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Vanuatu.

How Vanuatu sells citizenship and residence for investors: 7 citizenship programmes, 4 of them open today; and 1 residence programme, now closed. Every number and rule below links to the document it comes from.

Citizenship ↓
7
citizenship programmes
378
numbers
95
prices and rules
66
events
Residence ↓
1
residence programme
3
numbers
4
prices and rules
2
events

66 documents and articles behind this page, listed at the bottom.

Citizenship

Sells citizenship, and with it a passport. Vanuatu: 7 citizenship programmes, 4 of them open today; 378 numbers, 95 prices and rules. Every country's citizenship programmes

All the numbers, sources and downloads for Vanuatu in the data portal →

1990s passport salesCitizenship
Status
Closed
Lowest price
No single price · 1990s passport sales: no terms found.
Last change
Capital Investment Immigration PlanCitizenship
Status
Lowest price for one person
Money the government received from selling citizenship
Last change
Development Support ProgramCitizenship
Status
Lowest price for one person
Last change
Real Estate Option ProgramCitizenship
Status
Lowest price
No single price · Prices not found; no term rows.
Last change
Real Estate Option Program, first route (Citizenship Act s.13CA, 2014-2015)Citizenship
Status
Lowest price
No single price · No term rows: the 2014 law let holders of a residence visa under the Real Estate Option Program (2011 visa order) apply for citizenship, but the property price set in that visa order is not stored.
Last change
Contribution ProgramCitizenship
Status
Lowest price for one person
Last change
Economic Rehabilitation ProgramCitizenship
Status
Lowest price when it closed
Money the government received from selling citizenship
Last change
Citizenship·Closed

1990s passport sales

Sells citizenship, and with it a passport.

Official name: 1990s passport-sale schemes

Lowest price when it closed: not determined

1990s passport sales: no terms found.

Notes from the research

The IMF (2015) describes attempts in the 1990s to sell passports, about 300 passports sold in 1996-1997, and reports of illegal issuance that led some countries, such as Canada, to drop visa waivers. Names, legal basis and dates not found in official sources.

Prices and rules

Rules while it was open

What is measured

  • Irregular payments alleged in connection with a grant14
  • Sham appointees given improperly issued passports11
  • Passports an inquiry found improperly issued7
  • Programme grants planned or promised4
  • Money the government received from selling citizenship2
  • Government income from selling citizenship, as a share of the economy1
  • Passports issued1
Citizenship·Open

All investor citizenship schemes

Figures that cover several schemes together.

Official name: Vanuatu investor citizenship schemes (all schemes; the IMF's "Economic Citizenship Program", ECP)

Lowest price for one person: not determined

Umbrella id for figures covering several schemes; see vut-dsp, vut-vcp, vut-ciip.

Notes from the research

Umbrella id for figures that cover several schemes at once. Government accounts book VDSP and VCP receipts together as "Honorary Citizenship Program Fees" and, from 2024, report them together with the CIIP. Schemes over time: 1990s passport sales; CIIP (2014-); VERP honorary citizenship (2015-March 2017); VDSP and VCP (2017-); REO (2021-). Run by the Citizenship Office and Commission; due diligence by the Financial Intelligence Unit. Citizenship is granted without residence; Part 3A of the Citizenship Act allows dual citizenship.

Applications received, per year
05001k1.5k202120222023

The line follows the official figure for each period; faint dots are other sources and earlier versions.

Applications approved, per year
050100150202120222023

The line follows the official figure for each period.

Passports issued, per year
01k2k3k201820192020

The line follows the official figure for each period. No figure for 2019, so the line breaks there.

Prices and rules

Ways in that apply today (minimum amounts)
Fees today

What is measured

  • Money the government received from selling citizenship139
  • CBI fees collected by the programme unit41
  • Government income from selling citizenship, as a share of the economy37
  • Change in CBI revenue to government (percent)16
  • People who became citizens13
  • Selling citizenship as a share of all government income12
  • Applications received11
  • Government spending on running a CBI programme11
  • Passports issued10
  • Applications turned down6
  • Applications approved4
  • Processing time4
  • and 5 more; see Explore below.
Citizenship·Open·since 2014

Capital Investment Immigration Plan

Sells citizenship, and with it a passport.

Official name: Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP)

Lowest price for one person: US$260,000

Citizenship Office lists USD 260,000 as the 'Citizenship Fee' for applicant, spouse and one child (a single applicant pays the same). Ambiguous: the IMF (2014-15) described USD 260,000 as a returnable investment plus a $40,000 fee, and a Dec 2024 press release mentions a mandatory USD 50,000 investment component without saying whether it is in addition (t-137dcfd780).

Notes from the research

Citizenship for investors (Form D), legal basis s.13B-13C of the Citizenship Act inserted by Act No. 39 of 2013 (in force 21 Jan 2014), linked to a residence permit under the Immigration Visa Regulation No. 180 of 2011. IMF (2015): USD 260,000 investment returnable after 7 years (25% NBV deposit, 25% government bonds, 50% real investment) plus a $40,000 fee. The Citizenship Office now lists a "Citizenship Fee" of USD 260,000 for applicant, spouse and one child. Practically dormant in 2020 (VT 10,000 receipts), reactivated as a cheaper alternative in 2024, suspended March 2025 and resumed June 2025 (IMF).

Money the government received from selling citizenship, per year
0500m1bn1.5bn2bn20202021202220232024

The line follows the official figure for each period; faint dots are other sources and earlier versions. No figure for 2021 to 2022, so the line breaks there.

Prices and rules

Ways in that apply today (minimum amounts)
Fees today

What is measured

  • Money the government received from selling citizenship5
  • CBI fees collected by the programme unit2
  • Processing time2
  • Licensed programme agents1
  • Government income from selling citizenship, as a share of the economy1
Citizenship·Open·since 2017

Development Support Program

Sells citizenship, and with it a passport.

Official name: Vanuatu Development Support Program (DSP / VDSP)

Lowest price for one person: US$130,000

Order 33 of 2019: government share USD 80,000 for a single person (t-084fa2b620), but licensed agents must charge at least USD 130,000, so USD 130,000 is the least an applicant can lawfully pay; the website still shows USD 130,000 (t-aa4d74a593). Due diligence USD 5,000 excluded. If the headline should count only money reaching the government, use USD 80,000.

Notes from the research

Main scheme since 2017; first run as "Honorary Citizenship DSP" (fees reduced by Order No. 94 of 2018), put on a statutory footing by s.13E (Act No. 34 of 2018, in force 7 Jan 2019) and regulated by Order No. 33 of 2019 (24 Apr 2019): government fee USD 80,000 (single) to 130,000 (couple and two children), minimum selling price via licensed Vanuatu-citizen agents USD 130,000 to 180,000, FIU due diligence (USD 2,000, USD 5,000 from 27 Mar 2020). Decision within 3 months; no residence required.

Prices and rules

Ways in that apply today (minimum amounts)
Fees today

What is measured

  • Processing time3
  • Visa-free destinations1
Citizenship·Open·since 2021

Real Estate Option Program

Sells citizenship, and with it a passport.

Official name: Real Estate Option Program (REO)

Lowest price for one person: not determined

Prices not found; no term rows.

Notes from the research

Citizenship for buying property in a Vanuatu Government Approved Project plus prescribed fees; s.13F of the Citizenship Act and Regulation Order No. 93 of 2021; sole master agent Naika Holdings Ltd. An earlier REO route (s.13CA, Act No. 18 of 2014, in force 8 Jul 2014), repealed by Act No. 40 of 2014 (23 Jan 2015), is recorded as its own programme (vut-reo-2014). The Treasury said in 2021-22 its revenue potential was low or unproven. Prices not found.

Investment projects approved for a programme, on a date
02462021202220232024202520262027

The line follows the official figure for each date.

Prices and rules

No prices or conditions recorded yet.

What is measured

  • Investment projects approved for a programme2
  • Processing time2
Citizenship·Closed·2014–2015

Real Estate Option Program, first route (Citizenship Act s.13CA, 2014-2015)

Sells citizenship, and with it a passport.

Lowest price when it closed: not determined

No term rows: the 2014 law let holders of a residence visa under the Real Estate Option Program (2011 visa order) apply for citizenship, but the property price set in that visa order is not stored. Repealed 23 Jan 2015.

Notes from the research

First Real Estate Option route: s.13CA of the Citizenship Act, inserted by Act No. 18 of 2014 (assent 19 Jun 2014, in force on publication in the Gazette, 8 Jul 2014), let an investor holding a residence visa under the Real Estate Option Program of the Immigration Visa Regulation Order No. 180 of 2011 apply for citizenship. Repealed by Act No. 40 of 2014 (in force 23 Jan 2015). A separate Real Estate Option Program was created in 2021 under s.13F (vut-reo). No figures found.

Prices and rules

No prices or conditions recorded yet.

What is measured

No published numbers found for this programme. That is itself worth knowing: see the notes and the documents below.

Citizenship·Open·since 2016

Contribution Program

Sells citizenship, and with it a passport.

Official name: Vanuatu Contribution Program (VCP)

Lowest price for one person: US$130,000

Same as DSP (2020 directive): government minimum contribution USD 80,000, minimum selling price USD 130,000 for a single applicant.

Notes from the research

Legal basis s.13D of the Citizenship Act (substituted by Act No. 8 of 2016) and the Citizenship (Contribution Program) Regulations Order No. 220 of 2016 (not found online); amended by Order No. 34 of 2019 and Order No. 38 of 2020. Same government minimum contribution and minimum selling price as the DSP (Citizenship Office directive, April 2020). 'launched' is the year of Act No. 8 of 2016, which substituted s.13D (Contribution Program); its exact in-force date is not in a stored document. The Treasury says VDSP and VCP replaced VERP by March 2017. Industry sources say it was reserved for Chinese applicants; not confirmed officially.

Prices and rules

Ways in that apply today (minimum amounts)
Fees today

What is measured

  • Processing time1
Citizenship·Closed·2015–2017

Economic Rehabilitation Program

Sells citizenship, and with it a passport.

Official name: Vanuatu Economic Rehabilitation Program (VERP), honorary citizenship after Cyclone Pam

Lowest price when it closed: $162,000 (currency not stated)

Closed March 2017. Media report (ABC, 2015): priced at '$162,000', currency not stated; a $40,500 non-refundable fee was also reported.

Notes from the research

Honorary citizenship sold to raise revenue after Cyclone Pam (March 2015), using the honorary citizenship power in s.20 of the Citizenship Act. ABC reported a launch in Hong Kong in April 2015 (price $162,000, quota 100); the IMF dates the launch to late 2015. Phased out by March 2017 and replaced by the VDSP and VCP (Treasury).

Money the government received from selling citizenship, per year
01bn2bn3bn201520162017201820192020

The line follows the official figure for each period. No figure for 2017 to 2019, so the line breaks there.

Prices and rules

Rules while it was open

What is measured

  • Money the government received from selling citizenship3
  • Applications received1
  • All money paid by buyers, including property purchases1
  • Programme places planned1

Residence

Sells the right to live in the country (a “golden visa”), sometimes leading to citizenship later. Vanuatu: 1 residence programme, now closed; 3 numbers, 4 prices and rules. Every country's residence programmes

All the numbers, sources and downloads for Vanuatu in the data portal →

Hong Kong Permanent Residency visaResidence
Status
Lowest price
No single price · Closed 2015.
Last change
Residence·Closed·2011–2015

Hong Kong Permanent Residency visa

Sells the right to live in the country (a “golden visa”), sometimes leading to citizenship later.

Official name: Hong Kong Permanent Residency (HKPR) Visa Program

Lowest price when it closed: not determined

Closed 2015. Programme notes cite 300,000 vatu in a Vanuatu company (IMF), but no program_terms row records it; add a term row first.

Notes from the research

Residence (not citizenship) for mainland Chinese investors seeking Hong Kong permanent residency via Hong Kong's Capital Investment Entrant Scheme: investment of at least 300,000 vatu in a Vanuatu company through a Hong Kong agent, 10-year visa. About 1,500 investors; suspended after Hong Kong suspended its scheme in January 2015 (IMF). No path to citizenship stated.

Prices and rules

Rules while it was open

What is measured

  • Government income from selling citizenship, as a share of the economy2
  • Investors approved, not counting family members1
Gaps

What we know is missing

  • Real Estate Option Program, first route (Citizenship Act s.13CA, 2014-2015): we found no published numbers at all, only rules and events.
  • 1990s passport sales: no yearly figures at all for applications or people let in or money raised.
  • Capital Investment Immigration Plan: no yearly figures at all for applications or people let in.
  • Development Support Program: no yearly figures at all for applications or people let in or money raised.
  • Hong Kong Permanent Residency visa: no yearly figures at all for applications or people let in or money raised.
  • Real Estate Option Program: no yearly figures at all for applications or people let in or money raised.
  • Contribution Program: no yearly figures at all for applications or people let in or money raised.

A gap means no figure is in our data: either it was never published or we haven't found or read it yet. Charts leave gaps open rather than drawing across them.

Explore

All the numbers we have for Vanuatu

381 numbers about Vanuatu's citizenship and residence programmes. Pick a programme and what you want to see. Each dot is one number from one document; click anything to open its source.

Timeline

What happened, and when

Sources

The 66 documents behind this page

The stories behind the numbers

Who buys passports and golden visas, what they cost, and what happens when governments change the rules. Written from this data, in the newsletter.

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