Vanuatu citizenship by investment in 2026: a complete guide

The programme at a glance

In brief: Vanuatu ranks among the fastest citizenship-by-investment programmes (roughly two to three months, no trip to the islands). The DSP contribution starts at $130,000, while in the CIIP fund a family of up to four pays $157,000 and gets $50,000 back after five years. The passport has no visa-free access to the Schengen area or the UK, but it opens residence in Europe: the Greek Golden Visa and Hungary's programmes.

If you need a second passport quickly, without relocating, exams or a long wait, Vanuatu delivers faster than most programmes. The application is filed through a licensed agent and there is no need to fly to the islands: biometrics are taken in person in Dubai, Hong Kong, Moscow, St Petersburg or another city, and the oath is taken remotely. Documents are handled in English, and there is no language requirement.

The limitations matter too. Vanuatu passport holders used to enjoy visa-free travel to the Schengen area; in 2026 they do not. The European route now runs through residence: first the Vanuatu passport, then a residence permit in Greece or Hungary. Beyond that, the passport works as a back-up travel document, helps with business travel across Asia and covers the whole family in one application. The details follow.

Is Vanuatu right for you: a two-minute check

In brief: Vanuatu works when you need a second passport fast and without relocating. If there are grey areas in your background or in the source of your money, the programme still works, but it needs preparation. Below we cover both sides and three 2026 conditions worth knowing before you apply.

Who the programme suits straight away

• You need a second passport within two to three months: for a deal, a move or a change of tax domicile
• You cannot travel to the islands: biometrics can be given in Dubai, Hong Kong, Moscow and other cities
• You plan to enter Europe: a Vanuatu passport opens property purchase in Greece with a Golden Visa, as well as Hungarian programmes that are closed to some passports
• Your income is documented and your background has no disputed episodes
• You want to include your spouse and children in one application
• Similar situations are covered in our cases: a back-up passport for a tech founder, visa-free Asia for a trading business, a family of four on the move

Where preparation comes first

• You have had refusals for visas or other citizenship programmes
• Your funds come from the sale of a business with a complex ownership structure
• Your application includes parents or adult children, and their dependency must be documented
• Your goal is tied to a specific bank or account-opening jurisdiction
• You need a specific travel plan, so we check the list of countries on the filing date
• Your timing is tied to a deal or deadline, so we plan it with a buffer for authority requests

In these cases we look at the documents first and only then name a timeline.

What a Vanuatu passport gives you in practice

Vanuatu citizenship is full citizenship, not a residence permit. It gives you a second biometric passport valid for ten years, the right to enter and live in the country without time limits, the right to pass citizenship to your children and the right to keep your current citizenship: Vanuatu does not require you to give it up.

The status solves practical tasks: a back-up travel document when your main passport limits travel; a legal basis for changing tax domicile when you actually relocate; a first step towards Greek residence; one document for the whole family within a single application.

What needs separate work beyond the passport

The route to Europe is what our clients choose most often. A Vanuatu passport is issued in two to three months and opens European residence programmes that were out of reach with a previous nationality. From there, the European status does the work: Greek residence through property, Hungarian programmes.

Three things are handled separately from the application. Tax residence depends on where a person actually lives and where their centre of interests is. A passport alone does not move it. Opening an account at a particular bank depends on that bank's policy. European residence is a second step, with its own rules and its own budget.

What has changed by 2026

Three things to know before you apply. Each is covered in its own section below; here is the essence.

Due diligence has been tightened. In 2026 the Government of Vanuatu is reviewing its investment programmes: a commission of inquiry has published a report recommending stronger controls. For applicants this means one thing: the quality of documents matters more than before, and poorly prepared files have become the main reason for refusals. What the Financial Intelligence Unit looks at is covered in the section on the source of funds.

The visa-free list has shrunk. The passport itself now opens fewer destinations than before. Europe remains within reach: a Vanuatu passport opens European residence programmes that are closed to some passports, namely the Greek Golden Visa through property and Hungary's programmes. The current list of destinations is in the section on visa-free access.

Tariffs are fixed by invoice. The DSP contribution starts at $130,000 for a single applicant, and the due diligence fee is $5,000 per application. The amounts are confirmed by an official invoice on the filing date, so we never quote from memory: we request a current invoice through the licensed agent before every application. Costs by family composition are in the section on conditions and cost.

Why Vanuatu is faster than other programmes

Vanuatu's speed is not marketing but a feature of how the programme is built. Most citizenship-by-investment programmes take 6-12 months or longer: multi-stage checks, queues and sometimes a mandatory holding period for a property investment. Vanuatu keeps the model as simple as possible.

• Donation model. You make a non-refundable contribution to a state development fund instead of buying property or opening a deposit. There is no property to find, no deal to close and no title registration to wait for.
• No trip to the islands. Documents are filed through a licensed agent, the oath is taken remotely and biometrics are given in person in Dubai, Hong Kong, Moscow, St Petersburg or during a visit by an authorised officer of the Vanuatu Immigration Service.
• Compact due diligence. The Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) runs the checks, and with a complete set of documents they fit within the overall timeline without repeat requests.
• No exams. There is no language, history or constitution test, unlike classic naturalisation in European countries.

Together this gives a timeline that realistically fits into roughly two to three months from a complete application to the passport. It is one of the shortest among citizenship-by-investment programmes. You can see it in practice in the case a passport before a deal deadline in Singapore and in the story of a busy CEO taking the oath remotely.

What the programme is based on: law and state bodies

In brief: Vanuatu citizenship is granted under official government programmes. Contributions go to the state budget through the Treasury, decisions are made by the government body responsible for citizenship, and applicants are checked by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Tariffs are published on a government portal.

The first question to ask about any citizenship-by-investment programme is whether it is actually legal. For Vanuatu the answer is clear. The Development Support Program (DSP) was created by government decisions under Vanuatu's citizenship legislation. The current legal acts and official tariffs are published on the portal of the Citizenship Office, the government body that administers the programme (primary sources are listed in the “Sources and methodology” block at the end of the article). How the citizenship law works and what it guarantees applicants is covered separately in Vanuatu's citizenship programme under the law.

Four parties are involved, each with its own responsibility:

Is Vanuatu's citizenship programme legal?

Yes. It is an official government programme: the contribution goes to the state budget under a Treasury invoice, citizenship is granted by a government body, and tariffs and legal acts are published on the government portal vancitizenship.gov.vu. What can be illegal is not the programme but grey intermediaries who promise a passport outside the official process. We cover them below, in the section on mistakes.

What is the 2026 programme review about?

In 2026 the Government of Vanuatu is reviewing its investment programmes: a commission of inquiry (COI) has published a report with recommendations to strengthen controls. The report is available on the website of the Prime Minister's Office. For applicants this means two practical things. First, checks have become stricter, and document quality now matters more than before. Second, tariffs and rules are fixed only by an official invoice at the time of filing, so at BRIDGES we never quote costs from memory: we request a current invoice through the licensed agent before every application.

Where the programme came from and why Vanuatu needs it

Understanding the state's motivation is the best cure for the fear that the programme might close tomorrow. Vanuatu is a small island economy in a seismically active region: the country regularly faces destructive cyclones and earthquakes and has few sources of foreign currency of its own. It launched its large-scale citizenship programme after Cyclone Pam in 2015, one of the most destructive in the history of Oceania, when the budget urgently needed funds for reconstruction.

Since then, applicant contributions have become one of the key sources of state revenue. That is why the programme is not a side business for Vanuatu but a systemic source of financing: the state has a direct interest in keeping it running and protecting its reputation. It also explains how the authorities responded to the EU's concerns: not by closing the programme but by tightening checks and rebuilding controls, which is exactly what the 2026 review is doing.

Two practical conclusions follow for applicants. The programme is not going away in the foreseeable future: it matters too much to the budget. But its rules will keep drifting towards stricter checks, so applying later becomes objectively harder year after year than applying now, and it makes sense to lock in the terms with an official invoice while they apply.

Conditions and cost: how much a Vanuatu passport costs

In brief: there are two programmes. Under DSP the contribution to the development fund is $130,000 for a single applicant under the published tariff, rising for families. In the CIIP fund one amount of $157,000 covers a family of up to four, and the state returns $50,000 after five years. The due diligence fee and government charges are paid on top of the contribution.

The first programme, DSP (Development Support Program), is simple: you make a non-refundable contribution to the state budget and receive a passport after approval. The second, the CIIP investment fund, is covered in the next section. As a rule, the DSP money is paid only after a positive due diligence decision, which lowers the risk for the applicant.

Budget for additional costs on top of the main contribution:

• Due diligence fee (FIU): $5,000 per application under the published tariff. It is non-refundable and pays for the check itself, whatever the outcome.
• Government charges: biometrics processing, ID, certificate and the passport itself.
• Bank and service fees: transfers, document certification, licensed agent services.

Beyond the contribution, the programme has published government fees. They are fixed and known in advance:

Each cost line is broken down with sample quotes in our core guide how much Vanuatu citizenship costs. A full quote is always wider than government tariffs. The following cannot be built into a fixed total in advance: fees of the advisory firm and the local licensed agent, notarisation, apostille and certified translations, asset valuation and audit, bank commissions and currency conversion, medical certificates and courier delivery. These amounts depend on your country, family composition and document set, so a serious estimate is always prepared for a specific family rather than as a one-size-fits-all figure. You can build a preliminary quote for your family in the Vanuatu citizenship cost calculator.

When the money is paid: payment order

Payments follow a strict sequence, and this is built-in protection for the applicant. The main rule: the DSP contribution itself is paid only after a positive due diligence decision, at the stage set out in the official procedure. Paying the DSP contribution before that stage would be a serious mistake.

How much does Vanuatu citizenship cost for a family of four?

The published DSP contribution for a couple with two children is $180,000, while in the CIIP fund the same family pays $157,000 and gets $50,000 back after five years. On top of this come the $5,000 due diligence fee per application, government charges for registration and passports, and document preparation costs. We fix the full quote for your family with an official invoice before we start.

We calculate exact amounts and the final quote for your family individually: the Vanuatu authorities review programme tariffs from time to time, so we always confirm current figures at the time of filing. Do not take all-inclusive figures from other people's promises at face value: the total depends on your family composition and the official invoice on the filing date.

DSP or the CIIP fund: which programme to choose

In brief: for a single applicant DSP is the better deal: the payment is lower and no money stays in a fund for five years. For a family of four or more the CIIP fund is better: one amount covers everyone, and the state returns $50,000 after five years.

The passport and citizen's rights are the same under both programmes; the difference is how the payment works. Under DSP you make a non-refundable contribution whose size depends on your family composition. Under the Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP) the money goes into a fund approved by the Government of Vanuatu: one amount covers a family of up to four, and after five years the state buys back the share and returns $50,000. In the cost calculator this option is called the Coconut Oil Fund.

Which is better for your family composition

It comes down to who is in the application. For a single applicant DSP is $30,000 cheaper at payment, and nothing has to stay in a fund. For a couple DSP is $10,000 cheaper at payment, but once the refund is counted the fund comes out ahead: the question is whether you are ready to leave $50,000 in the fund for five years. For a family of three the fund is already cheaper at payment, and for a family of four it is $20,000 cheaper upfront, with another $50,000 returned after five years.

You can exit the fund before five years, but an early exit means losing part of the amount, and the terms are fixed in the contract before payment. For a family of five or more, the total depends on who is included in the application, so we calculate it in a quote for your specific family.

Applicant requirements

Vanuatu's programme has some of the most liberal entry conditions. The basic requirements are:

• Age 18+. The main applicant must be an adult.
• Clean record. No criminal convictions, no presence on sanctions lists and no Interpol notices. What to do if there were past incidents is covered in Vanuatu citizenship and a criminal record.
• Lawful source of income. The origin of funds must be documented.
• Financial standing. The authority assesses your ability to make the contribution and support the family members included in the application. This is confirmed with bank and corporate documents.
• No residence or language requirements. You do not need to live on the islands or pass exams.

Your family can be included in the application: a spouse, children (usually up to 25 if financially dependent) and, in some cases, parents and other dependent relatives. It is best to agree the exact family members and supporting documents in advance: this affects both the contribution and the document set.

How the process works: step by step

The whole journey from the first conversation to the passport in hand usually fits into six stages.

The full list of documents for each family member is in documents for Vanuatu citizenship, and a realistic week-by-week timeline is in how long Vanuatu citizenship takes. In practice, document preparation on the applicant's side takes the most time. The faster and more carefully the file is assembled (especially the proof of source of funds), the shorter the overall timeline. That is why we invest in preparation early: it speeds up the process and lowers the risk of refusal at the due diligence stage.

Where biometrics are taken

Every person in the application, including children, gives biometrics in person: they cannot be submitted remotely. There is no need to fly to Vanuatu for this. With BRIDGES, biometrics are taken in Dubai, Hong Kong and Port Vila, as well as in Moscow and St Petersburg. By arrangement, an authorised officer of the Vanuatu Immigration Service travels to the city where the family is and takes biometrics on site.

BRIDGES roadmap: 12 preparation checkpoints

In brief: the six stages above show the process from the client's side. Internally, we run every application through 12 checkpoints, from legal qualification to the physical handover of originals. No stage starts until the previous one is closed.

This level of detail is not bureaucracy but risk management. Almost all costly mistakes in investment citizenship come from breaking the sequence: an investment paid before the set stage, documents filed with inconsistencies, a fee paid before the chances were assessed. The roadmap rules this out by design.

Note checkpoint 0: no filing work starts before it. If there is no lawful basis or the risks are clearly insurmountable, we advise against applying and tell you so before you spend any money. Each stage is covered in detail in our step-by-step guide how to obtain Vanuatu citizenship.

Source of funds: the programme's main test

In brief: of all the documents in an application, proof of source of funds most often decides the outcome. The check looks at two questions: where your wealth comes from in general (source of wealth) and where the specific money for the contribution comes from (source of funds).

These are different questions, and you need answers to both. Source of wealth describes where your wealth came from: business, career, sale of assets, inheritance. Source of funds describes the path of the specific amount: which account the payment will come from and how the money got there. A file where the second part does not match the first raises questions even with an impeccable reputation.

What the evidence includes:

• Bank statements: for the accounts used for payment, with a traceable history of incoming funds.
• Tax returns: the income that built the capital must be visible to the tax authorities of your country.
• Corporate documents: registration, shareholdings, financial statements and dividend resolutions if the source is a business.
• Transaction documents: asset sale agreements, inheritance certificates, gift deeds.
• Consistent name spelling: across all documents, including translations. A one-letter discrepancy turns into a request and weeks of delay.

Can a relative or partner pay the contribution?

Yes, the official procedure allows a benefactor: the contribution can be paid by someone other than the applicant. But this makes things more complex, not simpler: both the applicant and the payer must prove their source of funds, and both go through due diligence. We work through this scenario separately before filing.

Crypto-related capital deserves a separate mention: exchange statements and transaction chains also add up to a traceable source if they are prepared properly. How this worked for a client is described in the case citizenship with crypto capital.

Weak spots in the source of funds are not a dead end but a preparation task: some evidence can be restored, and some can be replaced with alternative documents. How the FIU reviews documents and which red flags it looks for is covered in Vanuatu due diligence checks.

Visa-free access: what has shrunk by 2026

In brief: a Vanuatu passport gives visa-free or simplified entry to more than 90 destinations, but the Schengen area, the EU and the UK are no longer on the list. Vanuatu passport holders reach Europe through residence: a Greek residence permit or Hungary's programmes.

Visa-free entry to the Schengen area used to be Vanuatu's main advantage. That is no longer the case. The European Union reviewed the agreement over concerns about citizenship-by-investment programmes and removed visa-free travel in stages: access to Schengen was effectively suspended in early 2023, and in December 2024 the EU confirmed the visa regime for Vanuatu by regulation. Vanuatu nationals now need a standard Schengen visa to travel to Europe.

The UK took the same path: it introduced a visa requirement for Vanuatu nationals over the same concerns about investment citizenship. The timeline and details of Europe's closure are covered in the Vanuatu passport and Schengen. A Vanuatu passport does not give, and never gave, visa-free entry to the United States. How to obtain a US visa with this passport is explained in US visas for Vanuatu nationals.

What remains available visa-free or with a visa on arrival:

• Many destinations in Asia (a country-by-country breakdown is in visa-free Asia with a Vanuatu passport).
• Some Latin American countries.
• Caribbean and Oceania states.
• Selected destinations in Africa and the Middle East.

Different passport indices put the figure at roughly 90 to 110 destinations, and the exact number depends on the counting method and keeps changing. So when choosing Vanuatu, focus not on an attractive number from someone's promises but on the specific countries that matter to you. We keep an updated list of destinations by region, from South-East Asia to the Caribbean, in visa-free countries for the Vanuatu passport. To move to Europe, Vanuatu passport holders apply for Greek residence or Hungary's programmes.

Home-country rules: what to settle separately

In brief: the practical side of the application depends not only on Vanuatu but also on your home country. Three questions need to be settled at home: whether you must notify the authorities of a second citizenship, how the payment will be routed through banks, and which tax rules apply to you.

Vanuatu reviews applications under the general procedure, with the same government due diligence. The differences come from the legislation of the applicant's home country.

• Notification of a second citizenship. Some countries require citizens to notify the authorities of a second citizenship within a set period (Russia has such a rule, for example), and some countries do not allow dual citizenship at all. The applicant files any notification personally, within the deadline and in the form in force when the passport is received.
• Payment routing. The contribution goes to Vanuatu's budget under an official invoice, and the transfer route must take into account restrictions applied by correspondent banks, which depend on the payer's country and bank. This is solvable, but it is worked out before filing, not at the moment of payment.
• Tax rules at home. A second passport does not change your tax residence and does not cancel controlled foreign company (CFC) rules or currency controls if they apply to you.

Each of these questions deserves a separate conversation, and the details keep changing. For an example of a country-specific breakdown, see Vanuatu citizenship for Russian nationals; dual citizenship rules are covered in Vanuatu and second citizenship for Russian nationals, and CFC and currency control rules in CFC and currency control after a Vanuatu passport.

Are there restrictions by nationality in 2026?

Vanuatu has not introduced a ban for Russian and CIS nationals: they continue to apply and receive passports in 2026. Every application goes through the same government due diligence, where a transparent source of funds and a correct payment route become key, and that is where we focus during preparation. Whether your nationality involves additional requirements is something we check at the first consultation.

Vanuatu compared with the alternatives

In brief: Vanuatu ranks among the fastest and most affordable programmes, while European mobility is built through residence. Caribbean programmes cost more and take longer, but their passports open Europe. Nauru has a lower threshold, but its programme is much younger.

Choosing a programme always means weighing money, time and travel geography. Here are the published entry thresholds of the main alternatives for their base options:

Thresholds are based on published programme tariffs at the review date, and the final quote in each programme is higher because of due diligence fees, government charges and document costs. Programmes can only be compared on a full quote for your family. We prepare it during the consultation.

Which to choose: Vanuatu or a Caribbean passport?

If time and simplicity matter most, choose Vanuatu: two to three months versus much longer Caribbean processes, with no trip to the islands. If travel geography matters most, the Caribbean fits: those passports keep visa-free Schengen access, which Vanuatu no longer has. We cover this choice in detail in Vanuatu versus Caribbean programmes, and the cheapest competitor in Vanuatu or Nauru.

Taxes and the financial side

Vanuatu has no income tax: the country does not tax individuals' worldwide income, and there is no capital gains, inheritance or gift tax in the usual sense. Vanuatu citizenship by itself does not create tax residence and does not oblige you to pay tax on the islands.

But it is important not to be misled. A second passport does not cancel your tax obligations in the country where you actually live and are tax resident. Tax residence is determined not by a passport but by the rules of your country of residence (number of days, centre of vital interests and so on). The islands' tax system is covered in detail in Vanuatu taxes for citizens. That is why Vanuatu should be seen as part of a structure, not as an automatic way to stop paying taxes.

Banking compliance is another point to consider. Because of reputational questions around the programme, some banks ask Vanuatu passport holders additional questions when opening accounts. This is not a ban, but it is one more reason to have a transparent, documented history of your funds, which the programme requires anyway.

What BRIDGES checks before filing (due diligence)

In brief: before filing we run our own pre-check so that you do not pay a fee for an application that is likely to be rejected. Vanuatu's government due diligence is strict, and we remove risks in advance.

Government due diligence in Vanuatu is carried out by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Checks have become noticeably stricter in recent years: weak controls in the past led to the EU's concerns, and the authorities are responding by tightening checks. What the state checks:

• Presence on sanctions lists and wanted databases (including Interpol).
• The origin and lawfulness of funds.
• Criminal records, litigation and tax history.
• Reputation in open sources and the media.
• The applicant's financial standing.
• The same set of checks for every adult family member in the application.

Before filing, BRIDGES runs its own preliminary check in the same areas. The reason is simple: the due diligence fee is non-refundable. If a person is likely to be rejected, there is no point paying for the check and losing time. It is better to say so straight away. We look for potential red flags in advance, help collect and properly document the source of funds and advise on how to close weak spots. This lowers the risk of refusal and saves both money and weeks of waiting.

We explain how due diligence works in island and Caribbean programmes in more detail in due diligence in Caribbean programmes.

Why applications are refused and what to do next

In brief: the vast majority of refusals come not from bad luck but from a specific weakness in the documents that could have been seen in advance. That is why a preliminary check before filing matters more than any fast track.

Typical reasons for a negative decision:

• Sanctions lists and wanted databases. A match on sanctions, Interpol notices or extremist databases leads to an immediate refusal.
• Unclear source of funds. The capital exists, but there is no documentary history. This is the most common problem we see.
• Inconsistent documents. Mismatched dates, names and family chains between documents from different years and countries.
• Concealed facts. Hiding past visa refusals, convictions or bankruptcies is worse than the fact itself: the check finds it, and trust in the application is already damaged.
• Negative media profile. Publications and litigation that the applicant is not ready to explain with documents.

The main principle of risk management is simple: an explained fact is a workable situation, while a concealed fact is a reason for refusal. Almost any difficulty can be presented with documents and explanations if you know about it in advance.

Is the money returned after a refusal?

The DSP contribution is not lost on refusal, because under the official procedure it is paid only after approval, and no payment is required before that stage. The $5,000 due diligence fee, however, is not refunded: it pays for the FIU's work whatever the outcome. This is one more argument for assessing your chances before filing.

A refusal is not a final verdict. The reason is analysed, the documents are strengthened and, in some situations, a new application or a different programme is possible, as in the case approval after a refusal. What to do after a negative decision is covered separately in refusals of Vanuatu citizenship.

How to choose an agent and not lose money

In brief: Vanuatu citizenship applications are accepted only through government-licensed agents. Anyone who promises to file directly or through their own channels is, by definition, operating outside the official process.

The investment citizenship market attracts fraudsters, and Vanuatu is no exception: promises of a discounted passport in two weeks, fake government letters, prepayment to personal accounts. Three simple checks protect you:

• Agent licence. The government publishes a list of designated agents, and the representative filing your application must be on it. The check takes minutes and screens out the vast majority of schemes.
• Official invoices. State payments under the programme go to Treasury accounts at published tariffs. If you are asked to transfer a government fee to a private individual's account or a so-called partner company, stop immediately.
• Realistic promises. Guaranteed dates, approval without checks and prices well below published thresholds give a scheme away. The $130,000 contribution is set by the government, and there are no discounts on it.

BRIDGES works through a licensed agent and passes official invoices to the client in their original form as part of our transparency standard. How the intermediary market works and how to spot dishonest players is covered in detail in choosing a licensed Vanuatu agent.

Common mistakes and risks

Most problems with Vanuatu come not from the programme itself but from wrong expectations. The most common mistakes:

• Expecting visa-free Schengen access. The passport has not given visa-free entry to Europe since 2023. Vanuatu passport holders reach Europe through residence: a Greek residence permit or Hungary's programmes.
• Believing promises of a “guaranteed passport in 2-3 weeks”. Typical schemes are described in Vanuatu passport scams. A realistic timeline is roughly two to three months and depends on how quickly documents are prepared and how the checks go. Hard guarantees on a date should raise a red flag.
• An incomplete or careless document set. Especially on the source of funds: this is where checks most often stall or fail.
• Working with unlicensed intermediaries. Applications are filed only through government-authorised agents. Grey intermediaries lead straight to lost money.
• Ignoring taxes at home. A second passport does not cancel your tax residence in your country of residence.

Changing rules are a separate risk. Island citizenship-by-investment programmes are periodically paused to recalibrate checks and tariffs. This is normal practice, but it means the terms are best fixed at the time of filing rather than postponing the decision indefinitely while counting on today's figures.

After the passport: what a Vanuatu citizen should know

In brief: citizenship is granted for life and passes to children, while the passport has an expiry date. The status does not need renewal, but you need to keep track of documents and family changes.

Vanuatu issues biometric passports valid for 10 years. When a passport expires, the booklet is simply replaced: citizenship status is not reviewed, and you do not need to go through the programme again. Do not confuse the two documents: the passport is a travel document, while the citizenship certificate confirms the status itself. Keep the certificate as carefully as original title documents: you will need it for every passport replacement and for your children's documents.

After receiving their passports, Vanuatu citizens regularly come to us with a few typical situations:

• The family grows. A new spouse or a newborn child is added to citizenship through a separate process after your passport, as in the cases a passport for a newborn and a joint application for newlyweds. How this works is covered in citizenship for family members after the passport.
• A lost or damaged passport. The document is restored through a licensed agent; what matters is having the citizenship certificate. The replacement process is described in replacing and restoring a Vanuatu passport, and renewal on expiry is shown in the case passport renewal after expiry.
• Tax planning. A passport alone does not create tax residence: if you want to change your tax jurisdiction, it is a separate process with its own rules, covered in the guide on Vanuatu tax residence.
• Rights and obligations. What citizenship gives and requires, from voting to military service, is collected in a separate article on the rights and obligations of a Vanuatu citizen.

Does Vanuatu citizenship pass to children?

Yes. Citizenship is granted for life and passes to children: those born after you obtain the status are registered by descent. This is one of the reasons families see the contribution not as an expense but as a long-term family decision.

How to start with BRIDGES

We support Vanuatu citizenship by investment from the first consultation to the passport in hand. The process is simple and transparent.

1. Free consultation. We look at your goal and tell you whether Vanuatu fits or another programme is worth considering.
2. Pre-check. We run our own due diligence to assess your chances before any government fee is paid.
3. File preparation. We help collect and properly prepare documents, especially on the source of funds.
4. Filing and support. We file the application through a licensed agent and guide you through every stage until the passport is issued.

Our approach is simple: if we see that the programme does not suit you or the chances are low, we will say so straight away, before you spend any money. Write to us and we will prepare a quote and timeline for your family.

You can arrange the programme end to end, get a personal budget calculation and ongoing support on the BRIDGES service page.