Official Vanuatu citizenship program: law, government agency and procedure in 2026

What law is the Vanuatu citizenship program based on?

Short. The program is based on the Citizenship Act [Cap 112] of 1980 and the subsidiary Regulations, which describe investment paths to obtaining a passport. This is a state, not a commercial mechanism.

The foundation of everything is Citizenship Act, Cap 112, adopted by the Vanuatu Parliament back in 1980, immediately after gaining independence. It defines the categories by which a person can become a citizen: by birth, by descent, by naturalization and - what is important for investors - by decision of the authorized body for contribution to the development of the country. The law has been amended several times over the decades: amendments were made in 2013 and twice in 2014, followed by Citizenship Act No. 34 of 2018. The 2013 amendment (Citizenship Act No. 39 of 2013), among other things, fixed the composition of the commission and issues of dual citizenship.

Stands above the law Constitution of Vanuatu (Chapter 3), which regulates automatic citizenship, the right to citizenship and naturalization. It was the constitutional amendment of 2013, which came into force in 2014, that directly recognized dual citizenship - therefore, a citizen of Russia or another country, when receiving a Vanuatu passport, is not obliged by local law to renounce their previous one.

Investment routes are not described in the law itself, but in by-laws - Regulations (Orders), which are issued on its basis. This is how the Development Support Program appeared: its rules were introduced by Regulations, in force from January 1, 2017, and the minimum deposit amounts and categories of applicants were specified in separate orders (for example, Order No. 33 of 2019 and Order No. 39 of 2020). This design - “a framework law plus flexible secondary rules” - is typical for investment programs: rates and thresholds are changed by orders, but the law itself remains stable. Read more about what the program looks like in practice in our Vanuatu citizenship by investment guide.

Which government agency makes the decision: Citizenship Commission and Citizenship Office

Short. The decision to grant citizenship is made by the Citizenship Commission, a constitutional body of Vanuatu. The Citizenship Office handles the paperwork and final approval is formalized.

The key point that distinguishes a legitimate program from a fraudulent one is that the passport is issued by the state, not by an agent or a “fund.” In Vanuatu he is responsible for this Citizenship Commission along with Citizenship Office. It is a constitutional body with a legal mandate to regulate, control and administer all matters of citizenship in accordance with the laws of Vanuatu. The commission reviews the submitted dossiers and makes a decision on approval or refusal; The office maintains records, corresponds with licensed agents, and publishes official notices.

The commission's decision is not an automatic consequence of payment of the fee. It is based on the results of the due diligence check and may be negative - in this case the main (non-refundable) contribution is not paid, since it is paid after approval. Official Office notices are signed by a specific official: for example, the 2026 change notice was signed by Secretary General Patrick Peter Fred on 23 March 2026. This is a sign of a working bureaucracy, not an anonymous scheme.

You can check that the organ is real on the government website Vanuatu Citizenship Office (vancitizenship.gov.vu) - the legislative framework, news and an up-to-date list of authorized agents are published there. That's why the question "Is Vanuatu citizenship legal and is the passport recognized?“has a clear answer: the program is official, the passport is real, issued by the state.

The role of the Development Support Program (DSP) in the program structure

Short. DSP is the main investment channel: a non-refundable donation to the state development fund in exchange for consideration of the application by the commission. This is not the purchase of an asset, but a contribution to the country's budget.

Development Support Program is a legally established mechanism through which an applicant makes non-refundable fee in favor of the state, and in return his case is examined by the Citizenship Commission. The logic is exactly this: the money goes not to an agent or to a private project, but to the state budget for the needs of the development of the island state. According to the authorities, the citizenship by investment sector provides about 7% of Vanuatu's GDP - that is, it is a significant source of treasury income, and not a side service.

DSP is not the only path prescribed in the acts. In parallel, there is a Contribution Program (VCP / Capital Investment Immigration Plan, CIIP) and a real estate option that appeared later (Real Estate Option, REO, through the master agent Naika Holdings Limited). But it is DSP that remains the main and most massive channel for donations. Estimated contribution amounts in 2026:

The exact amounts and set of mandatory duties are specified individually and depend on the composition of the family and the current version of the orders - we provide detailed calculations in the materials about donation via DSP and about the structure of programs DSP and VCP. It is important to understand: the contribution is non-refundable, and this is a disadvantage of the program - in exchange for speed and simplicity, you do not receive a returned asset, as when buying bonds in other countries.

Why can you only submit through a licensed agent?

Short. The applicant does not submit documents to the Commission directly. The dossier is prepared and forwarded by a designated agent accredited by the government. The list of agents is published by the Citizenship Office.

This is one of the main features of the official procedure and at the same time a built-in filter against fraud. The law and regulations do not provide for direct submission by an individual “from the street”. Applications are accepted only from authorized agent (designated / licensed agent), which is accredited by the Citizenship Office and is responsible for the quality and completeness of the dossier. The state publishes a list of such agents and regularly updates it on its website - at the time of the check, the list included about six designated agents plus their subagents.

What does the agent do:

• conducts an initial (frontline) check of the client - studies the biography, origin of funds and criminal records;
• collects and certifies a package of documents: an international passport with a validity period of more than 6 months, a certificate of good conduct, a notarized resume (CV), confirmation of payment of the state fee;
• sends the complete dossier to the Office and accompanies it until the commission’s decision.

Practical conclusion for the applicant: your partner is a licensed agent or a company working with him, and not a “messenger intermediary”. If the offer bypasses the agent's institution, promises direct submission or a passport without verification, this is a red flag. How to avoid running into a fake, we explain in the guide to choosing an agent; typical schemes of deception - in the material about Vanuatu passport scam.

Due diligence at the state level: FIU and due diligence

Short. The main check of the applicant is carried out by the state Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Without a positive conclusion from the FIU, the commission will not approve citizenship - this is not a formality, but a key stage.

The most common misconception is that Vanuatu “gives out passports without checking”. In fact, the government financial intelligence agency is in charge of the program - Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), who conducts due diligence on all applicants for the DSP, VCP/CIIP programs. From January 16, 2025, the FIU introduced an updated internal verification procedure that applies to all new dossiers: the requirements for the composition of documents and the submission channel have been tightened (the dossier is sent via secure email with a full set of required papers).

Multi-level verification. First, frontline control is carried out by a licensed agent: he establishes the identity, the source of funds, and checks the criminal background. Then an independent government audit is carried out by the FIU - it checks the applicant against sanctions and search databases, assesses the risks of money laundering and reputational risks for the country. Only with a positive conclusion from the FIU does the case go to the Commission for approval.

What applicants most often stumble on:

• incomplete or outdated police clearance certificate (a valid one is required, from all countries of long-term residence);
• non-transparent source of funds - money without a documentary trace of origin;
• being included in sanctions/wanted lists or communication with sanctioned persons;
• discrepancies in the application form and supporting documents, errors in notarization.

That’s why proper pre-checking before filing saves both time and money. How this stage works is detailed in our analysis. due diligence on Vanuatu citizenship. You can check the organ on the website Vanuatu FIU (fiu.gov.vu).

Stages of the official procedure: from dossier to approval decree

Short. The procedure is linear: verification with an agent, submission to the Office, due diligence FIU, decision of the Commission, payment of a non-refundable deposit, registration of a certificate and oath, issuance of a passport. On average 1-2 months.

The official procedure consists of sequential steps, and you cannot skip any of them. Schematically it looks like this:

• 1. Preliminary check and dossier collection. A licensed agent conducts frontline due diligence, prepares and certifies a package of documents.
• 2. Submission to the Citizenship Office. The agent sends a complete dossier and confirmation of payment of state fees (including the application fee) to the government agency.
• 3. Due diligence FIU. State verification of the reliability of the applicant and family members.
• 4. Decision of the Citizenship Commission. The commission makes an approval or refusal based on the FIU's conclusion.
• 5. Payment of non-refundable deposit. The main DSP contribution is paid after approval - this protects the applicant, because no large sums of money are paid until the decision is made.
• 6. Certificate of naturalization and oath of office (oath). An official document granting citizenship is issued; the oath can be taken remotely.
• 7. Issuance of a passport. The applicant receives a Vanuatu biometric passport; A personal visit to the islands is not required.

In terms of timing, the program remains one of the fastest in the world - approximately 1-2 months from application to passport with a clean dossier. We have compiled a step-by-step analysis with nuances and typical delays in the guide how to obtain Vanuatu citizenship step by step. The timing and risks of delay are detailed in the material about terms of registration.

Changes in 2026: what has been changed in the legislative framework

Short. In March 2026, the authorities issued amendments to the DSP and Contribution Program regulations (Orders No. 39 and 40 of 2026, Gazette No. 25). They clarify the financial terms and come into force with a transition period.

The program is alive, and its rules are periodically updated by orders - this is a normal sign of public administration, and not a cause for alarm. In 2026, the key changes are formalized as follows:

• Official Gazette No. 25 of 2026 - official gazette, published March 19, 2026;
• Order No. 39 of 2026 - amendment to the Development Support Program (Citizenship (Development Support Program) Regulations (Amendment));
• Order No. 40 of 2026 - amendment to the Contribution Program regulations.

The Citizenship Office sent notice of the changes to authorized agents on March 23, 2026, signed by the Secretary General. The stated purpose of the amendments is to maintain the financial sustainability of the program in the global market: the authorities noted that the previous exchange rate (currency conversion) mechanisms reduced budget revenues, and the conditions were adjusted. Amendments are introduced from two month transition period: This gives agents and clients time to complete legacy business and clear outstanding payments.

Practical meaning for the applicant: the exact amounts and fees must be verified at the time of filing - they are set by the current edition of the orders, and not by the “eternal” price list from old articles. That is why we always recalculate estimates individually and rely on government sources, and not on commercial aggregator sites. How the program has changed historically and is it worth entering now - in analysis Is it worth getting Vanuatu citizenship in 2026?.

How does the official state program differ from gray schemes?

Short. The difference is in the source of the decision and the money: in the legal program, the passport is issued by the state after verification by the FIU, the fee goes to the budget and is paid after approval, and the application is only through a licensed agent. Anything that bypasses these rules is a gray scheme.

The difference between an official program and a scam is not in the “beauty of the site”, but in the legal mechanics. Here is a checklist to distinguish the real from the fake:

Any offer that promises a passport “bypassing the commission”, “without FIU”, “retroactively” or asking for the entire amount before a decision is either a scam or a scheme leading to the revocation of citizenship later. The state has the right to revoke a passport obtained in violation or on the basis of false data. Therefore, a price that is “cheaper than market” almost always means a fake or illegitimate document.

BRIDGES GLOBAL works strictly within the framework of the official process: pre-screening, transparent estimates for current orders, submission through an authorized agent and support until passport issuance. If you want to obtain Vanuatu citizenship legally and without risks - leave a request for a consultation: we will go through your case using the same checklist and tell you whether you pass due diligence.