Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program 2024
Lowest legally permissible program pricing guaranteed. Contact us to get a free quote now.
Vanuatu’s Citizenship By Investment Program, formally known as the Vanuatu Development Support Program (VDSP), is the latest iteration of the country’s economic passport program.
Some of the key program benefits include:
✓ Unrivalled value for money – donations from $130K
✓ 45-Day Fully-Remote Application Process
✓ Visa-free access to 83 countries, including Israel, Russia and Hong Kong
✓ Business-friendly tax haven
✓ No minimum stay or language requirements
✓ Full family eligibility.
Find out more about the Vanuatu CBI program’s origins, legal basis and previous versions below, or contact us now for a free consultation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Does the Vanuatu CBI Program accept Bitcoin as payment?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-09-10T10:06:00+00:00
The Vanuatu government does NOT directly accept CBI donation payments in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. However, the Citizenship By Investment firm facilitating your application can assist you in paying them in Bitcoin, after which they can convert the payment to a fiat currency such as the US Dollar (USD), Australian Dollar (AUD or Japanese Yen (JPY) – but NOT Euro.
As of September 2021, the Vanuatu government accepts payments in the mentioned currencies only. For more information in this regard, contact us now.
Which Vanuatu banks may provide their services to CBI investors?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-09-06T14:30:42+00:00
According to the law of Vanuatu, the following banks may service the financial needs of CBI investors:
Can Vanuatu citizens open accounts with a crypto exchange?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-08-24T16:27:32+00:00
Yes, there are numerous cryptocurrency exchanges that will allow Vanuatu citizens to open accounts, however not all of the bigger exchanges accept applications from Ni-Vanuatu.
Get in touch to discuss your specific situation with a Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment expert today.
What are the best Citizenship By Investment Programs for Canadians in 2024?Vanuatu Passport Services2023-10-19T20:05:58+00:00
As of October 2023, the following Citizenship By Investment (CBI) programs accept applications from Canadian nationals:
- ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA: Antigua is a good middle-of-the-road option in the Caribbean, however the cost of living there is considerably higher than in many other parts of the Caribbean. Offers visa-free travel to the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Russia and the Schengen area.Non-refundable government donations priced from $100,000, and off-plan property investments priced from $200,000 with a minimum lock-in period of 5 years.
- DOMINICA: The Dominica passport offers visa-free travel to the Schengen Area, the UK and China. Government donations are priced from $100,000 excluding fees, and government approved properties are priced from $200,00, with a minimum holding period of 3 years.The program previously came under fire for lax due diligence procedures after some allegedly bad actors applied for the country’s citizenship.
- GRENADA: The only Caribbean CBI offering access to the USA via their E-2 Treaty Agreement with the States. Donations priced from $150,000 for a single applicant, and $200,000 for a married couple. There are some interesting property-based options, such as Kawana Bay, with co-owned, off-plan investment options priced from $220,000, excluding service and processing fees.
- MALTA: The recently overhauled Maltese Citizenship By Investment Program now goes by the somewhat clunky title of the “Maltese Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment” (program).You have to make a non-refundable government donation of either €600,000 (36 months residency requirement before citizenship is granted) or €750,000 (12 months fast track residency). In addition, you need to buy a property of €700,000, or rent a property for no less than €16,000 per year; both for a minimum period of 5 years.
Additionally, you’ll have to make a donation to a Maltese government approved NGO of €10,000.
While this is the only EU Citizenship By Investment Program and one of the world’s flagship CBI programs, the heft price tag means that this one is reserved for the rarified few.
- ST KITTS AND NEVIS: The world’s oldest and most respected CBI program. Non-refundable government donations priced from $100,000. Government bond investments from $250,000. Government approved real estate investments from $300,000.
- ST LUCIA: A relatively young (established 2015) but well-respected Caribbean CBI program. Non-refundable government donations priced from $100,000 excluding service and processing fees. Also offers additional investment options such as government approved off-plan property (from $300,000), zero-interest government bond investments (from $500,000), and enterprise investments (from $3.5 million). Most applicants opt for the government donation option.
- TURKEY: A great lifestyle-oriented call option among modern CBI programs. Property investments from only $250,000, with a short lock-in period of only 3 years. ANY property can be purchased, not just government approved off-plan properties.The Turkish passport does presently not offer EU and UK visa-free travel, though it is expected that it will become a significantly more powerful travel document in future.
- VANUATU: Boasting the fastest, easiest application process and lowest total capital layout, the Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program is one of the top-selling programs of its kind in the world.Priced from $135,000 per single applicant, and $155,500 per married couple all-in. Visa-free travel to UK, Russia and Schengen Zone. No company tax, wealth tax, estate tax or personal income taxes apply in Vanuatu.
- JORDAN: Poor passport quality – no UK and EU visa-free travel. $1 million central bank deposit, $1 million government bond investment, $1 million share capital investment $750,000 SME investment or new company establishment with $1.5 million capitalization required. Only a handful of Citizenship By Investment firms offer this program.Contact us today to apply for alternative citizenship by investment from Canada.
What is the Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Official Website?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-03-29T11:00:41+00:00
The official government website of the Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program is vancitizenship.gov.vu – NOT www.vanuatucitizenship.gov.vu or www.vanuatucbi.gov.vu. Find out more about the program here, or contact us now for a free quote.
What is the fastest second passport Americans can get by investment in 2024?Vanuatu Passport Services2023-10-19T20:10:19+00:00
As of October 2024, the fastest passport US citizens can obtain by investment is the Vanuatu Passport.
Under the Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program, applicants can obtain a second passport in as little as 30 days, however the norm is for the application process to take around 50 to 60 days.
Find out more about the benefits of this program here, or contact us now for a free consultation.
Vanuatu Tax Benefits In 2024?Vanuatu Passport Services2023-10-19T20:13:41+00:00
As of October 2023, Vanuatu economic citizens enjoy the following tax benefits:
1. Pay no personal income or corporate tax
2. Pay no withholding or capital gains tax
3. No estate, gift or wealth taxes are applicable
4. Locally applicable VAT rate of only 12.5%
The possibility to obtain a driver’s license, secure a local address and register Vanuatu a company.
Which nationalities aren’t allowed to apply for the Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-03-16T19:19:53+00:00
As things stand in late March 2021, the following nationalities aren’t allowed to apply for Vanuatu Citizenship…Unless they’ve been living outside of their country of origin for at least 5 years:
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Iran
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Iraq
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North Korea
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Syria
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Yemen.
How long does it take to get Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-02-22T21:07:27+00:00
The Vanuatu Citizenship Program boasts the fastest application timeline of all CBI programs in the world. The program is purely donation based, and therefore does not involve a time-consuming property investment.
Combined with a streamlined and digitized application process, applicants therefore typically obtain their second citizenship and Vanuatu Passport in as little as 30 days from application – provided they had their police clearance certificate in hand by then.
Most applicants typically obtain Vanuatu citizenship, and receive their passports, in 45 days or less. Contact us now for more information or to start your Vanuatu citizenship application today.
What does Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Cost?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-02-21T16:50:33+00:00
As of February 2021, the Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program offers one of the lowest price points of any CBI program in the world, inclusive of fees.
While some of the Caribbean programs’ donations start from only $100,000, the government processing and professional service fees for these programs tend to push the total inclusive pricing up to higher amounts than that of the Vanuatu CBI:
| NUMBER OF APPLICANTS | GOVERNMENT DONATION | DUE DILIGENCE FEE | TOTAL (INCLUDING SERVICE FEES) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Applicant | $130,000 | $5,500 | $135,500 |
| Married Couple | $150,000 | $5,500 | $155,500 |
| Family of 3 (1 minor child) | $165,000 | $5,500 | $165,500 |
| Family of 3 (2 minor children) | $180,000 | $5,500 | $185,500 |
Is The Vanuatu Citizenship Program legitimate?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-02-18T08:42:38+00:00
Yes, the Vanuatu CBI Program is legitimate. The Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment is enshrined in Vanuatu’s law. Citizenship Act [CAP 112 S 20] serves as the legal basis upon which the program is offered to foreign applicants. The privileges for investment Citizenship were set out in Order No. 216 of 2016. Changes to the program were ratified as per Order No. 33 of 2019.
Unlike many of the competing CBI programs in the Caribbean, Vanuatu does not presently offer a real estate investment option for acquiring citizenship.
Instead, applicants have the option of making a qualifying investment to the Vanuatu Development Support Program, also known as the Vanuatu DSP.
What is the Vanuatu Development Support Program (Vanuatu DSP)?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-02-18T08:04:11+00:00
The Development Support Program was initially vaunted in 2016 and adopted by the government of Vanuatu in 2017. The plan seeks to assist the government in local job creation, keeping the country’s national budget balanced, and stimulating the economy.
Vanuatu CBI Program applicants’ donations go towards funding this program, lending significant philanthropic value to the act of obtaining Vanuatu citizenship by investment. By as early as 2018, citizenship donations constituted a whopping 33% of total government revenue.
Can Iraqi nationals apply for Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment in 2021?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-02-12T15:14:32+00:00
Yes, Iraqis can apply for Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment, provided that they have lived outside of Iraq for at least 5 years, and can prove clean source of funds and a clear criminal record. Find out more here.
Does Vanuatu have a real estate based investment option to obtain Citizenship By Investment?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-04-04T07:02:58+00:00
As at 11 February 2021, Vanuatu does not offer a real estate investment option to obtain its citizenship and passport by investment.
The chairman of Vanuatu Citizenship Commission has, however, recently hinted that a Citizenship by Tourism Investment Program track may be on the cards in the near future…
Can Iranian nationals apply for Citizenship By Investment in Vanuatu?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-02-12T15:10:02+00:00
Yes, Iranians can apply for Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment, provided that they have lived outside of Iran for at least 5 years, and can prove clean source of funds and a clear criminal record. Find out more here.
When was the Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program established?Vanuatu Passport Services2021-02-12T09:35:29+00:00
Economic Citizenship Programs are not new in Vanuatu. In fact, the current Vanuatu Contribution Program (the VCP), is at least the seventh iteration of the country’s passport by investment program. After initial efforts to launch a Citizenship By Investment Program (CBI or CIP for short) failed in the late 1990s, additional versions of the program were launched to boost the country’s revenue.
These earlier CBI programs included:
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1997 – 1998: Vanuatu launches a passport by investment scheme, selling 300 passports, before being shuttered post-9/11.
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2014: The Capital Investment Immigration Plan (Vanuatu CIIP) is introduced.
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2015: The Vanuatu Economic Rehabilitation Program (VERP) is launched in 2015 to raise additional funds for recovery activities after Cyclone Pam ravages the country.
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2016: The CIIP program is replaced by the Vanuatu Real Estate Option Program (REO Program) in November 2016.
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2017: The REO Program, in turn, is replaced by the Vanuatu Economic Rehabilitation Program (VERP). THE VERP program was replaced by the Vanuatu Development Support Program (VDSP) and Vanuatu Contribution Program (VCP) in March 2017. The latter two programs ran concurrently, with the VCP being marketed mostly via a single authorized representative in Hong Kong.
Said agent received a termination notice in May 2020, suggesting that the country’s dual-CIP era may be drawing to a close in the near future.
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2018: Program formats remain unchanged, however legislative changes are made and the VDSP and VCP pricing is slashed to $150,000 from $200,000 to remain competitive against Caribbean Citizenship By Investment programs.
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2019: VDSP regulations amended to slash minimum contribution from $150,000 to $130,000.
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2020: Unlike many of the other Caribbean CBI programs, Vanuatu has not introduced any further price reductions or special offers, nor expanded on their eligible co-applicant definitions.
Find out more about the latest iteration of the Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program here.
Vanuatu Citizenship Program: Key benefits
1. TRANSPARENT PRICING
Vanuatu’s government has set the minimum legal retail pricing for the Citizenship By Investment program – and that’s exactly what we’re charging – not a cent more.
So there’s no need to shop around any further.
WARNING: Any agent offering the program to you for less will be breaking the law – and so will you, if you take them up on the offer…
2. VISA-FREE TRAVEL
Enjoy visa-free travel to 83 countries around the world, including Russia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Additional visa-free destinations include, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia an Herzegovina, Gibraltar, Kosovo, Monaco, San Marino, and Slovakia.
3. APPLICATION SPEED
The Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program is the fastest program of its kind in the world.
You and your family can be citizens of Vanuatu in under 45 days from now.
NOTE: One of the only key things that might materially impact this timeline is your ability to obtain a police clearance certificate in your country of residence.
4. PEACE OF MIND
A key advantage of the program is that the requisite donation only becomes payable, directly to the Government of Vanuatu, once the investor’s application has been approved in principle.
Your only non-refundable cost is the third-party due diligence component, which is priced at only $5,500 – that’s all you need to pay to get the application process started.
5. NO MINIMUM STAYS
Applicants don’t ever need to visit Vanuatu to obtain Vanuatu citizenship and a second passport, nor are they required to adhere to minimum annual visits in order to obtain or maintain their citizenship status.
Moreover, your Vanuatu passport can be renewed fully remotely at a very nominal cost.
6. TAX HAVEN
Apart from VAT, Vanuatu does not charge any material taxes, making obtaining Vanuatu nationality a powerful tool in terms of optimising your global tax obligations.
Especially if you’re looking to renounce your current citizenship, the Vanuatu passport can be an excellent option.
7. FAMILY ELIGIBILITY
The Vanuatu CBI Program enables you to leave your loved ones a truly global legacy – and the ultimate Plan B as a safety net.
Add your spouse, parents, grandparents over the age of 50, and children under the age of 25, to your Citizenship By Investment application.
8. COMMONWEALTH COUNTRY
Consular support is not something many people consider – until something goes very wrong while they’re travelling abroad.
Gaining Vanuatu citizenship means that you can access British consular services anywhere in the world, should you ever need their assistance while travelling internationally.
The Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program: The world’s most affordable economic passport, inclusive of service fees.
While there are Caribbean CBI programs with lower contributions, their fees are significant and not included in your primary contribution. This makes the Vanuatu Citizenship By Investment Program the most affordable program of its kind in terms of total capital layout required to obtain second citizenship.
COST: INDIVIDUAL
$135,500 all-in
- (Includes $130,000 government donation, service fee & $5,500 due diligence fee)
- 1 Passport ($135,500)
COST: MARRIED COUPLE
$155,500 all-in
- (Includes $150,000 government donation, service fee & $5,500 due diligence fee)
- 2 Passports ($67,750 p.p.)
COST: FAMILY OF 3
$170,500 all-in
- (Includes $165,000 government donation, service fee & $5,500 due diligence fee)
- 3 Passports ($56,833 p.p.)
COST: FAMILY OF 4
$185,500 all-in
- (Includes $180,000 government donation, service fee & $5,500 due diligence fee)
- 4 Passports ($46,375 p.p.)
The Vanuatu CBI: Program history
The Vanuatu CBI Program is increasingly becoming the investment passport program of choice among Russians, Indian, African and Chinese nationals, and Middle Easterners in search of greater international mobility and a tax-friendly Plan B destination. This site is frequently found for search terms such as:
Arabic:جنسية فانواتو عن طريق الاستثمار
Hindi: निवेश द्वारा वानुअतु नागरिकता
Chinese (Simplified): 瓦努阿图公民身份通过投资
Russian: Grazhdanstvo Vanuatu za investitsii
French: Citoyenneté de Vanuatu par investissement
Portuguese: Cidadania de Vanuatu por investimento
Kurdish: Hemwelatiya Vanuatu Bi Veberhênanê
The current Vanuatu Citizenship Program, marketed under the banner of the VDSP, was launched in January 2017. The Citizenship Act (CAP 112) and Section 20 of the Citizenship Act (112) Order No.215 of 2016 serve as the legal basis upon which passports are offered to foreign nationals who meet the mandatory program criteria.
The current version of the program was preceded by the Vanuatu Capital Investment Immigration Program (CIIP), which was introduced in 2014 but suspended in 2015. In 2016, it was relaunched as two separate investment citizenship programs, namely the Vanuatu Development Support Program (VDSP) and the Vanuatu Contribution Program (VCP).
Another predecessor of the current Vanuatu CIP was the Vanuatu Economic Rehabilitation Program (VERP), which was discontinued in 2017:
The Vanuatu Capital Investment Immigration Program (CIIP): The program was originally proposed by Vanuatu Registry Services in 2012, and formally adopted the Vanuatu government in 2014. The program’s key objectives included the creation of local employment opportunities, to offset the country’s budget deficit, and to stimulate economic activity in the country.
The Vanuatu Economic Rehabilitation Program (VERP): The VERP program gave foreign nationals a legal, fully legislated path to fast-track citizenship in Vanuatu. It was established to raise additional recovery funds to deal with the devastation of Cyclone Pam.
The Vanuatu Contribution Program (VCP): The program was codified in 2016, and launched in 2017 following the VERP closure. The VCP existed alongside the DSP, offering honorary citizenship – i.e., DSP citizens cannot vote in Vanuatu or participate in formal political activity.
How it works
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Unlike many of its rival CIP programs in the Caribbean, Vanuatu does not offer a real estate based investment option, which also enables them to offer them the ability to offer a 30-day application process, one of the fastest in the world for CIPs.
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A minimum non-refundable donation of $150,000 to the Vanuatu Development Support Program serves as the basis upon which a married couple can obtain Vanuatu citizenship in 30 days. Check out the family pricing structure on our Vanuatu Passport Cost page.
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The required donation amount for a family of 4 is $180,000, provided that the children are financially dependent on the primary applicant and under the age of 25. Parents and grandparents over 50 years of age are also eligible to apply.
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It is important to note that applicants can NOT apply for any of the Vanuatu investment programs directly. Applicants must approach a government authorized Vanuatu CBI agent to start the process.
Why choose us
✓ A track record of success – over 170 successful applications to date.
✓ Industry pioneer – over 2 decades’ experience.
✓ International footprint – 12 offices on 3 continents.
✓ An international team of respected Vanuatu citizenship experts.
✓ A deep understanding of emerging market challenges – and how to surmount them.
✓ Lowest legal program pricing – guaranteed.
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