Updated
GL-VU-45
Glossary · Vanuatu
Vanuatu citizenship glossary in plain words
Contribution and fund programmes, due diligence, forms, certificate and passport: what each Vanuatu citizenship by investment term means and what it changes for your family. Checked against the official Citizenship Office fee schedule.
Programme and status
01Development Support Program
DSP
Vanuatu's contribution programme: a non-refundable contribution to the state for citizenship. $130,000 for one, $150,000 for a couple, $165,000 with a child, $180,000 with two children, plus a $5,000 due diligence fee.
$130,000 single applicant
02Capital Investment Immigration Plan
CIIP
Vanuatu's fund programme: $165,000 for a family of up to 4 including the due diligence fee, of which $50,000 is a share in an approved fund that the fund buys back after 5 years.
$165,000 family up to 4
03
Vanuatu passport
The passport of a Vanuatu citizen: an adult passport is valid for 10 years, a child's for 5. The state fee for an ordinary passport is 5,000 VT per person. It arrives weeks after the citizenship certificate.
10 years adult
04Passport renewal
Vanuatu passport renewal
Issuing a new Vanuatu passport when the old one expires: an adult's after 10 years, a child's after 5. It starts a few months before expiry, remotely, with no trip to the islands.
10 / 5 years
05Lost passport and certificate replacement
Replacing a lost Vanuatu passport
A new Vanuatu passport or citizenship certificate in place of a lost, stolen or damaged one. Citizenship is not lost with the document; a duplicate certificate follows the tariff in vatu.
06Schengen visa waiver suspended
Schengen and Vanuatu
Visa-free Schengen access on a Vanuatu passport is suspended: partly by a decision of 03.03.2022, fully from 04.02.2023, and since 03.02.2025 Vanuatu is on the EU visa list. For Europe - a Schengen visa or a Greek residence permit.
07Greek Golden Visa with a Vanuatu passport
Greek residence permit for Vanuatu citizens
A Greek residence permit through a home purchase, which a Vanuatu citizen can apply for on a Vanuatu passport even where applications on their first citizenship are not accepted. Family: spouse, children under 21, parents.
21 age limit for children
08Certificate of citizenship
Vanuatu citizenship certificate
The document from which Vanuatu citizenship starts. Issued after payment and the oath; the passport follows later. The second-citizenship notice deadline is counted from the certificate date.
1 certificate per person
09Fund share and buy-back
Vanuatu fund share
$50,000 of the fund programme (CIIP) amount is the applicant's share in an approved fund for 5 years. After 5 years the fund buys the share back under its own documents and returns $50,000.
$50,000 share
10
Fund option without share return
Vanuatu's fund programme option in which the share is not returned: $145,000 for a family of up to 4 including the due diligence fee. It is $20,000 cheaper than the fund with refund and is paid once.
$145,000 family up to 4
11Citizenship by birth
Vanuatu citizenship by birth
A child with at least one parent who was a Vanuatu citizen on the date of birth is a citizen by birth. They receive birth registration, citizenship documents and a passport with no investment.
1 citizen parent
12Vanuatu vatu, VUV
Vatu (VT)
Vanuatu's national currency, code VUV, symbol VT. State fees are stated in vatu: a passport is 5,000 VT, DSP new citizen registration 100,000 VT. Programme contributions are in US dollars.
5,000 VT passport
13
Port Vila
The capital of Vanuatu on Efate island. The Citizenship Commission, the citizenship office and the passport service are based here. You do not need to travel to Port Vila to obtain citizenship.
14
Bislama
Vanuatu's national language, one of three official languages alongside English and French. You do not need Bislama for citizenship by investment: documents are filed in English.
3 official languages
15
Vanuatu citizenship
Second citizenship of the Pacific republic of Vanuatu, available by investment through the contribution (DSP) or fund (CIIP) programme, with no relocation and no language test. An adult passport is valid for 10 years.
2 programmes
16Citizenship Act, Cap. 112
Vanuatu Citizenship Act (Cap. 112)
Vanuatu's main citizenship law: who is a citizen by birth, how citizenship is acquired and lost, and whether dual citizenship is allowed. The contribution and fund programmes rest on it.
Cap. 112 law number
17DSP contribution schedule
Official DSP contribution schedule
DSP contributions published by the Vanuatu government: $130,000 for one, $150,000 for a couple, $165,000 for a couple and a child, $180,000 for a couple and two children, +$10,000 for each additional person. The $5,000 due diligence fee is per application.
$130,000 one person
Application, checks and decision
01Financial Intelligence Unit
Vanuatu FIU due diligence
Vanuatu's Financial Intelligence Unit, which carries out the state due diligence check on the applicant and family before the Commission filing. The result comes as an FIU letter.
~1 wk check
02FIU clearance letter
FIU letter
The letter with the result of the Vanuatu due diligence check. The full Commission file is submitted within 1 month of the letter, and the letter number goes into part 2 of the CIIP form.
1 mo. to file the set
03Pre-due diligence
BRIDGES pre-check
Our own check of the applicant and family before any payment: sanctions lists, public status, court records, source of funds. It takes 1-2 working days and results in a risk opinion and strategy.
1-2 working days
04Due diligence fee
Vanuatu due diligence fee
The fee for the Vanuatu state due diligence check, per application rather than per person: $5,000 under the contribution programme (DSP), $8,000 under the fund programme (CIIP).
$5,000 contribution
05Post-approval deadline
3-month deadline for payment and oath
After the approval letter the family has 3 months to pay the contribution or fund share and take the oath and biometrics. Missing the deadline puts the approval at risk.
3 mo. for all steps
06Additional family member
Additional family member (Vanuatu)
Each family member beyond the base composition: +$10,000 under the contribution programme (DSP) official schedule, and +$26,500 each from the fifth person under the fund programme (CIIP).
+$10,000 contribution
07Dependent resident 18-25
Dependant aged 18-25 (Vanuatu)
An adult child aged 18-25 included in a Vanuatu citizenship application: in full-time study, no own income, unmarried. They file the full adult document set and a criminal record certificate.
18-25 years old
08Parents and older dependants
Parents and older dependants (Vanuatu)
The applicant's parents and children over 25 who can be included in a Vanuatu citizenship application where dependency is proven. Conditions and amount are set from the family's documents.
D form fields
09
Vanuatu Citizenship Commission
The Vanuatu state body that reviews citizenship by investment applications and issues the approval letter. It meets in sessions, so the timeline depends on the next session.
1 decision per family
10
Vanuatu Citizenship Office
Vanuatu's citizenship office: it accepts applications, publishes the official schedule of contributions and fees, issues state invoices and issues citizenship certificates.
$130,000 DSP for one
11Authorised agent
Vanuatu authorised agent
An agent licensed by the Vanuatu government to file citizenship by investment applications. Applications are not accepted directly from applicants: filing goes only through an authorised agent.
1 filing route - through an agent
Documents and forms
01
Asset Statement
A Vanuatu form in which the main applicant shows their assets as dollar totals, without breakdowns. The total must match the amount in the form and the bank statements.
$ totals in dollars
02Identity Witness, Witness Declaration
Witness field (Vanuatu forms)
The Identity Witness and Witness Declaration blocks in the Vanuatu passport form, Form B. The client does not fill them in: they are completed on the island.
2 blocks
03Remarks block
Remarks block (CIIP form)
The explanations field in the Vanuatu CIIP form. For every child under 18 it shows the child's name and the main applicant's name as parent.
C child form
04Medical Certificate
Medical certificate (Vanuatu)
The medical report required for every participant in a Vanuatu citizenship application, including children. There is no single form; a doctor signs it, and a Russian report needs a certified translation.
100% of participants
05Bank letter
Bank letter (Vanuatu)
A letter from the main applicant's bank on letterhead or a balance certificate - part of the source of funds evidence for Vanuatu citizenship, together with a 6-month statement.
6 mo. statement
06Professional reference
Professional reference (Vanuatu)
A reference letter about the applicant from a professional - a lawyer, accountant or business partner. Part of the main applicant's set, written directly in English.
1 letter
07Police Clearance
Vanuatu police clearance
A criminal record certificate issued by Vanuatu to its citizen. Banks, immigration authorities and deal counterparties ask for it; it is arranged remotely, with no trip to the islands.
08CIIP Nomination Form, parts 1 and 2
Nomination Form (CIIP form)
The Vanuatu fund programme application form, one per family member. Part 1 is for due diligence, part 2 is the full Commission file. We complete it, the client signs.
4 roles in the form
09Principal candidate, fields A
Principal candidate
The main applicant's role in the Vanuatu CIIP form: fields A, 3 pages. The main applicant provides the full document set, including source of funds evidence.
A fields
10Spouse, fields B
Spouse (Vanuatu form)
The spouse's role in the Vanuatu CIIP form: fields B, 2 pages. The address must match the main applicant's exactly; a translated marriage certificate and a criminal record certificate are required.
B fields
11Dependent child, fields C
Dependent child (Vanuatu form)
The role of a child under 18 in the Vanuatu CIIP form: fields C, 2 pages. Under 12 a parent signs; from 12 the child signs. No criminal record certificate is needed under 18.
C fields
12Dependent resident, fields D
Dependent resident
The role of a dependant aged 18+ in the Vanuatu CIIP form: fields D. This is an adult child in full-time study or a dependent parent. Full adult document set, signed by the dependant.
D fields
13Passport Application Form
Form B (Vanuatu passport form)
The Vanuatu passport application form, one per family member. Two signatures: inside the top-right box (transferred to the passport) and in the declaration at the bottom. Under 12 the top box stays empty.
2 signatures
14Birth registration questionnaire
Birth Registration Questionnaire (9610)
Vanuatu's birth registration questionnaire, form 9610, one per family member: own details, parents and grandparents, in English capitals. The birth certificate and passport are issued from it.
9610 form number
15Birth registration certificate
Vanuatu birth registration certificate
Vanuatu's certificate registering a new citizen's birth. It is issued from the birth registration questionnaire (9610) and is needed for the passport. It is handed to the family with the certificate and ID.
9610 questionnaire
16National ID card
Vanuatu National ID
The national ID card of a Vanuatu citizen. Issued to a new citizen together with the certificate, birth registration certificate and passport.
1 card per person
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