How to renounce or renounce Vanuatu citizenship in 2026

Briefly: is it possible to renounce Vanuatu citizenship?

Yes, a citizen of Vanuatu has the right to voluntarily renounce citizenship - this is expressly provided for in the Citizenship Act, Cap 112. A formal application is submitted - Declaration of Renunciation of Vanuatu Citizenship - with an oath, after which the passport is surrendered to the Vanuatu Citizenship Office.

But before starting the procedure, it is worth understanding the main thing: Vanuatu has allowed dual citizenship since 2013, when a corresponding amendment was made to the Constitution. This means that the mere possession of a Vanuatu passport almost never conflicts with your other citizenship, and a formal refusal is extremely rarely required. In most cases, when a person is looking for how to “renounce Vanuatu citizenship”, in reality the task is solved differently - for example, by simply notifying his country of a second passport, rather than by renunciation.

The law places two strict restrictions on exit. Firstly, only an adult (18+) and capable person can refuse. Secondly, you cannot become stateless: exit is allowed only if you already have another citizenship or you are applying for it at the same time. These rules protect against statelessness and apply equally to those who have received a passport Vanuatu citizenship by investment program, and to naturalized citizens.

Why do people renounce their Vanuatu citizenship?

Since Vanuatu does not object to two passports, voluntary exit is almost always dictated not by local rules, but by external circumstances. Let’s look at the real motives with which people come to us.

Request by a third country to renounce previous citizenship. Some jurisdictions fundamentally do not allow multiple citizenship and, upon naturalization, require documented proof of renunciation from all others. Classic examples are Austria, Japan, and a number of other states with a mono-citizen regime. If a person applies for such a passport, he may be ordered to refuse the Vanuatu one. Then refusal is not a whim, but a condition for obtaining the required citizenship.

Reputation and compliance. After the EU finally abolished the visa-free regime for Vanuatu passports (decision of the EU Council of December 12, 2024, visa-free travel was suspended since 2022), the Vanuatu document no longer allows entry to Schengen without a visa. Someone received it precisely for the sake of trips to Europe - and now, disappointed, they want to “close the issue.” Sometimes the presence of an investment program passport raises additional questions from banks regarding KYC, and a person prefers not to hold an asset that he does not use.

Tax and personal reasons. The Vanuatu passport itself does not create tax obligations - the country has no tax on income, capital gains, inheritance and world income. But in rare scenarios, holding a particular citizenship affects status in a third country or family/heritage issues, and the person decides to simplify his or her “citizenship portfolio.” In the vast majority of cases, we repeat, it is wiser not to refuse, but to correctly formalize relations with the country of primary residence - more on this below.

Refusal versus notification: why these procedures are confused

The most common confusion is between renunciation of citizenship and notification of second citizenship. These are fundamentally different things, and mixing them is expensive.

Renunciation is the legal termination of citizenship: you cease to be a citizen, lose your passport and all the rights that it gave. Notification is simply informing your country that you have a second passport; In this case, you do not lose any citizenship.

A case in point is Russia. Russian law does not require renunciation of second citizenship and does not prohibit having it. It only obliges you to notify the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs about the presence of a second citizenship or residence permit - in general, within 60 days (for those permanently residing abroad, their own rules and filing deadlines apply). Failure to submit a notification is subject to liability up to criminal liability under Article 330.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. That is, a Russian citizen who has received a Vanuatu passport, according to Russian law, needs to submit a notification of second citizenship, and not at all renounce Vanuatu. We discuss the details and nuances of the deadlines in a separate material for Russians.

The takeaway is simple: before you initiate an irreversible opt-out procedure, make sure that your country actually requires opt-out rather than notification. In nine cases out of ten, we are talking about notification - and then there is no need to renounce Vanuatu citizenship at all. If you have any doubts about the legality of owning a second passport, start by analyzing legitimacy of the Vanuatu program and the status of your primary jurisdiction.

Procedure and conditions for renunciation of Vanuatu citizenship

Voluntary withdrawal is regulated by the Citizenship Act, Cap 112 and its regulations. Administers the Vanuatu Citizenship Office procedure; General oversight of citizenship issues is carried out by the Citizenship Commission. Below is how this works in practice in 2026.

Who can refuse. The application must be submitted only by a person who has reached the age of 18 and has full legal capacity. A refusal cannot be issued for a minor - this is a direct consequence of the rule against statelessness. Refusal is only allowed if you already have another citizenship or you are acquiring it as part of the same process. If there is no other citizenship, the application will be rejected so that you do not remain stateless.

What is served. The official form is filled out - Declaration of Renunciation of Vanuatu Citizenship. The applicant takes an oath/declaration. Vanuatu passport for rent. As a rule, a copy of the passport of another country (confirmation that you will not become stateless) and an identity card are attached. The exact set and fee are specified individually upon application, since the requirements are periodically adjusted.

The download form and basic procedure are published by the official website - Vanuatu Citizenship Office. Before submitting, it is a good idea to check the current version as forms and fees are updated. If you are considering refusal due to frustration with the visa waiver or due to the requirements of another country, it is wiser to first discuss the situation with our specialists - often the problem is solved without renunciation.

Consequences of refusal: children, reversibility, passport

Giving up citizenship is a decision with long-lasting consequences, and you shouldn’t make it emotionally. Let's list what is important to weigh in advance.

Irreversibility in fact. The law does not provide an automatic right to “regain” citizenship after renunciation. To become a citizen of Vanuatu again, you will have to go through the established path of acquiring citizenship again - for example, through an investment program with a repeated non-refundable contribution. In other words, they refused - and the previously paid funds are not returned, and obtaining a passport again means new expenses and a new check. Therefore, refusal is treated as a final step.

Children and family. The refusal of an adult in itself does not deprive the citizenship of his children, for whom it is issued separately. But the refusal cannot be extended to a minor - the exit is available only from 18 years of age. If the whole family received passports under the investment program, the status of each member is considered individually; It will not be possible to “discharge” a child with a parent’s statement alone. It is better to work out everything that concerns children separately and in advance.

What do you have to lose? With the termination of citizenship, the passport and the associated opportunities are canceled: visa-free and simplified entries with a Vanuatu document, the right to consular protection of Vanuatu, tax resident status (if it was based on it). Considering that a Vanuatu passport already does not have a Schengen visa-free visa, the loss for the traveler is not dramatic - but it is still the liquidation of the asset in which the money was invested. Before the step, it is useful to compare what you actually use, for example in materials Vanuatu vs DominicaandCaribbean Passport Review.

Forced deprivation: how does it differ from voluntary withdrawal?

In addition to voluntary renunciation, there is a fundamentally different scenario - deprivation of citizenship by the state. It is important not to confuse them: in the first case, the initiator is you, in the second, the Vanuatu authorities.

The Citizenship Commission has the right to revoke citizenship on a limited list of grounds: if it was obtained fraudulently, by providing false information or concealing material facts; if it is issued in violation of the Citizenship Law (Cap 112) or the Constitution; or if a citizen, after receiving a passport, does not comply with the restrictions established by law. The grounds for deprivation refer, among other things, to Article 13 of the Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu. According to the country's judicial practice, a person recognized by a court as having obtained citizenship fraudulently ceases to be a citizen upon expiration of a specified period after such a decision.

The practical meaning for a conscientious investor is simple: if the documents are submitted, the sources of funds are confirmed and due diligence is passed, the risk of forced deprivation is minimal - the mechanism is aimed at fraud, and not at those who have changed their minds. This, by the way, is an argument in favor of applying for a passport through licensed agents and not trying to save on the cleanliness of your dossier. It is also worth noting the context: when reviewing visa relations, the EU noted that although Vanuatu has the legal ability to revoke citizenship for fraud, there were no actual cases of revocation of passports issued under the investment scheme. For the final holder, this means stability of status with fair receipt.

What to look for and what mistakes are made most often

This section is a checklist that we go through with the client before launching a denial at all. In most applications, after such an analysis, the refusal procedure turns out to be unnecessary.

Mistake 1. Confusing refusal with notification. A person hears “you cannot have two citizenships” and runs to renounce, although his country (like Russia) requires only to submit a notification and keep both passports. First, we check the exact rule of law of the country of primary citizenship.

Mistake 2. They refuse because of a visa-free visa without understanding it. Yes, Vanuatu no longer has Schengen visa-free travel - this is a minus of the program. But if the passport was taken for the sake of tax zero, mobility outside the EU or a backup document, the abolition of the European visa-free regime does not devalue it completely. Refusal here is often an overreaction.

Error 3. Irreversibility and money are not taken into account. The contribution under the program is non-refundable, re-receipt is again through investment and verification. Before leaving, we calculate how much a possible “rollback” will cost.

What we check point by point before refusing:

• Does a third country require a refusal rather than a notification - verbatim according to its law.
• Do you have a valid other citizenship (otherwise exit is impossible - protection from apatrism).
• The age and legal capacity of the applicant, the status of each family member and children separately.
• The current Declaration of Renunciation form and fee are available on the Citizenship Office website.
• What exactly are you losing compared to what the passport was issued for?
• Are there any tax or inheritance implications in your country of residence?

If, based on the results of the analysis, the refusal is still justified, we help you prepare the application correctly so as not to be refused admission and not remain in limbo. It's useful to keep comparison programs nearby - e.g. Vanuatu vs Nauru and review fastest second citizenshipto see if it might be wiser to simply replace the tool rather than abandon it.

BRIDGES service: Vanuatu citizenship by investment with BRIDGES support.