The Vanuatu passport in the UK, Canada and Australia: which visas you need

The UK, Canada and Australia on a Vanuatu passport: in brief

In brief: for the UK you obtain a Standard Visitor visa, for Canada a temporary resident visa and for Australia a Visitor visa, subclass 600. These countries offer no simplified electronic authorisations to Vanuatu citizens.

Maps that shade these countries as visa-free for Vanuatu are out of date. The UK introduced its visa regime in 2023, and Vanuatu citizens obtain visas for Canada and Australia just like citizens of most countries. The list of destinations where no visa is needed is in the article visa-free countries for the Vanuatu passport, and the document’s standing against other passports in the Vanuatu passport in the rankings.

United Kingdom: when a visa became necessary

In brief: since 19 July 2023 Vanuatu citizens need a visa to enter the UK and to transit. For tourism, business meetings, family visits and short courses, a Standard Visitor Visa is obtained, with stays of up to 6 months per visit.

The UK linked the decision to the citizenship by investment programme. For frequent travel there are long-term visitor visas for 2, 5 and 10 years with the same limit on the length of each visit. The application is filed online on GOV.UK, the fee is paid and biometrics are given at a visa centre.

• Purpose and travel plan. Dates, bookings, an invitation for a business trip.
• Finances. Statements and income documents sufficient for the trip.
• Ties to the country of residence. Work, business, family, property.
• Previous travel. Visa history and compliance with permitted stays.

Connections in the UK count too: a Vanuatu citizen connecting at a British airport needs a transit visa. Flights with connections are planned through countries where transit is allowed for the Vanuatu passport.

Canada: the temporary resident visa

In brief: Canada is not a visa-free destination for the Vanuatu passport, and the eTA is not available to Vanuatu citizens. For tourism, business and family visits a Temporary Resident Visa is obtained through IRCC.

The application is filed online on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada portal or through a visa centre, and biometrics are given at a visa centre. Canada may issue a multiple-entry visa valid until the passport expires, in which case there is no need to reapply for each trip.

The application includes proof of finances, the purpose and plan of the trip and documents showing ties to the country of residence. If the applicant has recently become a Vanuatu citizen, the consulate also sees their first citizenship, so documents on life and income are prepared as carefully as for the main passport.

Australia: the Visitor 600 visa

In brief: the ETA electronic authorisation (subclass 601) is issued only to citizens of a limited list of countries, and Vanuatu is not on it. A Vanuatu citizen obtains a Visitor visa, subclass 600, issued for stays of 3, 6 or 12 months.

The free eVisitor authorisation (subclass 651) is intended for citizens of EU countries and a number of other European states and is also not available to Vanuatu citizens. The Visitor 600 application is filed online through the Department of Home Affairs ImmiAccount, with biometrics if required.

For an applicant who does not live in Vanuatu, confirmed status in the country of residence and financial documents matter. A flight to Port Vila connecting in Australia also requires a visa, so routes via Fiji are often simpler; entry to Vanuatu itself is covered in the article a visa for Vanuatu.

How to prepare the application

In brief: for all three countries the same things decide the outcome: purpose of travel, lawful status in the country of residence, finances, ties and a travel plan. The Vanuatu passport itself neither simplifies nor complicates the check if the documents are complete.

The consulate may ask why the applicant has a second citizenship, and that is a normal question. The answer is backed by documents: the citizenship certificate, first citizenship, place of residence and income. The first citizenship must not be hidden on the form, and information on forms for different countries must match.

Processing times and trip planning

In brief: apply in advance: for a UK visitor visa filed from outside the UK a decision usually comes within 3 weeks, while Canadian and Australian timelines depend on the country of application and workload. The trip and non-refundable tickets are planned after the decision.

Timelines on official websites are revised, so they are checked before applying for the country you are applying from. Processing is longer in holiday season and before public holidays, and booking a biometrics appointment at a visa centre takes time. For a business trip with a fixed meeting date, apply with a margin of several weeks.

If a Vanuatu citizen is still waiting for the passport, the visa is planned after it is issued: you can apply on the new passport once you have it in hand. Citizenship timelines are covered in the article Vanuatu citizenship timelines.

Study, work and relocation

In brief: visitor visas do not give the right to work or live in the country. For study, work or relocation to the UK, Canada and Australia, separate visas and permits are obtained, and a Vanuatu citizen applies for them on the standard terms.

• United Kingdom. Student visa, skilled worker and business founder visas, family visas.
• Canada. Study permit, work permit and permanent residence programmes.
• Australia. Student visa, work and business visas, permanent residence programmes.

The language, education, employer and financial requirements for these visas do not depend on the applicant’s passport. The Vanuatu passport is useful as a travel document for Asia and a basis for residence in Europe, while for English-speaking countries the applicant’s profile and documents remain decisive.

If a visa is refused

In brief: a visa refusal is declared on later forms: the UK, Canada and Australia ask about previous entry and visa refusals. A concealed refusal is more dangerous than the refusal itself, because a discrepancy between forms becomes grounds for a new refusal.

After a refusal, study the letter with the reasons: insufficient ties to the country of residence, an unclear purpose of travel, finances. A new application is filed once the reason has been addressed with documents, not straight away with the same package. Previous visa refusals are also disclosed when applying for Vanuatu citizenship, since due diligence takes them into account; see the article due diligence.

Family travel with children

In brief: a visa is obtained for each family member, including children, on their own passports. If a child travels with one parent, the other parent’s consent and the birth certificate are prepared.

It is easier for a family to apply at the same time so the decisions arrive by the same date. The parent paying for the trip prepares the documents on finances and ties, and for school-age children a school letter about the holidays is added. Vanuatu issues children their own passports, so their validity is checked together with the parents’ passports.

The three countries compared

In brief: all three countries require a visa with an online application. For the UK and Canada biometrics are given at a visa centre, and for Australia the application is filed online through ImmiAccount.

Vanuatu citizens also need a visa for the US: see the article the Vanuatu passport and the US visa.

Business trips: which documents to add

In brief: for a business trip, add to the basic package an invitation from the host company, confirmation of position and the purpose of meetings, and documents on the applicant’s company. Visitor visas allow negotiations and meetings but not work on site.

• Invitation. A letter from the host with dates, the purpose of the visit and who covers the costs.
• The applicant’s work or business. An employment letter or company registration documents and the applicant’s role.
• Visit programme. Meetings, a trade fair or conference with registration confirmation.
• Finances. Statements and confirmation that the applicant or the company covers the costs.

For regular trips, apply for a long-term UK visitor visa, and in Canada a multiple-entry visa may be valid until the passport expires. This saves time on repeat applications.

Connections on the way to Asia and the Pacific

In brief: for the Vanuatu passport, connections in Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are convenient, since entry there is visa-free. A connection in the UK is planned only with a transit visa.

Hong Kong admits a Vanuatu citizen for 90 days, Singapore and Malaysia for 30 days, and for the UAE a 30-day eVisa is obtained. Entry conditions for these cities are covered in the article the UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong with a Vanuatu passport.

Transit rules depend on the airport, the airline and whether the passenger leaves the transit zone. They are checked before buying tickets, especially if segments are bought from different carriers and baggage has to be collected and checked in again. Tips for travelling on a Vanuatu passport are collected in the article how to travel on a Vanuatu passport.

Europe and the Schengen area

In brief: a Vanuatu citizen travels to the Schengen area on a C visa: the EU fully suspended visa-free travel from 4 February 2023, and since 3 February 2025 Vanuatu has been on the visa-required list. Vanuatu citizens settle in Europe through residence in Greece or Hungary.

Under the Visa Code a C visa decision usually takes 15 days, the fee is €90 and medical insurance of €30,000 is required. Families planning to live in Europe obtain Greek residence under the Golden Visa programme with a property threshold of €250,000 to €800,000, or Hungary’s programme with a 10-year permit. The terms are on the page Greek residence for Vanuatu citizens, and visa rules in the article the Vanuatu passport and Schengen.

Where the Vanuatu passport works without a visa

In brief: the Vanuatu passport opens 46 countries without a visa, another 42 with a visa on arrival and 5 with an electronic authorisation. They include Hong Kong for 90 days, Singapore and Malaysia for 30 days and Russia for up to 90 days.

So the Vanuatu passport is taken not for London, Toronto or Sydney but as a second document for Asia and the Pacific, a backup passport for the family and a basis for residence in Europe. Citizenship takes roughly 2-3 months, and Vanuatu recognises dual citizenship. The passport’s strengths are covered in the article who the Vanuatu passport suits, and Asian destinations in visa-free countries in Asia. In Latin America Peru is open without a visa for 180 days, as is Ecuador; see the article Peru and Ecuador with a Vanuatu passport.

If the family needs the passport for these destinations, the calculation starts with the application composition: DSP is better value for a single applicant or a couple, the CIIP fund for a family of three or more. Preparation and filing are handled by the team on the page Vanuatu citizenship with BRIDGES.

Declaring your first citizenship

In brief: when applying for a UK, Canadian or Australian visa, the form asks for all citizenships, so your first citizenship is declared. The decision depends on documents about your life and income, not only on the passport you apply with.

An applicant who lives outside their country of first citizenship, for example in the UAE or Serbia, applies from the country of residence with proof of lawful status. Some countries of first citizenship also require notification of a second one, for example Russia within 60 days; the duties for Russian citizens are covered in the article Vanuatu citizenship for Russian citizens.

How to check visa requirements yourself

In brief: requirements are checked on the destination countries’ official websites before every trip: GOV.UK for the UK, canada.ca for Canada and the Australian Department of Home Affairs website.

• United Kingdom. The visas section of GOV.UK: a check of whether a visa is needed by citizenship and purpose of travel.
• Canada. The entry requirements by country page on canada.ca.
• Australia. The Visa Finder section on the Department of Home Affairs website.
• Airline. Document requirements on the flight and for connections.

If an intermediary shows these countries as visa-free for Vanuatu, the data is out of date. How to tell outdated promises from facts is covered in the article myths about Vanuatu citizenship.