How to get Vanuatu citizenship: from the check to the passport in 2-3 months

How to get Vanuatu citizenship: in short

In short: the application is filed through a licensed agent; after the FIU check the Citizenship Commission decides, the applicant pays the contribution, gives biometrics and takes the oath by video call. The whole process takes 2-3 months from filing a complete application and is done remotely.

The passport is issued under two programmes with the same citizen’s rights. Under the DSP the contribution is non-refundable and depends on family size: $130,000 for one applicant, $180,000 for a couple with two children. Under the CIIP fund a family of up to four pays $157,000, and after 5 years the government returns $50,000.

The decision depends on the applicant’s background and source-of-funds documents. There are no exams, no interview and no requirement to live in Vanuatu. The programme terms and how it compares with others are covered in the review of the Vanuatu citizenship by investment programme, and a detailed process map in 7 stages of the application.

Grounds for obtaining Vanuatu citizenship

In short: the Citizenship Act and the Constitution of Vanuatu provide four grounds: investment, naturalisation, marriage to a citizen, and birth or descent. Without living in the country, citizenship can be obtained only by investment or by descent.

Citizenship by investment

The investment programme is designed for foreigners who do not live in Vanuatu. The applicant contributes under the DSP or to the CIIP fund, passes the FIU check and receives the same citizenship as a citizen by birth. The Citizenship Commission decides, and applications are filed only through a licensed agent. How the law and government bodies of the programme work is described in the Citizenship Act and the Citizenship Commission.

Naturalisation

Under Form A, citizenship may be granted to a foreigner who has lived in Vanuatu continuously and lawfully for at least 10 years before applying. The Commission assesses residence, trips abroad and ties to the community, and a certificate of citizenship by naturalisation costs VT 600,000. This route suits those who have already moved to the islands. Details are in naturalisation in Vanuatu.

Marriage to a Vanuatu citizen

Under Form B, a foreigner lawfully married to a Vanuatu citizen may apply if they have lived in the country for at least 2 years before applying. A certificate on this ground costs VT 50,000. Marriage alone does not give citizenship: both marriage and residence are required. Conditions and documents are described in citizenship through marriage.

Birth and descent

A child with at least one parent who is a Vanuatu citizen acquires citizenship by descent, including when born abroad. The same rule applies to children born after their parents obtained citizenship by investment: no new contribution is paid for them.

Restoration of citizenship

A former Vanuatu citizen who lost citizenship may apply to restore it using a separate form. A certificate on this ground costs VT 50,000, or VT 20,000 for a child under 18. Conditions are checked under the Citizenship Act as of the application date.

Since 2013 the Constitution of Vanuatu has recognised dual citizenship. A citizen with two nationalities may not hold public office or take part in Vanuatu politics, but otherwise has the same rights as any citizen. There is no need to give up a previous citizenship, but the rules of the first country of citizenship are checked separately.

Applicant requirements under the investment programme

In short: the main applicant is over 18, has no criminal record or open criminal cases, is not on sanctions lists, is in good health and documents a lawful source of funds. There is no need to live in Vanuatu, speak a language or sit exams.

• main applicant aged 18 or over;
• no criminal record, wanted notices or open criminal investigations;
• not on international sanctions lists;
• a lawful and documented source of funds for the contribution;
• proven assets of at least $250,000, held by the applicant or jointly with a spouse;
• a medical certificate confirming no serious illness;
• a valid passport for each family member.

A spouse, dependent children under 25 and parents over 50 can be included in the application. For adult children and parents, dependency on the main applicant is proven with transfer statements, study certificates and documents on living together. Who can be included and on what terms is covered in who can be included in the application.

A criminal record or a previous visa or programme refusal does not always mean refusal, but requires documents and explanations before filing. How such cases are prepared is described in applying with a criminal record or after a refusal.

DSP or CIIP fund: which programme to choose

In short: for a single applicant the DSP costs less, for a family of three or more the CIIP fund does. The passport, rights and processing time are the same; the amount and payment order differ.

Under the DSP the contribution is paid after the application is approved and is not refunded. The all-in total is $140,000 for a single applicant and $199,000 for a family of four. Under the CIIP fund the $157,000 is the same for a family of up to four, is paid in a single payment before filing, and after 5 years the government buys back the share and returns $50,000. The all-in total for a family of four is $179,000, or $129,000 after the return.

The FIU check fee is $5,000 for the DSP and $8,000 for the fund. Early exit from the fund is possible before five years with the loss of part of the amount under the contract. A calculation by family size is in all-in total by family size, and how the fund works in the CIIP fund and the DSP programme.

Steps: from the check to the passport

In short: the process has eight steps: preliminary check, contract, documents, filing, FIU check, decision and contribution, biometrics and oath, passport issue. Document preparation and the FIU check take the longest.

Preparation: steps 1-3

The work starts with a preliminary check. BRIDGES reviews the background, sanctions lists and source-of-funds documents before the applicant pays the non-refundable FIU fee. At this stage it becomes clear whether the application will pass and how long preparation will take. The programme is then chosen by family size, the estimate is fixed and the advisory contract is signed.

Documents are collected from a list for each family member: police certificates, civil certificates, source-of-funds evidence, medical certificates. Documents issued in languages other than English are apostilled and translated. This usually takes 1-3 weeks, longer if certificates come from several countries.

Filing and check: steps 4-6

A licensed agent files the application with the Citizenship Office and pays the check fee. The Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit checks each adult member: criminal records, sanctions lists, public positions, reputation and origin of funds. The check takes approximately 60-90 days, and if the FIU requests an additional document, the timeline moves by the time needed to respond.

After the check the Citizenship Commission makes its decision. Under the DSP a Treasury invoice for the contribution is issued after approval; under the fund the contribution has already been paid before filing. Government payments go to official accounts of the government or the fund, not to an intermediary’s account.

If the FIU raises a question, the answer is prepared with documents rather than a cover letter: a statement, a contract, a dividend resolution. The more precise the answer, the fewer follow-up requests and the smaller the delay.

Passport: steps 7-8

Each family member gives biometrics in person, then the applicant takes the oath by video call and receives the citizen certificate. The biometric passport is issued for 10 years and delivered by courier, usually within 1-3 weeks. A detailed map of each stage is in 7 stages of the application, and a week-by-week calendar in timing by stage.

Documents for Vanuatu citizenship

In short: the application needs passports, police certificates, birth and marriage certificates, medical certificates and source-of-funds documents. Documents in other languages are apostilled and translated into English.

For the spouse and children, passports, birth and marriage certificates and police certificates for adults are prepared. For children over 18 a study certificate is added, and for parents documents proving dependency. Police certificates are ordered so that they remain valid on the filing date.

How to prepare documents so they are accepted

Documents issued in languages other than English are translated and certified, and certificates are apostilled in the country of issue. The Latin spelling of names is checked across all documents: it must match in the passport, certificates, statements and civil records. Passport copies include all pages. If a certificate was issued long ago, a new one is ordered so that it is still valid on the filing date.

The list for each family member and requirements for document format are in documents for Vanuatu citizenship by family member. Apostille and translations can be handled by BRIDGES: the process is described on apostille and legalisation of documents.

How to obtain Vanuatu citizenship for a family

In short: one application can include a spouse, dependent children under 25 and parents over 50. The family applies at once, because a relative added after the passport is issued is processed with a separate application, its own contribution and check.

Under the DSP the contribution grows with the number of members: $150,000 for a couple, $165,000 with a child, $180,000 with two children. In the CIIP fund the $157,000 is the same for a family of up to four. The FIU check fee is paid once per application, while each adult member is checked separately.

For adult children, studies and financial support are documented; for parents, financial dependency: statements of regular transfers over several years, pension certificates, documents on living together. Every member gives biometrics, including children, so the trip or officer visit is planned for the whole family. How a three-generation family filed one application for seven people is shown in the case of a family of seven.

The FIU check and source of funds

In short: the FIU check decides the outcome of the application. The Financial Intelligence Unit screens the applicant against sanctions lists and databases of politically exposed persons and requires documentary proof of the origin of the money for the contribution.

The reviewer needs a chain: where the money came from, what confirms it and whether the amount matches income. For a business sale this is the contract and confirmation of receipt, for dividends the resolution and a statement, for salary the contract and income certificates for several years, for inheritance the certificate of entitlement. Applications where the source is documented for the last three years more often pass without additional requests.

Source-of-funds documents

• Sale of a business or stake: the contract, confirmation of receipt of funds, documents showing ownership before the deal.
• Dividends: distribution resolution, statement of receipt, company accounts.
• Salary and bonuses: employment contract, income certificates, bank statements for several years.
• Sale of property: the contract, registry extract on prior ownership, confirmation of settlement.
• Inheritance or gift: the certificate of entitlement and documents on the source of funds of the deceased or donor.
• Digital assets: trading and wallet history, statements of withdrawals to a bank, tax returns.

A link to a sanctioned company, a public position or a complex ownership structure does not mean automatic refusal, but is disclosed voluntarily and with documents. A fact disclosed in advance is assessed more calmly than one found during the check. How the check works and what documents are required is covered in due diligence and source of funds.

Biometrics and oath: what must be done in person

In short: since 1 July 2025 every member of the application gives biometrics for the passport in person. With BRIDGES they are taken in Moscow, St Petersburg, Dubai, Hong Kong or Port Vila, and the oath is taken by video call.

Biometrics cannot be given through a representative, so they are planned for the whole family at once. By arrangement, a Vanuatu Immigration Service officer travels to the city where the family lives, which is more convenient for families with children and elderly parents. There is no need to travel to the islands.

The oath of allegiance to the Republic of Vanuatu is taken by video call, after which the citizen certificate is issued. How this works for an executive with a tight schedule is shown in the case of a remote oath.

How long the process takes

In short: approximately 2-3 months from filing a complete application to the passport. Document preparation before filing usually takes 1-3 weeks, or 3-6 weeks if certificates come from several countries or Russian documents need an apostille.

Preparation runs in parallel: police certificates are ordered first while statements and contracts on the source of funds are gathered, and the payment channel is tested before filing. The preparation time then depends on the document that takes longest, not on the sum of all steps.

In practice timelines are met both for large families and tight deadlines. How an applicant received a passport in time for a deal is shown in the case of a passport in 52 days for a deal in Singapore. Three things move the timeline: an apostille ordered last, an incomplete source of funds and a transfer through a bank that takes long to check the payment.

What delays the process and leads to refusal

In short: refusal almost always concerns documents: an unconfirmed source of funds, undisclosed circumstances, sanctions status, errors in certificates. The DSP contribution is paid after approval, so on refusal the main amount stays with the applicant.

1. Source of funds not confirmed. The money exists but documents do not, or the amount does not match income.
2. Undisclosed circumstances. The applicant did not mention a previous visa refusal, a conviction or a link to a sanctioned company.
3. Sanctions status. The applicant or their company is on an international list.
4. Document errors. Different spellings of the name, an expired certificate, a missing apostille or translation.
5. An incomplete family pack. Dependency of an adult child or parent is not proven.

The FIU fee is not refunded on refusal, and translations and document preparation remain paid. Refund terms for the CIIP fund contribution are set out in the fund contract. Why applications are refused and what to do next is covered in why applications are refused, and common preparation mistakes in five filing mistakes.

How to choose an agent and recognise the official programme

In short: applications to the Citizenship Office are filed only through a licensed agent, and the passport is issued by the government. The agent’s licence is checked as of the filing date, and government payments go to official accounts.

The official programme can be recognised by three signs. The contribution and fees match published tariffs. The DSP contribution is paid after approval against a Treasury invoice, not on signing the contract. The timeline matches the actual process: 2-3 months from filing a complete application, not “a passport in two weeks”.

Offers of “citizenship without checks”, “a passport without biometrics” or payment of the government contribution to an intermediary’s personal account have nothing to do with the programme. How to check an agent’s licence is described in how to check a licensed agent, and signs of fraudulent offers in signs of grey passport schemes. What has changed in the programme over the past year is in what changed in the programme in 2026.

BRIDGES handles the application from the preliminary check to delivery of passports: documents, filing through a licensed agent, responses to FIU requests, biometrics and the oath. The scope of services is on Vanuatu programme advisory, and terms and cost in one file are in the guide with terms and cost.

What you receive with the passport

In short: Vanuatu citizenship is permanent and passes to children. The passport is valid for 10 years and gives visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to about 97 countries and territories, and families use it to obtain Greek or Hungarian residence for life in Europe.

A Vanuatu citizen can live in the country without a visa or time limit, work and run a business. The passport is renewed every 10 years without travelling to the islands, and citizen status does not change. There are no annual payments and no citizenship tax.

The passport does not change tax residence: it depends on where a person lives and how many days they spend there. Vanuatu has no personal income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax, but these terms apply to those who actually live in the country. Banks exchange account information under the CRS standard with the client’s country of tax residence, and a second passport does not change that. Details are in confidentiality of status and CRS.

If you need Europe

The Vanuatu passport has not given visa-free entry to the Schengen Area since 4 February 2023, and the United Kingdom has required a visa since 19 July 2023. The path to Europe runs through residence: with a Vanuatu passport families obtain Greek residence under the Golden Visa programme, with a property threshold from €250,000 to €800,000 depending on region, and Hungary’s programmes. The Vanuatu passport is obtained in 2-3 months, and the family then applies for European residence as Vanuatu citizens.

A Russian citizen notifies the Ministry of Internal Affairs within 60 days of receiving the passport. All obligations to Russian authorities are covered in Vanuatu citizenship for Russians, and the path to residence in Europe on Greek residence for Vanuatu citizens.