Who can obtain citizenship of the island state of Vanuatu and what is it for?

Vanuatu is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean. In 2017, it launched a passport-by-investment program.

When applying for status, applicants are not required to visit Vanuatu, and arrival in the country after citizenship is granted is also entirely at the applicants’ discretion. To obtain passports, you should contact an agent licensed by the Vanuatu government, who will take on most of the hassle of applying for status.

How to Get a Second Passport in Vanuatu by Investment

The process of obtaining a passport in the island state of Vanuatu takes 1-4 months. This is the fastest second citizenship by investment. Applications are accepted from applicants who are at least 18 years old, with a legal income and a balance of $250,000 in a bank account. The stages of registration:

• Preliminary monitoring of program participants . Subsequent approval of the application largely depends on it.
• Collection and preparation of documents . They are submitted for verification of the reliability of participants, which is carried out by Vanuatu commissions and committees. The investor contributes $5,500 per family as payment for this procedure.
• Submitting an application and submitting biometric data through a consulate . For this, you can fly to Hong Kong, Brussels, Dubai, Noumea.
• After the application is approved, funds are deposited according to the investment option.
• Taking the oath . This can be done in Vanuatu or remotely by inviting the commissioner and a representative of the immigration service.
• Issuance of naturalization certificates and passports . They can be sent to any point in the world.

The investment must be transferred within 90 days of the application being approved. The applicant is given a choice between:

• Non-refundable contribution to the National Development Fund account . For 1 person you will need $130,000, for spouses - $150,000, for other persons - $15,000 each.
• By purchasing $157,000 worth of CNO Future Fund shares . From the 5th person, the investment amount increases to $25,000 for each. Part of the securities ($50,000) can be sold after 5 years.

The investor’s spouse, financially dependent children under 25, and parents over 50 are allowed to participate in the program together with the investor. Relatives can also be added to the program after passports are issued under the basic application, by paying an additional $15,000 (more details on all the nuances are available at immigrantinvest.com). Children born within the borders of Vanuatu acquire citizenship by "right of soil".

Potential and opportunities with status

The Vanuatu government is finalizing another investment option – real estate. So far, the approved list includes several properties on the islands of Espiritu Santo and Efate. Investors can, in addition to the program, buy any real estate (except land plots), use it personally or rent it out. The flow of tourists to Vanuatu is consistently high, so there is always demand for rental properties. Also, thanks to the Vanuatu passport, a foreign investor can:

• Visit 109 countries, including Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the Caribbean, without a visa or under simplified visa rules.
• Obtain a B-1/B-2 visa, which allows you to visit the United States for various purposes for up to 5 years.
• When registering an international company – be exempt from taxes (they are replaced by an annual contribution of $300). Other tax deductions are also small. Thus, VAT is only 12.5%.
• Open accounts in the country’s banks and branches of international financial organizations.

The country has international airports (Port Vila, Luganville), and if necessary, investors can visit the country at any time. The presence of three official languages (Bislama, English and French) simplifies business and everyday communication. The country can become a convenient platform for business development on a global scale.