NauruCitizenship
- Min. investment
- $115,000+
- Time to approval
- 3–4 months
- Travel-access score
- 86 destinations
Citizenship by Investment
Vanuatu
The fastest route to a second citizenship — a Pacific island passport in as little as two months, entirely remotely.
Time to citizenship
1–2 months
Minimum investment
$130,000+
Travel-access score
93 destinations
Figures as of August 2026, per the official program source — confirmed on application.
Program Overview
About the Vanuatu program
In brief
The Vanuatu program is a citizenship-by-investment program that grants full legal citizenship. The minimum qualifying investment is $130,000+, and approvals typically take 1–2 months. It requires no residence or relocation, and the passport scores 93 on our travel-access count — destinations reachable visa-free, on arrival, or with an eTA or e-visa granted on arrival terms. Figures are indicative minimums for the main applicant.
Vanuatu's Development Support Program is the fastest citizenship by investment route in the world: qualified applicants routinely complete the process in under two months without visiting the islands.
The Pacific nation offers a straightforward contribution structure and a tax-neutral environment, making it a pragmatic second-citizenship option for families who value speed and simplicity.
Presence requirement
No visit required — fully remote, including the oath
Document validity
Passport valid for 10 years, renewable
Dual nationality
Dual citizenship permitted
How it compares
Vanuatu against other citizenship programs
Where Vanuatu sits among the 9 citizenship by investment programs we advise on. The gold marker is the peer average.
Minimum investment (lower is better)$130,000
Peer average $228kBelow the peer average
Time to approval (lower is better)1–2 months
Peer average ≈ 6 monthsBelow the peer average
Travel-access score (higher is better)93
Peer average 114Below the peer average
Investment is compared on a USD-normalized basis; the label shows this program's own currency. Time uses the upper end of the published range. Figures are indicative.
What Vanuatu citizenship unlocks
Citizenship under the Development Support Program — the fastest mainstream grant. What it changes from day one:
Capabilities follow from the status itself — citizenship or residence as the program grants it; specifics are confirmed during your assessment.
The Life It Unlocks
Citizenship at the speed of a season.
Eight weeks, start to oath
The fastest legislated citizenship in the world — begin this month and, typically, take the oath before the season changes.
Without leaving your living room
Fully remote from first document to final oath. No travel, no interview trips, no disruption to the life you're already living.
The trade-off, named
Vanuatu's speed comes without Schengen access since the EU suspension — if Europe matters most, we'll say so and point you elsewhere. That honesty is the point.
Investment Pathways
Development Support Program
From $130,000
A non-refundable contribution to Vanuatu's Development Support Program: USD 130,000 for a single applicant, USD 150,000 for a married couple, and USD 180,000 for a family of four (plus roughly USD 15,000 per additional dependant).
Capital Investment Immigration Plan
From $165,000
A capital-investment route including a USD 50,000 unit in the Cocoa Sustainable Development Fund, part of which is redeemable — returning a portion of the investment.
USD 50,000 component redeemable after 5 years
Explore your route
From (indicative)
$130,000
A non-refundable contribution to Vanuatu's Development Support Program: USD 130,000 for a single applicant, USD 150,000 for a married couple, and USD 180,000 for a family of four (plus roughly USD 15,000 per additional dependant).
Who comes with you
- Spouse of the main applicant
- Dependent children under 25
- Dependent parents aged 50 and over
Family additions are quoted individually — request your exact figure
Application Timeline
Government processing time
The Vanuatu authorities publish a processing time for complete files — the numbered stages below show where those months go. Here is the figure to plan around.
1–2 months
Official processing time, complete files
Plan around the top of the range — 2 months end to end leaves room for queries without changing your plans.
Your dates
Complete files are typically processed in 1–2 months.
Based on the officially published range — last re-verified August 2026. Government timelines are not guaranteed.
- 1
Weeks 1–2
Preparation & screening
Document collection, KYC checks, and preliminary clearance by the Citizenship Commission.
- 2
Weeks 3–5
Application & due diligence
Formal submission and background checks; approval in principle typically follows within weeks.
- 3
Week 6
Contribution
Payment of the qualifying contribution after approval in principle.
- 4
Weeks 7–8
Citizenship & passport
Citizenship certificate issued; passports follow, with remote oath available.
Requirements
- Main applicant must be 18 or older with a clean criminal record
- Proof of the legal source of contribution funds
- No visit to Vanuatu required
- Successful completion of government due diligence
Family Eligibility
- Spouse of the main applicant
- Dependent children under 25
- Dependent parents aged 50 and over
Required documents
The standard checklist for a single applicant. Add your family in the Grenada cost calculator and this list adapts to everyone applying with you.
Passport & national IDEvery applicantCertified copies; passports with six months' validity or more.
Birth certificateEvery applicantCertified copy.
Police clearanceAdult applicantsDue-diligence screening applies from age 16.
Medical certificateEvery applicantCertificate of good health.
PhotographsEvery applicantRecent passport-format photos.
Marriage certificateIf marriedCertified copy.
Source of funds & CVMain applicantProof of USD 250,000+ available and its lawful origin; education and work history for adults.
TranslationsMain applicantCertified translation of documents into English, French, or Bislama.
Exact formats — apostille or legalization, sworn translation, issue dates — vary by your country of origin and are confirmed document-by-document during your engagement.
What to Weigh
Honest advice includes the trade-offs. Before committing to the Vanuatu program, consider:
- Vanuatu citizens currently need a visa for the EU — the EU suspended its visa-waiver agreement — so check the travel destinations that matter to you.
- The DSP contribution is non-refundable.
- Speed is the program's strength; its due diligence history has drawn scrutiny, which is why working through careful advisors matters.
Does Vanuatu fit you?
Three questions, scored by the same engine as our Program Finder — with an honest answer, even when it isn't this program.
What are you ultimately looking for?
What investment level are you comfortable with?
How soon do you want this in hand?
Travel access with Vanuatu citizenship
Where a Vanuatu citizen can travel, and what each destination requires. Entry is always at the discretion of the destination authority — confirm before booking.
93travel-access score, our count — 46 visa-free + 30 on arrival + 4 eTA + e-visas granted on arrival terms
76 of 198 destinations need no visa arranged before travel. Passport Index formula; ranked #49 worldwide by score · #108 of 199 individually.
198 destinations shown
 Angola | Visa-free | 30 days |
|---|---|---|
 Antigua & Barbuda | Visa-free | 180 days |
 Bahamas | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Barbados | Visa-free | 180 days |
 Belarus | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Belize | Visa-free | — |
 Bosnia & Herzegovina | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Botswana | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Costa Rica | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Dominica | Visa-free | 180 days |
 Dominican Republic | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Ecuador | Visa-free | 90 days |
 El Salvador | Visa-free | 180 days |
 Eswatini | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Fiji | Visa-free | 120 days |
 Gambia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Grenada | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Guatemala | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Haiti | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Honduras | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Hong Kong SAR China | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Jamaica | Visa-free | — |
 Kenya | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Kiribati | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Kosovo | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Lesotho | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Malaysia | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Mauritius | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Micronesia | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Moldova | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Nicaragua | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Palestinian Territories | Visa-free | — |
 Panama | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Peru | Visa-free | 180 days |
 Philippines | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Russia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Rwanda | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Seychelles | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Singapore | Visa-free | 30 days |
 St. Lucia | Visa-free | 42 days |
 St. Vincent & Grenadines | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Tanzania | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Trinidad & Tobago | Visa-free | — |
 Uganda | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Zambia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Zimbabwe | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Burundi | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Cambodia | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Cape Verde | Visa on arrival | — |
 Comoros | Visa on arrival | 45 days |
 Djibouti | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Egypt | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Guinea-Bissau | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Iran | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Jordan | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Laos | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Macao SAR China | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Madagascar | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Malawi | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Maldives | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Marshall Islands | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Mozambique | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Namibia | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
| Nauru | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Nepal | Visa on arrival | 150 days |
 Palau | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Papua New Guinea | Visa on arrival | 60 days |
 Samoa | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Senegal | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Sierra Leone | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Solomon Islands | Visa on arrival | 45 days |
 Sri Lanka | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Thailand | Visa on arrival | 15 days |
 Timor-Leste | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Tonga | Visa on arrival | 31 days |
 Tuvalu | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Côte d’Ivoire | Electronic travel authorisation | 90 days |
 Israel | Electronic travel authorisation | 90 days |
 St. Kitts & Nevis | Electronic travel authorisation | 90 days |
 Suriname | Electronic travel authorisation | 90 days |
 Albania | eVisa | — |
 Armenia | eVisa | 120 days |
 Australia | eVisa | — |
 Bahrain | eVisa | — |
 Benin | eVisa | — |
 Bhutan | eVisa | — |
 Bolivia | eVisa | — |
 Burkina Faso | eVisa | — |
 Cameroon | eVisa | — |
 Chad | eVisa | — |
 Colombia | eVisa | — |
 Congo - Kinshasa | eVisa | 7 days |
 Cuba | eVisa | 90 days |
 Equatorial Guinea | eVisa | — |
 Ethiopia | eVisa | 90 days |
 Gabon | eVisa | 90 days |
 Georgia | eVisa | — |
 Guinea | eVisa | 90 days |
 Guyana | eVisa | — |
 India | eVisa | 30 days |
 Indonesia | eVisa | — |
 Iraq | eVisa | — |
 Kazakhstan | eVisa | — |
 Kyrgyzstan | eVisa | — |
 Liberia | eVisa | — |
 Libya | eVisa | — |
 Mauritania | eVisa | 90 days |
 Mongolia | eVisa | — |
 Nigeria | eVisa | 90 days |
 Oman | eVisa | — |
 Pakistan | eVisa | — |
 Qatar | eVisa | — |
 São Tomé & Príncipe | eVisa | — |
 Saudi Arabia | eVisa | — |
 Somalia | eVisa | — |
 South Korea | eVisa | — |
 South Sudan | eVisa | 90 days |
 Syria | eVisa | — |
 Togo | eVisa | 15 days |
 Ukraine | eVisa | — |
 United Arab Emirates | eVisa | — |
 Uzbekistan | eVisa | 30 days |
 Vietnam | eVisa | 90 days |
 Afghanistan | Visa required | — |
 Algeria | Visa required | — |
 Andorra | Visa required | — |
 Argentina | Visa required | — |
 Austria | Visa required | — |
 Azerbaijan | Visa required | — |
 Bangladesh | Visa required | — |
 Belgium | Visa required | — |
 Brazil | Visa required | — |
 Brunei | Visa required | — |
 Bulgaria | Visa required | — |
 Canada | Visa required | — |
 Central African Republic | Visa required | — |
 Chile | Visa required | — |
 China | Visa required | — |
 Congo - Brazzaville | Visa required | — |
 Croatia | Visa required | — |
 Cyprus | Visa required | — |
 Czechia | Visa required | — |
 Denmark | Visa required | — |
 Eritrea | Visa required | — |
 Estonia | Visa required | — |
 Finland | Visa required | — |
 France | Visa required | — |
 Germany | Visa required | — |
 Ghana | Visa required | — |
 Greece | Visa required | — |
 Hungary | Visa required | — |
 Iceland | Visa required | — |
 Ireland | Visa required | — |
 Italy | Visa required | — |
 Japan | Visa required | — |
 Kuwait | Visa required | — |
 Latvia | Visa required | — |
 Lebanon | Visa required | — |
 Liechtenstein | Visa required | — |
 Lithuania | Visa required | — |
 Luxembourg | Visa required | — |
 Mali | Visa required | — |
 Malta | Visa required | — |
 Mexico | Visa required | — |
 Monaco | Visa required | — |
 Montenegro | Visa required | — |
 Morocco | Visa required | — |
 Myanmar (Burma) | Visa required | — |
 Netherlands | Visa required | — |
 New Zealand | Visa required | — |
 Niger | Visa required | — |
 North Korea | Visa required | — |
 North Macedonia | Visa required | — |
 Norway | Visa required | — |
 Paraguay | Visa required | — |
 Poland | Visa required | — |
 Portugal | Visa required | — |
 Romania | Visa required | — |
 San Marino | Visa required | — |
 Serbia | Visa required | — |
 Slovakia | Visa required | — |
 Slovenia | Visa required | — |
 South Africa | Visa required | — |
 Spain | Visa required | — |
 Sudan | Visa required | — |
 Sweden | Visa required | — |
 Switzerland | Visa required | — |
 Taiwan | Visa required | — |
 Tajikistan | Visa required | — |
 Tunisia | Visa required | — |
 Türkiye | Visa required | — |
 Turkmenistan | Visa required | — |
 United Kingdom | Visa required | — |
 United States | Visa required | — |
 Uruguay | Visa required | — |
 Vatican City | Visa required | — |
 Venezuela | Visa required | — |
 Yemen | Visa required | — |
Last updated 3 August 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast is it, really?
Complete files are routinely approved within one to two months — the fastest of any citizenship program. Preparation quality is what keeps it fast.
Can Vanuatu citizens travel to Europe visa-free?
Not currently. The EU suspended visa-free access for Vanuatu passport holders. If Schengen access is a priority, a Caribbean program is likely a better fit — we'll tell you so directly.
Is the CIIP route worth the extra cost?
The CIIP includes a $50,000 redeemable component, so its net long-term cost can undercut the DSP. It suits applicants comfortable with the longer redemption horizon.
Who is Vanuatu citizenship best suited to?
Applicants for whom speed and simplicity outweigh European travel access: the process is fully remote, routinely completed in one to two months, and there is no visit, interview, or language requirement. If Schengen access is essential, a Caribbean program fits better.
Regulatory framework
Act No. 16 of 1980
Citizenship Act [Cap 112]
Act of 1980 · DSP in force 1 January 2017
Section 20 honorary-citizenship power — DSP Regulation Order No. 215 of 2016; CIIP under section 13C and Order No. 8 of 2023
The Citizenship Act's section 20 power underpins the Development Support Program, created by Regulation Order 215 of 2016, granting citizenship for a qualifying contribution; the Capital Investment Immigration Plan operates in parallel under section 13C and its 2023 Order. Dual citizenship has been constitutionally recognized since the 2013 amendment.
View the lawOfficial Citizenship Office — legislative framework
Sources & verification
Program terms are set by the issuing government and may change without notice — figures last re-verified against the official source in August 2026. Investment figures are indicative minimums for the main applicant; fees, due diligence, and family additions are quoted individually. Government timelines are not guaranteed.
Alternatives
Related Programs
Families often weigh this program against these alternatives.
St. Kitts & NevisCitizenship
- Min. investment
- $250,000+
- Time to approval
- 4–6 months
St. LuciaCitizenship
- Min. investment
- $240,000+
- Time to approval
- ≈ 3 months
- Travel-access score
- 136 destinations
Is Vanuatu right for your family?
A private assessment covers eligibility, total cost, and timeline for your situation — and says so if another route fits better.
Vanuatu · 1–2 months