Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment: contribution from US$130,000 under the Development Support Program

No. The EU suspended visa-free travel for Vanuatu from 4 May 2022 and, by Regulation (EU) 2025/11 of 19 December 2024, moved the country permanently to the visa-required list — precisely because of the citizenship-by-investment scheme. The UK introduced visas for Vanuatu nationals from 19 July 2023. If the main goal is Europe, this passport does not do the job.

No. India does not allow dual citizenship: voluntarily acquiring another citizenship terminates Indian citizenship, and the Indian passport must be surrendered. The Overseas Citizen of India card then gives a lifelong multiple-entry visa and parity with NRIs in most economic matters, but no voting or public-office rights. Vanuatu itself recognises dual citizenship, but that does not change the Indian rule. For families who want mobility and a base, a residence programme often solves the task without this trade-off.

For the status itself: a backup document, a second citizenship for the family, a tool in case the first passport becomes restrictive. Our typical scenario is a family living in the UAE, where European visa-free access is not the goal. In that role it is, in our practice, the most reliable and fastest second passport on the market.

Under the Citizenship Office tariff: a contribution of US$130,000 for one person, US$150,000 for a couple, US$180,000 for a couple with two children, US$10,000 for each further applicant. Plus FIU due diligence of US$5,000, an application fee of 5,000 vatu and a passport at 7,000 vatu per booklet. Agent and legal services are costed separately — we send the full budget for your family composition.

The law sets no statutory term. In our practice — about two months, three with delays. After approval you have 3 months for payment and the oath, then the passport is issued within up to 21 days at normal service. The '6–12 months' from open discussions is usually caused by errors in documents and payments.

After the Citizenship Commission's decision, within 3 months, in US dollars only — the Office does not accept cryptocurrency. Direct transfers to Vanuatu genuinely stall in international clearing, so we plan the route before filing. Resident Indians remit under LRS — USD 250,000 per person per financial year — so a family contribution is usually split between spouses; Indians resident in the UAE are generally outside LRS.

Not for filing or the check. As a general rule the oath is taken in a Vanuatu court; for applicants abroad the Citizenship Office has accepted the oath by video conference. We confirm which rule applies on your approval date and arrange it.

The check is carried out by the Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) under the due diligence process updated in 2025, then the file goes to the Screening Committee and the Citizenship Commission. Grounds for refusal are criminal records, an undocumented source of funds and false statements. We check these at the free audit before any fee is paid.

A Vanuatu passport is valid for a maximum of 5 years. Machine-readable passports are not renewed in the same booklet — you apply for a new document, and the citizenship continues. Issuance fee: 7,000 vatu at normal service. We diarise the date and collect the documents in advance; for a family that has surrendered its Indian passport this is now its only passport.

The list of visa-free destinations changes, and after the EU and UK decisions the old marketing tables are unreliable. We verify the list on the filing date against official sources and show which destinations matter for your family.

Children are included under the Citizenship Office tariff. Age limits for adult children and the conditions for including parents are not published on the Office website — we confirm them with the Office for your specific case before filing and do not promise in advance. Each additional applicant beyond a family of four is US$10,000.

Under the Citizenship Office tariff: single applicant US$130,000, couple US$150,000, couple with one child US$165,000, couple with two children US$180,000, each further applicant US$10,000. FIU due diligence of US$5,000 and the 5,000 vatu fee are per application; the passport is 7,000 vatu per person. For resident Indians the total must fit within LRS — USD 250,000 per person per financial year.

Yes. If the application is refused through the fault of our team or an error in building the case, we refund the company's service fee less a minimal retention for costs actually incurred. Refund terms, the payment schedule and the rules on retaining service costs are fixed in the contract before work begins. Before we start, we check your documents and risk history free of charge and tell you about any risks in advance.