounts for a couple and children. It separately lists Form D charges and REO rules. These figures do not prove that a particular applicant or program qualifies, and the Office expressly tells applicants to confirm the correct current fee. Do not accept an agent's discount below a government-mandated amount.

What This Route Allows

If the Commission grants the application and the citizenship process is completed, the applicant becomes a Vanuatu citizen under the approved program and may apply for a Vanuatu passport and citizen identity documentation. A new citizen must register for a National Identity Card; the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Department says this should be done within 28 days of the citizenship grant.

Citizenship permits residence in Vanuatu without a separate immigration visa. The amended Citizenship Act also recognizes a dual citizen's right to invest in Vanuatu and access a passport after the citizenship certificate is granted. Other legal requirements—such as land, company, professional, and business licensing rules—still apply.

Family inclusion depends on the program and the dependent's age and relationship. A person listed as a dependent does not qualify merely because the principal has enough money; the dependent must meet the program's documentation and screening rules and be included correctly before approval.

What This Route Is Not

This is not a guaranteed passport purchase. Payment, nomination, property purchase, or preliminary due diligence does not bind the Commission to grant citizenship. False statements, fraud, or concealment can result in loss or revocation of citizenship.

It is not a guaranteed travel-access product. The European Union permanently moved Vanuatu to its visa-required list through Regulation (EU) 2025/11 after concerns about the investor-citizenship schemes. The United Kingdom also requires Vanuatu nationals to obtain a visa before travel. Visa policies in other destinations can change, so verify each destination using its own official entry rules before attributing value to passport access.

“Honorary citizenship” in the program name should not be read as a promise of every political, electoral, land, or public-office right enjoyed by every category of citizen. Check the statute and the certificate issued for the specific route.

Next Steps

  1. Ask the Vanuatu Citizenship Office which program is open and suitable now. Record the exact statutory program name and form.
  2. Verify the agent or master agent directly against the Commission's current records. Do not rely on a copied license, social-media page, or similar domain name.
  3. Obtain a written government-fee breakdown and, for REO, confirmation that the exact project and property remain government approved. Keep program fees separate from agent, legal, bank, property, and tax costs.
  4. Complete source-of-funds review before transferring money. Bank records, tax returns, company ownership records, contracts, sale documents, and explanations should form one consistent trail.
  5. Prepare certified identity, birth, marriage, dependency, police, and medical documents for every person in the application, following the current nomination checklist.
  6. Do not describe the application as approved until the Commission has decided it and all contribution or investment, oath, certificate, identity-registration, and passport steps are complete.
  7. Independently check dual-nationality consequences, tax, sanctions and banking access, and current visa requirements for important travel destinations.
Compare your options

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Sources