The Vanuatu passport: what document you receive and how strong it is

What document a Vanuatu citizen receives

In short: a new citizen receives two documents, a citizenship certificate and a biometric passport. The certificate confirms a permanent status, the passport is used for travel and is valid for 10 years. Vanuatu allows dual citizenship, so the applicant keeps their first passport.

The citizenship certificate is issued after the application is approved and the oath is taken. It is the core document of the status: it is used to apply for the passport, for children’s documents and for a new passport when the old one expires or is lost. Citizenship does not need renewing, it does not depend on the passport’s validity and it remains even if the citizen does not live in the country.

Passports are issued by the Vanuatu immigration authority. Since 2024 the government has moved the biometric passport to an electronic system: the document carries a chip with the holder’s data under ICAO standards. Biometrics, fingerprints and a digital photograph, are given in person in Dubai, Hong Kong, Port Vila, Moscow or St Petersburg.

What to check in the passport data

The name in the passport is written in Latin letters and must match your current passport, bank documents and visas. A difference of even one letter raises questions at the border and at the bank, so the spelling is fixed before the application. The process is covered in our article on the name in a Vanuatu passport.

The official fee for an ordinary passport is VT 5,000 per person under the published tariff. For citizens under the programme it is included in the estimate together with other government fees.

Children’s documents

Children included in the application receive their own certificates and passports. A child born after a parent became a citizen acquires Vanuatu citizenship by descent: a certificate and passport are issued through the same authorities. How this works is explained in our article on citizenship for a spouse and children after the passport.

How many countries the Vanuatu passport opens

In short: without a prior visa a Vanuatu citizen can enter about 97 countries and territories: 42 visa-free, 30 with a visa on arrival, 3 with an electronic travel authorisation and 22 dependent territories. About 39 more countries issue an e-visa online before the trip.

Visa-free: only the passport is needed

• Asia and the Pacific. Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines for up to 30 days, Fiji for up to 120 days, Kiribati for up to 90 days, Micronesia for up to 30 days.
• The Caribbean and Latin America. 20 destinations, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Dominica for up to 180 days, the Bahamas, Grenada and Panama for up to 90 days, Peru for up to 180 days and Ecuador for up to 90 days.
• Europe and the CIS. Russia, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro for up to 90 days, Belarus for up to 30 days.
• Africa and the Indian Ocean. 11 destinations, among them Mauritius, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Botswana for up to 90 days.

Visa on arrival, eTA and territories

A visa on arrival is issued at the airport or port of entry. This is how a Vanuatu citizen enters Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Cambodia and Laos for up to 30 days, Armenia for up to 120 days, Jordan and Nepal for up to 90 days and Egypt for up to 30 days. An eTA is obtained online before departure for St Kitts and Nevis, Israel and Kenya. Territories without a visa include Hong Kong for up to 90 days, Kosovo, the Cook Islands, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands.

E-visas issued in advance include the UAE and Qatar for 30 days, Georgia, Vietnam and Colombia for 90 days and India for 60 days. This is not visa-free travel, but it is not an embassy visit either: the application is made online and the decision arrives before the trip.

Where a visa is needed in advance

A visa is required before travel to the Schengen Area, the UK, the US, Canada and Australia. This matters for the decision: if a family’s main trips involve these countries, the Vanuatu passport alone will not make them easier, and a separate plan is needed. For Europe that plan is residence, for the US a visa obtained on the Vanuatu passport or on the main passport. Long-haul travel in Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean and Latin America, on the other hand, usually needs no visa forms.

Why sources give different figures

Rankings count destinations by their own method. The Henley Passport Index counts countries that can be entered visa-free, with a visa on arrival or with an electronic authorisation, and in March 2026 it counted 88 destinations for Vanuatu. The BRIDGES count of 97 includes dependent territories such as Hong Kong, Bermuda and French Polynesia. Services that add e-visas show more than 110 destinations.

For the decision, the specific countries matter more than the total. List the destinations you travel to for work and with your family, and check them against the full list of visa-free countries for the Vanuatu passport. Separate articles cover Asian countries and the UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong. Entry rules are set by the destination countries and should be checked before travel.

The Vanuatu passport in world rankings

In short: in the Henley Passport Index for March 2026 the Vanuatu passport ranks around 50th of 199 with 88 destinations. In January 2025 it was 54th, a year earlier 48th. The changes reflect EU and UK visa decisions and the way the index handles shared ranks.

Passport indices rank documents by the number of destinations without a prior visa and are updated several times a year. The same rank in different months can mean a slightly different number of countries, and passports with the same score share a rank. That is why passports are best compared by country lists, with the rank used as a guide.

A ranking leaves out several things that matter in practice. It ignores the length of stay: Fiji admits Vanuatu citizens for 120 days, Singapore for 30. It does not distinguish an e-visa obtained in an evening from an embassy visa. And it says nothing about banks and taxes, which are often the reason for getting the passport. So the rank is a general guide, while the decision rests on your own list of countries and goals.

Another well-known index, the Passport Index, treats e-visas differently and places Vanuatu lower. Both show the same trend: the passport has kept access to Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean and Latin America, while Europe and the UK now require a visa.

Schengen and the UK: how access changed

In short: visa-free travel to the EU has been fully suspended since 4 February 2023, and the UK has required a visa since 19 July 2023. The route to Europe for Vanuatu citizens now goes through residence: the Greek Golden Visa or Hungary’s programmes.

• 3 March 2022. The Council of the EU partially suspended the visa waiver agreement for ordinary Vanuatu passports issued since 25 May 2015.
• 4 February 2023. The suspension applied to all Vanuatu citizens.
• 19 July 2023. The UK introduced visas for Vanuatu nationals, including a transit visa.
• 19 December 2024. Regulation (EU) 2025/11 moved Vanuatu to the list of countries whose citizens need a Schengen visa. It entered into force on 3 February 2025.

The EU cited the risks of investor citizenship schemes, and Vanuatu responded by tightening applicant checks. For a passport holder this means a simple rule: trips to Schengen countries and the UK are planned with a visa, obtained on the Vanuatu passport or on the main passport. Schengen visas are covered in our article on the Vanuatu passport and Schengen.

A Schengen visa on a Vanuatu passport is applied for at the consulate or visa centre of the main destination country, usually in the country of residence. The file is standard: an application form, a photo, insurance, bookings and proof of funds and purpose of travel. If the applicant holds another passport, the visa can be obtained on it, but entry to Schengen must be on the passport that carries the visa.

To live in Europe, Vanuatu citizens use residence. A common scenario among BRIDGES clients is a Vanuatu passport in 2-3 months, followed by Greek residence for Vanuatu citizens. A residence permit gives the right to live in Greece and travel across the Schengen Area. This is what a family of three generations did.

The Vanuatu passport and Caribbean passports

In short: Caribbean passports open more destinations, from 145 to 157 in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, and keep visa-free access to Schengen. The Vanuatu passport wins on processing time, entry threshold and the option to give biometrics without travelling to the islands.

The gap in destinations is mostly Europe: Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis still enter Schengen visa-free. On the other hand, a Vanuatu passport takes approximately 2-3 months, Caribbean programmes usually take longer, and the DSP contribution starts at $130,000.

For many families this is not an either-or choice. The Vanuatu passport covers speed and travel in Asia, while Greek residence covers the European scenario. If visa-free Schengen travel is needed straight away, a Caribbean programme fits better. A comparison of cost, timing and family options is in our article Vanuatu or the Caribbean, with country-by-country reviews in Vanuatu or Dominica and Vanuatu or Grenada.

What the Vanuatu passport is used for

In short: the Vanuatu passport is used as a back-up document, for travel and business in Asia, for accounts abroad, for the family and as a first step towards residence in Europe. The tax advantage applies only to Vanuatu tax residents.

A back-up document

A second passport is needed when the main document limits travel, banking or timing. A Vanuatu passport is obtained quickly, without relocating and for the whole family at once, which is why entrepreneurs with a single citizenship often choose it. How this works is explained in our article on the Vanuatu passport as a plan B.

Travel and business in Asia

Singapore and Malaysia admit Vanuatu citizens without a visa, Hong Kong for up to 90 days, Thailand and Cambodia with a visa on arrival. For those who work with suppliers and partners in the region, this cuts visa delays. An example from practice: a financier from Almaty gained working access to Hong Kong and Singapore.

Accounts and companies abroad

A bank opens an account on a set of documents rather than on a passport alone: proof of address, source of funds and tax residence. The Vanuatu passport confirms citizenship in that set, and the bank’s questions usually concern the origin of capital. Preparing for them is covered in our article on bank accounts with a Vanuatu passport.

Family and children

One application can include a spouse, children and parents over 50, and children born later acquire citizenship by descent. Who can be included and what it costs is explained in our article on Vanuatu citizenship for families.

A first step towards residence in Europe

A Vanuatu citizen can apply for the Greek Golden Visa through a property purchase or for Hungary’s national programmes. In this combination the Vanuatu passport solves the question of speed: it is obtained in 2-3 months, and the residence application is then made as a Vanuatu citizen. A residence permit in an EU country gives the right to live there and travel across the Schengen Area without separate visas.

Taxes

Vanuatu has no personal income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax, and VAT is 15%. Citizenship on its own does not change tax residence: a person who lives in another country keeps paying tax there. When the zero rate actually applies is explained in our article on taxes in Vanuatu.

How to obtain a Vanuatu passport

In short: a Vanuatu passport is obtained through citizenship by investment. The DSP contribution starts at $130,000 for a single applicant, and in the CIIP fund a family of up to four pays $157,000 and receives $50,000 back after 5 years. The timeline is approximately 2-3 months.

The application is filed by a licensed agent. The Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) checks the applicant and the source of funds, the Citizenship Commission makes the decision, and the contribution is paid after approval. The applicant then gives biometrics, takes the oath remotely and receives the citizenship certificate and the passport. There is no need to travel to the islands.

Biometrics are given once when the passport is issued: in Dubai or Hong Kong for residents of the Middle East and Asia, in Moscow or St Petersburg, in Port Vila, or during a visit by an authorised officer of the Vanuatu immigration authority. Documents are collected for each family member: passport, birth and marriage certificates, a police certificate, a medical certificate and proof of source of funds. The list by family member is in our article on documents for Vanuatu citizenship.

The choice of programme depends on the family: a single applicant usually benefits from the DSP contribution, a family of four or more from the fund. For a couple or a family of three it depends on whether you are ready to leave $50,000 in the fund for five years.

BRIDGES estimate guide for September 2026. The final amount is set by the official invoice on the date of application.

Both programmes are compared in detail in DSP or the CIIP fund, all steps are in how to obtain Vanuatu citizenship, and the full budget is in the cost of Vanuatu citizenship. The general terms are in our review of Vanuatu citizenship by investment, and the all-in figure for your family comes from the Vanuatu citizenship cost calculator.

Using, renewing and replacing the passport

In short: citizenship is permanent, and the passport is renewed every 10 years. If it is lost, a new passport is issued on the basis of the citizenship certificate. With two passports it is important to use them correctly when travelling, and your home country may require you to report a second citizenship.

Renewal and replacement

The passport is renewed when it expires, runs out of pages or when personal details change. The application goes to the Vanuatu immigration authority, and biometrics are given again. If the passport is lost or stolen, the loss is reported first, and the document is then reissued on the basis of the citizenship certificate. The process is covered in our articles on renewing a Vanuatu passport and replacing a lost passport, and a case with an expired passport shows how it works from abroad.

If personal details change

After a marriage, a change of surname or a correction of the name spelling, the passport is replaced with a new one. This requires a document confirming the change and the citizenship certificate, and biometrics are given again. The change should also be reflected in bank, visa and tax documents so that the data match everywhere.

Travelling with two passports

The ticket is booked on the passport used to cross the border of the destination country, while you enter and leave the country of your other citizenship on its passport. What to show at check-in and at the border is explained in our guide to travelling with a Vanuatu passport.

Rules of your home country

Before applying, check how your country of citizenship treats a second nationality. Some countries do not allow it at all, others require notification. Russia, for example, allows a second citizenship but requires notice to the Ministry of Internal Affairs within 60 days, and failure to do so is an offence under Article 330.2 of the Criminal Code with a fine of up to 200,000 roubles or compulsory work. The Russian procedure is covered in our article on dual citizenship of Russia and Vanuatu.

Common mistakes with a Vanuatu passport

1. Counting countries from advertising lists. Figures from 80 to 130 depend on the method, and the decision should rest on specific destinations.
2. Planning a trip to Europe without a visa. Schengen has required a visa since 4 February 2023, and residence in Greece or Hungary is used for living in Europe.
3. Not checking the name spelling. A mismatch with your current passport and bank documents raises questions at the border.
4. Expecting the passport to remove taxes. Tax depends on tax residence, not on citizenship.
5. Forgetting home-country rules. Some countries require notice of a second citizenship within a set period.
6. Leaving renewal to the last weeks. Many countries require remaining passport validity on the date of entry, so renewal starts early.

BRIDGES service: Vanuatu citizenship by investment with BRIDGES support.