Vanuatu or Turkey: citizenship by investment in 2026

In brief: what to choose

If you need a second passport quickly, cheaply and without fuss, choose Vanuatu: a contribution of about 130,000 dollars, a passport in 2-3 months, zero taxes. If you are prepared to invest more for a recoverable asset and access to a US business visa, choose Turkey: from 400,000 dollars in real estate that may be sold after three years.

• Vanuatu: cheaper and the fastest of all, but the money is gone for good and the passport is weaker (Schengen closed since the end of 2024).
• Turkey: more expensive and slower, but the capital stays with you, a route to the US E-2 visa opens, and there is a large property market.

This is not a choice between best and worst. It is a choice between speed and preserving capital: two different strategies for two different goals.

Both programmes are processed remotely: no personal visit or residence requirement applies, and the decision is made by the country’s competent commission. The practical point of the choice is that speed and budget are calculated together with family composition: the total for a single applicant and for a family of four differs more than the contribution rate. So comparing the programmes on one contribution figure is misleading: government fees, due diligence, document legalisation and passport issue are added to it, and some costs depend on the number of participants. Before deciding, the full amount for the specific family is calculated and the timing is checked against the dates of the meetings at which applications are considered.

Side-by-side comparison

The table shows the essence: Vanuatu citizenship by investment wins on speed and taxes, Turkish citizenship by investment on preserving capital and access to the US.

Vanuatu: one of the fastest passports on the planet

Vanuatu is an island state in the South Pacific, and its programme is built on the simplest model of all: you make a non-refundable donation to a state development fund (Development Support Program, DSP) and receive citizenship in return. No real estate, no fund units: a pure contribution to the budget.

What it costs

• A single applicant: a contribution of about USD 130,000.
• A family (applicant, spouse, two children): about USD 180,000.
• On top: government fees, due diligence fees and agent services.

The money is gone for good. It is payment for a result, not an investment that can be recovered.

What it gives

• Speed no other programme has: a decision often comes within two weeks and the passport within 2-3 months.
• A fully remote process, without an interview, language exams or a requirement to live on the islands.
• Zero taxation for individuals: no tax on income, capital gains, inheritance or worldwide assets.
• Dual citizenship is recognised.

The main drawback is passport strength. From 12 December 2024 the EU withdrew visa-free entry for Vanuatu citizens, and a visa is now needed for a trip to Schengen. There is no visa-free access to the UK either. It is a passport for insurance and tax purposes, not a tool for free movement around Europe.

Turkey: a recoverable asset and a route to the US

Turkey is a country with a population of nearly 90 million, a real economy and a large property market. Its programme works differently: you do not give money to the state but invest it in an asset that remains yours.

The routes available

• Real estate: from USD 400,000. The most popular route. The property (or several) must be held for at least 3 years, after which it may be sold.
• Bank deposit: from USD 500,000 in an account at a Turkish bank with an undertaking not to withdraw the funds for 3 years.
• Alternatives: an investment of USD 500,000 in fixed capital, the purchase of government bonds or creating jobs for at least 50 Turkish citizens.

The key difference from Vanuatu: after three years the capital comes back to you. In effect you pay not for the passport but for temporarily parking money in an asset, and the cost of citizenship comes down to related costs and forgone returns.

What it gives

• Recoverability: the property can be sold and the deposit withdrawn (after 3 years).
• Access to the US E-2 investor visa: Turkey is on the list of treaty countries, and Vanuatu is not. This is a rare advantage, opening a route to living and doing business in the US (with important caveats; see the section on status).
• A large and liquid property market, especially in Istanbul and on the coast.
• The family is included in the basic threshold without additional investment.

The downside is that Turkey does not give visa-free Schengen either. In addition, the passport takes longer, and entry to the programme is considerably more expensive.

Full cost: what actually leaves your pocket

Comparing only the entry thresholds is a mistake. You need to calculate the full amount and, above all, what remains of it.

Vanuatu: all costs are non-refundable

• DSP contribution: about USD 130,000 (one person) / about USD 180,000 (a family of four).
• Government fees and the due diligence fee.
• Agent services.
• What remains: nothing but the passport. It is a pure expense.

Turkey: the principal of the investment comes back

• Investment: from USD 400,000 in real estate (recoverable after 3 years).
• Purchase taxes on the property, notary, valuation, translations.
• Legal and agency support.
• What remains: the asset itself. After 3 years it can be sold and the principal recovered; the real cost of citizenship is made up of related fees and forgone gains, not the full 400,000.

The conclusion is paradoxical: Vanuatu’s smaller entry amount means losing the money entirely, while the more expensive Turkey may cost less if the transaction goes well. It all depends on whether you can sell the property without a loss. If you are choosing on the principle of maximum speed, see our review of the fastest second citizenship.

Vanuatu and Turkey timing step by step

Here Vanuatu is unrivalled, but Turkey also stays within reasonable limits.

Vanuatu: 2-3 months

• Collecting and legalising documents.
• Filing and preliminary due diligence.
• Preliminary approval, often within about 2 weeks.
• Payment of the contribution, issue and delivery of the passport within a few weeks.

Turkey: 4-8 months

• Choosing and checking the property (legal title).
• The transaction, valuation, transfer of funds through a bank.
• Obtaining the certificate of investment compliance.
• Applying for investor residence, then for citizenship.
• Review and decision on the application: 4 to 8 months in total, sometimes longer because of the authorities’ workload.

If there is a deadline (a window for a bank account, tax residence or another programme is closing), Vanuatu solves the task in the time Turkey spends just on completing the transaction.

What the status gives: mobility and access to the US

A passport is not just a cover but a specific set of opportunities.

Mobility

• Neither passport gives visa-free entry to Schengen; this is important to understand at once. Vanuatu’s Schengen access was withdrawn in December 2024, and Turkey never had it.
• The Turkish passport generally opens more destinations than Vanuatu’s.
• Vanuatu gives visa-free access and visas on arrival to 93 countries, covering the Caribbean and parts of Asia and Oceania.

Access to the US through the E-2: Turkey’s trump card

Turkey is on the list of treaty countries for the E-2 (treaty investor) visa. This allows an investor to start or buy a business in the US and live there, renewing the status. Vanuatu has no such treaty, which is a fundamental difference for those looking towards America.

An important caveat: under US rules (the AMIGOS Act), those who obtained citizenship of a treaty country through investment usually need about 3 years of actual domicile in that country before applying for the E-2. So the E-2 is a real but not instant option. Current naturalisation rules are published on the official website of the Presidency of Turkey.

Taxes: where Vanuatu is clearly ahead

If you are choosing citizenship partly for tax optimisation, the gap between the programmes is huge.

• Vanuatu is a classic zero-tax jurisdiction for individuals: no tax on personal income, capital gains, inheritance, capital export or worldwide assets. This makes the passport attractive to entrepreneurs, investors and holders of crypto assets.
• Turkey has a full tax system: progressive income tax, and taxes on owning and dealing in real estate. Tax residence arises after a certain period of stay, and an individual calculation is needed here.

But let us be clear: Vanuatu citizenship in itself does not exempt you from taxes in the country where you actually live and are tax resident. The zero rate works when you actually move your tax residence, not just when you hold a second passport. This is a matter of sound planning, not the magic of the cover.

Who is included in the application: Vanuatu and Turkey

Both programmes are designed for families, but the details differ.

• Vanuatu: the application includes the spouse and children under 18, and under certain conditions financially dependent older children and parents. The contribution rises for each family member, and it is non-refundable.
• Turkey: the basic investment threshold covers the spouse and children under 18 with no additional investment in the asset, so the family obtains citizenship essentially within the same property.

For a large family this changes the arithmetic: in Turkey you invest recoverable money once and include everyone, whereas in Vanuatu each person adds to the non-refundable amount. With a family of 4-5 people, the Turkish model often proves better value per person.

Due diligence: what is checked and what BRIDGES checks

Both countries carry out due diligence on the applicant, and refusal is possible in each programme. The most common reason is carelessly prepared documents or an unproven origin of funds.

• Vanuatu checks the source of funds, background, and absence of criminal records and sanctions. The process is quick, but that does not mean superficial; it is better to pass preliminary screening before filing.
• Turkey additionally checks the legal title of the property itself: encumbrances, real value, the accuracy of the valuation. Buying a problem property is a common reason for a deal falling through.

At BRIDGES we run the applicant through a preliminary check before you spend a single dollar: we assess the risks under both programmes, check the origin of the capital and, for Turkey, the legal title of the property. This reduces the risk of refusal and lost time.

Mistakes when choosing between Vanuatu and Turkey

• Comparing only the entry price. The 130,000 in Vanuatu is gone for good, while the 400,000 in Turkey is mostly recovered. Without taking refundability into account, the comparison is meaningless.
• Expecting Europe from Vanuatu. Schengen has been closed since the end of 2024. If you need free movement in Europe, this is simply not the right programme.
• Treating the E-2 as automatic. Turkey gives access to the E-2 visa, but usually with a requirement of about 3 years of domicile. It is a route, not an instant key to the US.
• Buying the first property you see in Turkey. An inflated valuation or an encumbrance can derail approval. A legal check is needed.
• Thinking a Vanuatu passport cancels taxes by itself. The zero rate works only with a real move of tax residence.

Who Vanuatu suits and who Turkey suits

Let us reduce it to clear scenarios.

• Fast and inexpensive, and you do not need the money back: Vanuatu. Solving an urgent task: a back-up passport, mobility outside Europe, tax planning.
• Preserving capital matters: Turkey. After three years the asset comes back, and citizenship in fact costs less.
• You are looking towards the US: Turkey. Access to the E-2 visa is something Vanuatu simply cannot give.
• Zero taxes for a crypto or online business: Vanuatu, provided residence is actually moved.
• A large family: more often Turkey, as one recoverable investment covers the spouse and children.
• You need Europe and Schengen: neither. Here it is worth looking at Caribbean or European programmes, and we will suggest an alternative.

Related reading: Vanuatu or the Caribbean, comparison with the Nauru programme, São Tomé or Vanuatu, comparison with Sierra Leone, the full programme cost index, support with the Vanuatu programme, estimate for your family.

Conclusion: Vanuatu or Turkey

Vanuatu and Turkey solve different tasks. Vanuatu is the champion of speed and taxes: a passport in 2-3 months, zero taxation, minimal formalities. The price is a non-refundable contribution and a weak passport without Schengen. Turkey is the choice of those who are not prepared to lose money: the property investment is recovered after three years, a route to the US E-2 visa opens, and there is a large asset market, but entry is more expensive and slower.

In short: Vanuatu when you need fast and cheap at any price, Turkey when it matters to preserve capital and look towards America. Which strategy is yours depends on timing, budget and goals. BRIDGES will help calculate the full cost under both programmes, pass a preliminary check and avoid losing money on mistakes. Book a free consultation and we will lay out your case in figures.