Investment citizenship is a sought-after option among our clients. Vanuatu citizenship is one of the most popular directions due to the simplicity of participation, affordable investment threshold, and promptness of status change. It only takes from $130,000 and 1-2 months to become a holder of a second citizenship.
How to obtain a Vanuatu passport?
Citizenship of the island state offers numerous privileges: visa-free travel to over 100 countries, the ability to register a company in an offshore jurisdiction and reduce tax burden, obtain an accelerated residency program in Europe, receive education in a European university, and more. Vanuatu recognizes dual citizenship and does not require passport holders to know the language, history, and residency in the country.
Who can obtain citizenship in the Pacific state?
Authorities accept applications from adult residents of any country who can prove the legality of their income to pay the investment contribution and have no criminal records or legal issues. Citizenship will be denied to those who are listed on the international wanted list or have socially dangerous diseases.
Important! The investor must show the presence of at least $250,000 in their accounts. Why is this necessary? Vanuatu authorities want to see that the investor is reliable and financially capable of supporting themselves and their family. To participate in the investment program, they will not need to spend all their savings.
In addition to the applicant, the following individuals can participate in the passport acquisition program:
- spouse, with whom the investor is officially married;
- children under 18: common children and children from previous marriages of either spouse, adopted children;
- children under 25, if they are financially dependent on the investor and are studying at a university;
- applicant's parents, over 50 years old.
An additional $15,000 must be paid for each family member over 18 years old.
Step-by-step process of obtaining Vanuatu citizenship
Our lawyers have not only broken down the entire process step by step for clarity but also calculated how much time each specific stage takes:
- Reliability check - 1 day. As a licensed agency, we pre-screen each client against international databases. This will reduce the risk of citizenship refusal.
- Preparation of the initial document package - 2-3 days.
After signing a cooperation agreement, we compile an initial document package: passport, certificate of no criminal record, and investor's CV (coefficient of variation). Passports and certificates must be provided by all family members participating in the program. - Investor verification by the Vanuatu financial department - up to 7 days.
Together with the preliminary document package submitted for verification, the applicant pays a Due Diligence fee of $5,000. The amount is fixed and does not depend on the number of participants in the program. According to Vanuatu law, only a licensed agent can submit documents. After the FIU department's check, a preliminary approval of the candidate is issued. - Collection and processing of the second document package - up to 14 days.
We not only collect and process documents but also fill out all necessary forms/templates.
There is a standard list of documents, but in practice, each investor adds some of their documents (for example, the history of savings accumulation):
— birth certificates of all program participants;
— medical examination reports for all individuals over 18 years old;
— driver's licenses;
— documents on change of surname (in case of marriage/divorce);
— resident and international passports;
— if adult children are studying at a university, payment receipts - as proof of financial dependency on parents;
— documents confirming the legality of income - employment certificates, cooperation agreements with contractors, employment contracts, and financial statements of the company;
— bank statement with a balance of at least $250,000;
— 6 photos for each family member for documents.
After that, the investor signs forms and templates, and pays an advance - of 25% of the investment amount.
The Vanuatu authorities consider the application and decide on approval or rejection - up to 21 days. If the commission refuses to grant citizenship, the 25% contribution is returned to the applicant. The Due Diligence fee of $5,000 is non-refundable.
Transfer of investments - up to 90 days. After the candidate's approval, the applicant pays the remaining 75% of the investment amount. Payment is due within 5 days, but if the investor needs more time for a valid reason, the deadline can be extended to 90 days. If the applicant does not meet the 90-day deadline, the application is canceled, and the previously paid 25% is not refunded.
- Passport issuance and oath-taking - up to 14 days.
After transferring the full amount of the investment, the Citizenship Commission issues a naturalization certificate for the investor and family members participating in the program. The certificate is sent to the passport office for printing new documents for citizens. Investors receive certificates and passports after taking the oath - in Vanuatu or the country chosen by the applicant.
In total, all procedures take no more than 2 months. If you want to become the owner of a new passport of an island state in a short time without unnecessary hassle, sign up for a consultation with specialists from the GARANT.IN agency.
