Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
The world's fastest passport, now without its best doors.
Overview
Vanuatu runs the fastest citizenship-by-investment program in the world. A clean single applicant can move from engagement to an approved passport in roughly one to two months, entirely by remote process, with no language test, no interview, no residency period, and no requirement to ever set foot on the islands beyond a biometrics appointment that can usually be handled at an overseas representation. The entry price is modest by CBI standards: a non-refundable contribution from USD 130,000 under the Development Support Program, with an alternative Capital Investment Immigration Plan for larger families. Citizenship is granted on approval, is held for life, passes to descendants, and coexists with your existing nationality.
The honest problem is the passport itself. Vanuatu sold a large volume of passports in a short window, and the security concerns that followed cost it the two destinations that mattered most. The United Kingdom withdrew visa-free access in July 2023, and the European Union fully and permanently suspended the Schengen visa waiver in December 2024. What remains is visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to roughly 90 destinations, concentrated in Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, including Singapore and Hong Kong. That is a real travel document, but it is no longer a Europe-and-UK key, which is precisely what most buyers historically wanted. Anyone choosing Vanuatu in 2026 should do so understanding that the mobility map can change again with little notice, in either direction.
The tax story is genuinely strong and is one of the few areas where Vanuatu still clearly leads. There is no personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance or estate tax, no wealth tax, and no tax on worldwide income. For a globally mobile individual who can establish real economic substance elsewhere, that is a meaningful planning advantage. It is not automatic, though. Holding a Vanuatu passport does not by itself relieve you of tax obligations in your country of residence or, for US citizens, your country of citizenship. Treat the zero-tax headline as an opportunity to coordinate with qualified cross-border counsel, not as a finished strategy.
Vanuatu sits in a specific niche in 2026. It is the right tool if your priorities are speed, simplicity, a low entry cost, a second legal nationality as a backstop, and a zero-tax base, and if EU and UK access is not central to your plan. It is the wrong tool if visa-free Europe is the goal, in which case a Caribbean program or a European residence route delivers far more durable mobility for the money. The program is open and recently reformed, which improves its compliance posture, but the reputational discount on the passport is real and should be priced into any decision.
Qualifying routes
Development Support Program (DSP), single applicant
Non-refundable contribution to national development funds. The flagship and most popular route for individuals. All-in cost is higher once due diligence, document, and biometric fees are added.
USD 130,000 contribution
DSP, couple (main applicant + spouse)
Spouse addition is roughly USD 20,000 above the single contribution. All-in totals commonly quoted near USD 155,000 to 165,000 with fees.
From USD 150,000 contribution
DSP, family of four
Dependent children typically add about USD 15,000 each. All-in family-of-four totals are commonly quoted around USD 185,000 plus per-person due diligence.
From about USD 180,000 contribution
Additional adult dependent (over 18)
Charged on top of the family contribution; figures vary by amendment cycle and should be confirmed with a licensed agent.
About USD 25,000 each
Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP)
An alternative contribution structure reopened in 2025. Can be more cost-efficient for larger families; terms were adjusted in the 2026 amendments.
From about USD 165,000
Tax
Vanuatu imposes no personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance or estate tax, and no wealth tax, and it does not tax worldwide income. There is no requirement to become tax resident, and citizenship alone does not create a tax filing obligation in Vanuatu. The practical caveat is that a passport does not change where you are actually taxed. If you remain tax resident in a high-tax country, that country still taxes you, and US citizens remain subject to US worldwide taxation regardless of any second passport. The genuine benefit appears only when Vanuatu citizenship is paired with a deliberate change of tax residence and real substance. This is planning territory, not a settled outcome, so coordinate any structure with qualified cross-border tax and legal counsel before relying on it.
Strengths
- Among the fastest citizenship routes in the world, often about one to two months from application to passport
- Fully remote process with no interview, no language test, and no residency requirement
- Low entry cost for a citizenship, from a USD 130,000 contribution
- Citizenship for life, granted on approval, and inheritable by descendants
- Dual citizenship permitted, with no need to renounce your existing nationality
- Zero personal income, capital gains, inheritance, and wealth tax, and no taxation of worldwide income
- No requirement to relocate, learn a language, or maintain physical presence
- Program recently reformed in 2026, improving its governance and due diligence framework
Trade-offs
- No EU/Schengen visa-free access; the waiver was fully and permanently suspended in December 2024
- No UK visa-free access; withdrawn in July 2023
- Visa-free reach has fallen to roughly 90 destinations, weak relative to Caribbean rivals that still reach Europe
- Reputational discount on the passport after security concerns and high past issuance volume
- Mobility is volatile and can change with little notice, so the value you buy today may not hold
- Contribution is non-refundable, with no underlying asset or return
- Pricing and rules were amended in 2026 and can shift again between gazette cycles
- Tax benefits require an actual change of tax residence, and do not help US citizens taxed on citizenship
Questions
How much does Vanuatu citizenship by investment cost in 2026? +
The Development Support Program starts at a non-refundable USD 130,000 contribution for a single applicant. All-in costs are higher once due diligence (around USD 5,500), document, and biometric fees are added, putting a realistic single-applicant total near USD 135,000 to 140,000. A couple starts around USD 150,000 and a family of four around USD 180,000 before fees.
How long does it take to get a Vanuatu passport? +
It is the fastest CBI program in the world. A clean application typically completes in about one to two months, with some agents quoting 30 to 60 days from submission to passport. The process is fully remote.
Does the Vanuatu passport give visa-free access to Europe or the Schengen Area? +
No. The European Union fully and permanently suspended Vanuatu's Schengen visa waiver in December 2024. Vanuatu citizens now need a Schengen visa, and later an ETIAS authorization, to enter the EU.
Can Vanuatu citizens travel to the UK visa-free? +
No. The United Kingdom withdrew visa-free access for Vanuatu nationals in July 2023, citing abuse of the citizenship-by-investment scheme. A UK visa is now required.
How many countries can I visit visa-free with a Vanuatu passport? +
Roughly 90 destinations offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access, concentrated in Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, including Singapore and Hong Kong. Counts vary by source between about 88 and 120 depending on how visa-on-arrival and e-visa entries are counted.
Is there any physical presence or residency requirement? +
No residency is required. You do not need to live in Vanuatu or visit before applying. The only in-person step is a biometrics appointment, which can usually be completed at an approved overseas representation or consular visit.
Is Vanuatu citizenship for life, and can I pass it to my children? +
Yes. Citizenship is granted on approval, held for life, and passes to descendants. Passports are issued for 10 years and are renewable.
Does Vanuatu allow dual citizenship? +
Yes. Vanuatu permits dual citizenship, so you do not have to renounce your current nationality, provided your home country also allows it.
What taxes will I pay as a Vanuatu citizen? +
Vanuatu has no personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance or wealth tax, and does not tax worldwide income. However, a passport does not change where you are actually tax resident, and US citizens remain taxed by the US regardless. Treat the zero-tax position as a planning opportunity to coordinate with cross-border counsel.
What is the difference between the DSP and CIIP routes? +
The Development Support Program (DSP) is a straightforward non-refundable contribution and is most popular for single applicants. The Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP), reopened in 2025, uses a different contribution structure that can be more cost-efficient for larger families. Both lead to the same citizenship.
Is the Vanuatu citizenship program still open in 2026? +
Yes. It is open and operating. Vanuatu published amendment orders in Official Gazette No. 25 of 2026 on 19 March 2026, tightening the DSP and contribution rules with a short transition period. The program continues to run.
Who is Vanuatu citizenship a good fit for? +
It suits people who want a fast, low-cost, remote second nationality as a backstop and a zero-tax base, and for whom EU and UK access is not essential. It is a poor fit if visa-free Europe is the main goal, where a Caribbean program or European residence route delivers far more durable mobility.
Will Vanuatu regain EU or UK visa-free access? +
It is uncertain. Vanuatu has been in dialogue with the EU, and some agents speculate about restoration, but the EU suspension is described as permanent and there is no confirmed timeline for either the EU or the UK. Do not buy on the assumption that access will return.
Sources
What this report is built on
The primary and official sources behind these figures, verified to current 2026 reality. We publish them so you can check the numbers yourself.
- 1 Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission (official government program site)
- 2 Legislative Framework: Citizenship Act [Cap 112] & DSP Regulations Order No. 33 of 2019 路 Vanuatu Citizenship Office
- 3 Vanuatu: Council ends visa exemption 路 Council of the EU press release
- 4 Vanuatu/European Union: European Council Fully Suspends Visa Waiver Agreement 路 Fragomen
- 5 EU Gives Vanuatu 18 More Months to Fix CIP Before Full Suspension of Schengen Visa-Waiver 路 IMI Daily (Investment Migration Insider)
Compare with
Other citizenship routes
St Kitts & Nevis
Citizenship by Investment
- From
- $250,000 (SISC or PBO contribution)
- Timeline
- 6 to 8 months
- Citizenship
- On approval
- Tax
- No tax on worldwide income, capital gains, gifts or inheritance
Dominica
Citizenship by Investment
- From
- $200,000 (EDF donation) + government and due diligence fees
- Timeline
- ~3-4 months to approval, ~6-9 months to passport in hand
- Citizenship
- On approval
- Tax
- No tax on worldwide income, capital gains, gifts or inheritance for non-residents
Grenada
Citizenship by Investment
- From
- $235,000 NTF donation
- Timeline
- 6-8 months
- Citizenship
- Residence only
- Tax
- No tax on foreign income, gains, wealth, or inheritance