How much Vanuatu citizenship costs for one person and a family of four

Cost of Vanuatu citizenship: in brief

In brief: Vanuatu citizenship by investment is obtained under two programmes. DSP: a non-refundable contribution from $130,000 for one person to $180,000 for a couple with two children. The CIIP fund: $157,000 in one sum for a family of up to four, of which $50,000 is returned after 5 years. A single applicant or a couple does better with the DSP, a family of three or more with the fund.

The figure in adverts and the budget total differ by the FIU check fee: $5,000 under the DSP and $8,000 under the fund, once per application. This fee does not depend on the agent or the number of members: it is set by the state.

The passport, citizen’s rights and processing time are the same in both programmes: roughly 2-3 months from filing the full package. There are no annual payments after the passport is issued. Programme conditions, requirements and stages are collected in the overview how the Vanuatu citizenship programme works. The total for your family under both programmes is shown by the budget calculator.

How much Vanuatu citizenship costs turnkey

In brief: the turnkey total is the contribution plus the FIU check fee. Under the DSP that is $135,000 for one applicant, $155,000 for a couple, $170,000 for a family of three and $185,000 for a family of four.

The DSP contribution grows in steps. A second adult adds $20,000, and each of two children $15,000. Multiplying $130,000 by the number of members is wrong: a family of four pays a contribution of $180,000, not $520,000. The CIIP fund contribution for a family of up to four does not depend on the number of members.

Beyond the contribution, the budget adds only the FIU check fee: $5,000 under the DSP and $8,000 under the fund, once per application. Translation, certification and bank fees are calculated separately as invoiced.

For a family of five or more, the total depends on the members’ age and status. The application can include dependent children under 25 and parents over 50, and the budget calculates both programmes for the actual family. How a large three-generation family files one application is shown in case: a budget for a family of seven. Conditions for including relatives and the documents needed are described in who can be included in the application.

DSP or the CIIP fund: which is better value

In brief: for one applicant the DSP is $30,000 cheaper than the fund, for a couple $10,000 cheaper at the point of payment. From three people the fund is cheaper at the point of payment, and for a family of four it saves $20,000 straight away and returns $50,000 after 5 years.

The passport, citizen’s rights and processing time are the same in the two programmes; what differs is how the payment works. Under the DSP the money goes to the Vanuatu budget and is not refunded, and the amount depends on the family. Under the CIIP investment plan (Capital Investment Immigration Plan) the money is invested in a government-approved fund: one sum covers a family of up to four, and after 5 years the state buys back the stake and returns $50,000. In the cost calculator this option is called the “Coconut oil fund”.

For a single applicant

The DSP costs a single applicant $135,000 turnkey, the fund $165,000. Net of the return the fund comes to $115,000, but the $30,000 difference has to be paid up front, and $50,000 stays in the fund for five years. So for a single applicant the budget recommends the DSP. How the non-refundable contribution works and whom it suits is covered in the DSP programme.

For a couple and a family of three

For a couple the DSP is cheaper at the point of payment: $155,000 against $165,000. Net of the return the fund costs a couple $115,000, and the choice depends on whether they are ready to leave $50,000 in the fund for 5 years. For a family of three the fund is already cheaper at the point of payment: $165,000 against $170,000, and after 5 years another $50,000 comes back.

For a family of four or more

A family of four pays $165,000 under the fund and $185,000 under the DSP: a $20,000 difference in favour of the fund on the day of payment. After 5 years the state returns $50,000, and the family’s cost of citizenship is $115,000. For a fifth and each further member both programmes add a contribution, which the budget calculates by the person’s age and status.

Leaving the fund before five years is possible, but with loss of part of the amount under the agreement. If the money may be needed earlier, this is considered when choosing the programme. The fund and stake buy-back terms are covered in the CIIP fund with a $50,000 return. The REO option with investment in property in an approved project has operated since 23 July 2021, but its amount is not in the published fee schedule, so the budget does not calculate it; how REO works is described separately.

Cost worked out on three examples

In brief: below are three typical families with an itemised calculation. The amounts come from the budget calculator as of September 2026 and are recalculated if the family changes.

One applicant

A 45-year-old entrepreneur applies alone. Under the DSP: a $130,000 contribution and the $5,000 FIU check, a total of $135,000. The fund would cost $165,000 at the point of payment, so the budget recommends the DSP: the $30,000 difference stays with the applicant straight away, without waiting for a return.

A couple and a 10-year-old child

Under the DSP: a $165,000 contribution and the $5,000 check, a total of $170,000. Under the fund: a $157,000 contribution and the $8,000 check, a total of $165,000. The fund is $5,000 cheaper at the point of payment and returns $50,000 after 5 years, so for a family of three the budget recommends the fund, provided that money can stay in it for five years.

A couple and two children

Under the DSP: a $180,000 contribution and the $5,000 check, a total of $185,000. Under the fund: a $157,000 contribution and the $8,000 check, a total of $165,000. The family saves $20,000 at the point of payment and receives $50,000 after 5 years: over five years the difference from the DSP is $70,000.

If the family includes a dependent child aged 18 to 25 or parents over 50, they are added to the calculation as a separate line. The total for your family is shown by the calculator: the budget for your family works out both programmes and marks the cheaper one.

What the total is made of: contribution, fees and documents

In brief: the state sets the contribution and the FIU check fee; there are no other government amounts in the budget. Translation, certification of documents and support are paid separately, and each item has its own line in the budget.

The contribution: a payment to the budget or an investment in the fund

The DSP contribution is paid into the Vanuatu budget. Its amount is published by the Citizenship Office and is the same for all applicants, so there is nothing to negotiate with the agent. The contribution is paid on a treasury invoice after preliminary approval: the large part of the budget goes when the Commission has already decided on the application.

The CIIP fund contribution works differently. It is an investment in a government-approved project, and $50,000 of the sum is returned to the applicant after 5 years. It is also paid after Commission approval, in one payment to the fund’s account, and the investment terms are set by the fund agreement.

The FIU check fee

The due diligence fee is paid for the whole application, not per member: $5,000 under the DSP and $8,000 under the CIIP fund. It is the only government payment beyond the contribution that the budget shows as a separate line, and it is paid on filing, before the Commission’s decision. The agent requests the official contribution invoice for the specific application, so the total is checked against it before payment.

Translation, certification and support

The state does not set tariffs for this part. Documents issued in a language other than English are translated and certified, and police clearance certificates and marriage and birth certificates are apostilled. The cost depends on the number of documents and the countries where they were issued.

The application is filed through a licensed agent: the Citizenship Office does not accept applications directly from individuals. The agent’s work and legal support are paid under the agreement as a separate budget line. Seven budget items besides the contribution, from apostilles to bank fees, are covered in seven budget items besides the contribution, and applicant and source-of-funds requirements in requirements for Vanuatu citizenship applicants.

Due diligence: what the $5,000 or $8,000 pays for

In brief: the fee pays for the Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to check the applicant and adult family members. It is paid on filing and is not refunded whatever the decision.

The FIU checks convictions and open investigations, sanctions and wanted lists, public offices, business reputation and the origin of money. Each adult member is checked separately, but the fee is paid once. Under the CIIP fund it is higher: $8,000 against $5,000 under the DSP.

Questions most often arise not about the background but about the source of funds: the sale of a business with a complex ownership structure, large receipts without documents, income from digital asset transactions. So BRIDGES checks the background and source of funds before filing, while the fee has not yet been paid. How a source of funds from cryptocurrency is proven is covered separately, and the course of the check in due diligence for Vanuatu citizenship.

The check takes most of the processing time, which is 2-3 months overall. If the FIU requests an additional document, the timeline moves by the time needed to prepare it, and no new fee is paid. The stages week by week are in Vanuatu citizenship timelines.

When and in what order citizenship is paid for

In brief: under the DSP only the check fee is paid on filing, and the contribution is paid after preliminary approval on a treasury invoice. Under the CIIP fund the order is the same: the $8,000 FIU fee on filing, the $157,000 contribution after approval.

The payment order is checked against the agreement before signing. Under the DSP, a demand to pay the whole contribution when signing the agreement contradicts how the programme works: the contribution is paid after approval. Under the fund the contribution is also paid after approval, and the agreement is checked for whose account the money goes to and how the stake buy-back after 5 years is documented.

Government payments go to accounts of the Government of Vanuatu or the approved fund, not to an intermediary’s account. Bank details are taken from the official invoice issued for the application. How payments are spread across stages, from the preliminary check to the issue of the passport, is covered in payment order by stage.

A transfer of a large sum goes through bank compliance, so the account the payment will come from is chosen in advance. The sender’s bank and correspondent banks charge fees at their own rates, and these are budgeted separately from the contribution.

When the money must be in the account

Money is needed at two points. The FIU fee is paid after the preliminary check and the agreement, when the first package is filed. The contribution is transferred after the decision of the Commission, which sits twice a month, and there are 3 months after approval for the contribution and the oath. So the contribution amount is held in the account the transfer will come from by the sitting date: the bank’s review of a large payment takes time, and a margin removes the risk of the passport being delayed.

What is refunded if citizenship is refused

In brief: the FIU check fee is not refunded. The DSP contribution is not paid on refusal, because it is due after approval. The CIIP fund contribution is also paid after approval, so on refusal the main sum stays with the family.

Under the DSP, a refusal at the check stage means the large part of the budget stays with the applicant: no treasury invoice for the contribution is issued. What has been paid is the FIU fee, translation and certification of documents, and services under the agreement to the extent already performed.

Under the CIIP fund the order is the same: before the Commission’s decision the family pays only the $8,000 FIU fee, and the $157,000 contribution invoice is issued after approval. The terms of the stake buy-back and the $50,000 return after 5 years are set in the fund agreement, and BRIDGES checks this clause together with the client before payment.

If a citizen changes their mind after receiving the passport, the DSP contribution is not refunded: it is a payment into the country’s budget. The state buys back the fund stake after 5 years, and early exit is possible with loss of part of the amount. Before filing again, the reason for refusal is removed, otherwise the cost of a new application will not pay off. Grounds for refusal and next steps are covered in refusal of Vanuatu citizenship.

Cost of Vanuatu citizenship for Russian citizens

In brief: for Russian citizens the tariffs are the same: DSP from $130,000, the CIIP fund $157,000 for a family of up to four. What differs is preparation costs: apostilles and translation of Russian documents, payment from an account that accepts transfers to Vanuatu, and notification of the Interior Ministry after receiving the passport. Applicants from other countries with banking restrictions face similar payment questions.

Vanuatu’s programmes do not divide applicants by citizenship, and the turnkey total for Russian citizens is calculated with the same budget. Russian police clearance certificates and marriage and birth certificates are apostilled and translated into English. The police certificate is ordered so that it remains valid on the filing date.

The contribution and fees are paid in US dollars. Correspondent banks often do not let transfers from Russian banks through, so payment is planned in advance: from an account in a bank in another country and with source-of-funds documents. Which banks open accounts for Vanuatu citizens is covered in banks in Vanuatu. A Russian tax resident notifies the tax service of opening an account in a foreign bank and reports cash flows through it annually, so the payment account is chosen with these requirements in mind.

Biometrics for the passport are taken in Dubai, Hong Kong, Moscow, St Petersburg or Port Vila, so there is no need to budget for a flight to the islands. After receiving the passport, a Russian citizen notifies the Interior Ministry of the second citizenship within 60 days. The notification is free, and for failing to notify Article 330.2 of the Russian Criminal Code sets a fine of up to RUB 200,000. How to file the notification is described in dual citizenship of Russia and Vanuatu, and all programme conditions for Russian citizens in Vanuatu citizenship for Russian citizens.

The cost of Vanuatu compared with other programmes

In brief: the Vanuatu contribution is lower than in Caribbean programmes: $130,000 under the DSP for one person against $200,000-250,000 in the Caribbean. Caribbean passports give visa-free entry to the Schengen area; a Vanuatu passport does not, and families who need Europe arrange Greek residence as Vanuatu citizens.

The basic contribution for one applicant in the Caribbean: Dominica $200,000, Antigua and Barbuda $230,000, Grenada $235,000, Saint Lucia $240,000, St Kitts and Nevis $250,000. In Vanuatu it is $130,000 under the DSP, and the $157,000 CIIP fund covers a family of up to four.

For a family of four the gap is wider. Under the DSP the contribution for such a family is $180,000, under the fund $157,000, and in Dominica $250,000. The contribution for a family of four in Vanuatu is lower than the contribution for one applicant in Antigua, Grenada, Saint Lucia and St Kitts. Nauru’s programme has a lower contribution; its comparison with Vanuatu on timelines and visa-free destinations is in Vanuatu or Nauru.

For this sum the family receives permanent citizenship and a 10-year passport: 46 countries are open without a visa and another 42 give a visa on arrival. Citizenship passes to children by descent, and there is no need to pay again for the next generation. The list of destinations is in visa-free countries for the Vanuatu passport.

The timeline differs too. Vanuatu grants citizenship in roughly 2-3 months, while in Caribbean programmes the time depends on checks and requests, and no public timeline is guaranteed. For a family that needs the document quickly, time is part of the cost just as the contribution is.

Budget for the route to Europe: a Vanuatu passport and Greek residence

In brief: a family that needs to live in Europe plans two budgets: Vanuatu citizenship under the DSP or the CIIP fund, and Greek residence with a property threshold from €250,000 to €800,000 depending on the region. The whole turnkey package takes up to 9 months.

It works in two steps: a Vanuatu passport in 2-3 months, then a Greek Golden Visa residence application filed as a Vanuatu citizen. The DSP contribution goes to the Vanuatu budget, while the money for property in Greece remains an investment in an asset the family owns. A family of three or more does better with the CIIP fund: $165,000 turnkey, of which $50,000 is returned after 5 years.

Greek residence is arranged for the spouse, children and parents; it allows travel in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180, and permanent living in Greece is not required. Police certificates, apostilles and translations are ordered with both applications in mind, so the family does not pay for the same package twice. Conditions are described on Greek residence for Vanuatu citizens, a full cost comparison of programmes in the full cost comparison, and timelines in the programme speed index.

How to check a Vanuatu citizenship budget

In brief: a budget is checked in four steps: the government share separately from services, the contribution by family size, the payment order and the total. If government payments are merged into one line, they cannot be checked against the official tariff.

The government share and services

The contribution and FIU fee are published by the Citizenship Office and are the same for all agents. The state does not set the cost of services. In a correct budget these parts are separated: the government share is checked against the tariff, services against the agreement.

Family composition and choice of programme

The contribution matches the number and status of members: adults, children under 18, dependent children under 25, parents. If the budget was calculated for one person and the family plans to apply as four, it is recalculated. Also check whether both programmes were calculated: for a family of four the fund is $20,000 cheaper than the DSP, and a DSP-only budget will not show this difference.

Why agents’ figures differ

Some agents show only the contribution, others the total with documents and support. Some websites still carry tariffs from previous years. Budgets can be compared only by their itemised breakdown, not by the total figure.

The agent’s licence is checked as of the filing date, not the date of negotiations. How to check an agent is described in Vanuatu citizenship agent, and signs of fraudulent offers in Vanuatu passport scams.

What BRIDGES support includes

In brief: support covers the work from the preliminary check to delivery of the passports. Its cost is fixed in the agreement as a separate line, and government payments go on official invoices.

• a preliminary check of background and source of funds before the FIU fee is paid;
• choice of programme and a budget for the family;
• a document list, translation and certification;
• filing through a licensed agent and replies to check requests;
• biometrics in Dubai, Hong Kong, Moscow, St Petersburg or Port Vila;
• a remote oath, issue of passports and delivery.

The cost of support depends on the family and the source of funds. An application from a single applicant with employment income and one from a three-generation family with the sale of a business require different amounts of work. So the proposal is prepared after the preliminary check: with a list of services, cost and payment stages. Stages of work and the scope of services are shown on support under the Vanuatu programme.

Costs after receiving the passport

In brief: there are no annual payments, no citizenship tax and no requirement to live in the country. The passport is valid for 10 years and renewed at the published tariff, and relatives not included in the application are added by a separate application.

A Vanuatu passport is issued for 10 years. Renewal is at the passport service tariff, and citizenship status does not change. How to renew the passport while abroad is described in Vanuatu passport renewal.

A spouse, child or parents not included in the first application are added by a separate application with their own contribution and FIU check. So it pays for the family to apply in full from the start. How to add a family member after citizenship is granted is covered in adding family members to Vanuatu citizenship.

The passport itself creates no tax obligations in Vanuatu: tax residence is determined by where you live, not by a document. The country has no personal income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax. Details in taxes in Vanuatu.

Under the CIIP fund, after 5 years the state buys back the stake and returns $50,000. The buy-back date and the details for the return are set by the fund agreement, so a copy is kept together with the citizen’s documents.

How not to overpay for Vanuatu citizenship

In brief: the total is reduced by decisions made before filing: the programme by family size, one application for everyone, a source-of-funds check before the FIU fee and a payment prepared in advance.

1. Calculate both programmes. For a family of three or four the CIIP fund is cheaper than the DSP at the point of payment.
2. File the family in one application. A separate application for a relative after the passport requires a new contribution and a new check.
3. Check the source of funds before filing. The FIU fee is not refunded, and questions about the money are settled before it is paid.
4. Prepare documents with time to spare. An expired certificate sends the package back for rework, and repeat translation and apostilles are paid again.
5. Plan the transfer in advance. A rejected payment delays the passport and adds bank fees.

Typical applicant mistakes that increase the budget and timeline are collected in mistakes when applying for Vanuatu citizenship.

What can change the cost of the programme

In brief: in 2026 the Government of Vanuatu is reviewing its citizenship by investment programmes, so the final budget is confirmed by an official invoice for the application. The amounts in this article are current as of September 2026.

DSP tariffs are published on the official Citizenship Office page, and the fund terms are set by the CIIP agreement. Before giving the client the final budget, the agent obtains a current invoice, and payment is made on it, not on a figure from an article.

The second factor is the payment currency. The contribution and FIU fee are paid in US dollars, so when paying from an account in another currency, the total depends on the conversion rate and the fees of the sender’s bank and correspondent banks.

What has already changed in the conditions is collected in Vanuatu programme changes in 2026. Whether the programme justifies these costs in your situation is covered in is Vanuatu citizenship worth it, and what the passport gives in practice in benefits of Vanuatu citizenship.