Vanuatu or Nauru: two Pacific passports for a contribution, price and timing compared

Vanuatu or Nauru in brief

In brief: Vanuatu is chosen for its timing, an established procedure, biometrics in Moscow and a route to residence in Europe. Naoero is chosen for its price with a budget of about $100,000 and the option of including unmarried siblings in the application. Neither passport gives visa-free entry to Schengen or the UK.

Both programmes solve the same task: a second citizenship for a contribution that passes to children and opens Asia and the Middle East. They differ in maturity and procedure. The Naoero programme was launched in December 2024, the first approval came in August 2025, and by August 2026 more than 120 citizenships had been granted. Vanuatu accepts applications under two programmes, the DSP and the CIIP fund, and its procedure with a Financial Intelligence Unit check and the Citizenship Commission is well established. More on each programme in the articles Vanuatu citizenship by investment and Nauru citizenship by investment.

Nauru has become Naoero: what has changed for applicants

In brief: in late July and early August 2026 the Republic of Nauru officially adopted the name Republic of Naoero. The law, fees, timing and programme procedure have not changed, and the passport is still printed with the name Nauru.

The programme is now called the Naoero Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program, new citizenship certificates are issued with the name Republic of Naoero, and the government website has moved to the naoero.gov.nr domain. Passports already issued remain valid until they expire, and there is no mandatory replacement. Air tickets and bookings use the name printed in the passport.

Cost: Vanuatu and Naoero by family composition

In brief: for a single applicant Naoero is about $37,000 cheaper than Vanuatu, and for a family of four with children under 16 it is $63,000 cheaper than the CIIP fund. Naoero’s promotional contribution of $90,000 applies until 31 December 2026; the standard contribution is $115,000.

The Vanuatu amounts include the contribution and the FIU fee: $5,000 under the DSP and $8,000 under the fund, per application. The Naoero amounts include the contribution, the application fee ($5,000 for the main applicant and $2,000 for each dependant), due diligence ($6,000, and $3,000 for each dependant aged 16 and over), the bank check and a $500 passport per person. Support, translations and certification for Naoero are counted separately, so the totals are compared with an adjustment for these items.

The difference narrows for families with adult children and with the return from the CIIP fund: a family of four under the Vanuatu fund costs $115,000 once the $50,000 returned after 5 years is taken into account. In Naoero a child aged 16 or over carries a contribution of $2,000 and due diligence of $3,000, and after 31 December 2026 the main applicant’s contribution will rise to $115,000 unless the promotion is extended. All Vanuatu budget items are in the article the cost of Vanuatu citizenship, and Naoero’s in how much Nauru citizenship costs.

Timing and procedure

In brief: Vanuatu issues the passport in 2-3 months from filing with the FIU. Naoero estimates the route at 3-4 months from filing to approval of citizenship, with the passport issued afterwards, so it takes longer to have the passport in hand.

In both programmes the contribution under the main route is paid after approval, so before the decision the applicant risks the due diligence fee and document costs. In Naoero the payment deadline is strict: 30 days from the date of the letter, not from the date it is received. Vanuatu’s stage-by-stage timing is covered in the article Vanuatu citizenship timeline.

Passport: where you can go without a visa

In brief: in the Passport Index 2026 the Vanuatu passport opens 93 destinations and Naoero 87. Both passports are convenient for Asia and the Middle East, while the Schengen Area and the UK require visas for both.

According to the BRIDGES database, a Vanuatu passport gives visa-free access to 46 countries and 42 more with a visa on arrival, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Russia for up to 90 days. With a Naoero passport, holders enter the UAE visa-free for 90 days, Hong Kong for 90 days, and Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea for 30 days. New Zealand does not recognise Nauru investor passports; this is the only restriction concerning the document itself.

For a Vanuatu citizen the route to Europe runs through residence: the passport is obtained in 2-3 months, then, as a Vanuatu citizen, you apply for Greek residence under the Golden Visa programme or for Hungary’s programme with a 10-year permit. Conditions are on the page Greek residence for Vanuatu citizens, and the full list of destinations in the article visa-free countries for the Vanuatu passport.

Who is included in the application: Vanuatu and Nauru

In brief: in Vanuatu the application includes the spouse, children under 25 and parents over 50. In Naoero, the spouse, children under 18, unmarried dependent children aged 18-30, parents and grandparents over 55, and unmarried siblings of the applicant or spouse.

For a classic family of a couple and children both programmes work, and the choice is decided by the total and the timing. If an unmarried brother or sister needs to be included in the application, this is possible only in Naoero. In Vanuatu the CIIP fund is better value for a family of three or more; see the article Vanuatu citizenship for the family.

Relatives after the passport and passport renewal

In brief: in both programmes a relative who was not included at the outset is processed by a separate application, and this costs more than including them in the first application. In both countries the passport is issued for 10 years.

• Spouse. Vanuatu: a separate application with a contribution and an FIU check. Naoero: 41,500 dollars instead of a 2,000-dollar contribution in the first application.
• A child born to a citizen. Vanuatu: citizenship by descent, with no programme contribution. Naoero: under two years without a contribution, fees of 5,500 dollars.
• A child aged 3 to 18. Vanuatu: a separate application at the programme tariff. Naoero: 30,500 dollars, from age 16 36,500 dollars.
• Passport renewal. Vanuatu: after 10 years at the passport service tariff. Naoero: after 10 years, 500 dollars.

The conclusion is the same for both programmes: it is better value to include everyone the family plans to add in the first application. In Naoero a spouse added after approval costs fifteen times more in contribution. In Vanuatu a separate application repeats the contribution, the FIU fee and the documents. The procedure for Vanuatu is described in the article adding relatives to Vanuatu citizenship.

Checks and applicant requirements

In brief: both programmes check the background, sanctions lists and source of funds. In Vanuatu adults and children from 18 go through the FIU check; in Naoero due diligence is paid for the main applicant and dependants aged 16 and over, and the main applicant is interviewed.

In Vanuatu the FIU fee of $5,000 under the DSP or $8,000 under the fund is paid once per application, and the full package is then considered by the Citizenship Commission. In Naoero the check is multi-level, with an interview, the decision is made by the Cabinet, and the law gives no right of appeal on the merits. In both programmes filing and due diligence fees are non-refundable if refused.

Naoero refuses applicants with a conviction or investigation for an offence punishable by 12 months or more, UN sanctions, international crimes, or citizenship of countries classed as high-risk by the UN Security Council. Vanuatu’s requirements and the check procedure are covered in the article due diligence. A pre-check before filing is needed in both programmes because the fees are non-refundable.

Documents for the application: Vanuatu and Naoero

In brief: both programmes require identity and family documents, police certificates, medical information and proof of the source of funds. They differ in the age from which a certificate is needed, its validity and the forms the family completes.

In both programmes police certificates from all the relevant countries are ordered first, because they take longer to obtain than the other documents. The Latin spelling of names is checked across all documents before translation, otherwise a discrepancy will surface during the check. The list for Vanuatu by participant is in the article documents for Vanuatu citizenship.

Vanuatu and Nauru for applicants with links to Russia

In brief: Vanuatu accepts applications from Russian citizens, with biometrics taken in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Since 2 July 2026 Naoero allows moderate economic ties with Russia, but significant or ongoing ties remain grounds for refusal.

A Naoero Program Office circular of 2 July 2026 allowed applicants from Russia and Belarus to hold accounts, assets, real estate, employment income and pensions connected with these countries, provided the ties are not significant and not ongoing. The circular does not define these words, so an applicant who lives and earns in Russia is advised to consult the Program Office before filing. Naoero accepts payments in US dollars; payment in cryptocurrency is not allowed.

For Vanuatu, an applicant’s link with Russia is not a separate restriction: the decision depends on the background and the source-of-funds documents. Russian citizens do not need a visa to travel to Vanuatu for up to 90 days. After receiving any second passport, a Russian citizen notifies the Interior Ministry within 60 days; other countries may have similar reporting rules. More in the article Vanuatu citizenship for Russians.

Taxes and accounts

In brief: Vanuatu has no personal income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax. Naoero has a 20% business profit tax for residents with a threshold of 250,000 Australian dollars. Both countries take part in tax information exchange, and the passport does not change tax residence.

The tax rules of the passport country apply to those who live or do business there. A citizen who continues to live in their home country for more than 183 days in 12 months, Russia being one example, remains its tax resident regardless of a second passport. A Naoero passport is still of limited use for opening accounts: the programme granted its first citizenships in 2025, and there is almost no banking practice with them. Vanuatu’s tax system is covered in the article taxes in Vanuatu.

Other programmes to compare with Vanuatu

In brief: Naoero is not the only alternative. Vanuatu is compared with the Caribbean programmes, São Tomé and Príncipe and Sierra Leone, and in each comparison the budget, the time to passport and the destinations needed without a visa decide.

If travel to the UK and a long programme history matter, the Caribbean is considered: a general review is in the article comparison with Caribbean programmes, and separately Vanuatu or Antigua and Barbuda. If budget is the main thing, alongside Naoero people consider São Tomé or Vanuatu and Sierra Leone or Vanuatu.

When timing decides, the review second citizenship in 3-6 months is useful, and the total including all programme fees is brought together in the analysis full cost comparison.

Who Vanuatu suits and who Nauru suits

In brief: Vanuatu suits when timing, an established procedure, a fund with a refund for the family and a route to residence in Europe matter. Naoero suits when the budget is about $100,000 and mobility in Asia and the Middle East without Europe and the UK is enough.

• Vanuatu. The passport is needed within 2-3 months; a family of three or more that suits the CIIP fund; biometrics in Moscow are needed; a plan for Greek or Hungarian residence follows; a passport from a programme with a longer history is wanted.
• Naoero. The budget is limited to about $100,000; an unmarried brother or sister needs to be included; 3-4 months to approval is acceptable; the applicant is ready for an interview.
• Neither. Visa-free Schengen or the UK without residence is needed, or living in Australia or New Zealand.

Families choosing between the two programmes usually decide on three questions: by what date the passport is needed, how many people are in the application, and whether residence in Europe is needed next. If the passport is needed within 2-3 months or a Greek residence plan follows, they choose Vanuatu. If the budget is limited to about $100,000 and timing is not critical, they consider Naoero. In both cases a pre-check of the background and source of funds is carried out before paying any fees.

If the choice between the programmes is not obvious, compare the total for your family composition, the time to passport and the plan that follows. A comparison of Vanuatu with Caribbean programmes is in the article Vanuatu or Dominica.

Related: case: switching to the Nauru programme.

How BRIDGES helps you choose

In brief: we carry out a pre-check before any payments, calculate both programmes for the family composition and give the time to passport, taking into account the Vanuatu Commission meetings or Naoero’s procedure.

• Pre-check. Background, source of funds and links with Russia before paying non-refundable fees.
• Two estimates. Vanuatu under the DSP and the CIIP fund, Naoero on the promotion and at the standard contribution.
• Timing. Dates for documents, filing, decision and passport.
• The plan that follows. Residence in Europe, home-country obligations, accounts.

How our support works is described on the page Vanuatu citizenship with BRIDGES, and the amount for your family is shown by the estimate for your family. We will help you relocate quickly, reliably and lawfully.