How Much Does Vanuatu Citizenship Cost, and Can You Still Enter Europe Visa-Free?

Vanuatu's Citizenship Commission lists a fee of USD 130,000 for a single applicant, plus a USD 5,000 due-diligence fee. The passport no longer gives visa-free entry to Europe. Every Vanuatu national has needed a Schengen visa since 4 February 2023, and the UK has required visas since 19 July 2023.

Status: Open

Vanuatu nationals need a visa for the Schengen area and the UK. Vanuatu's Citizenship Commission still lists its investment routes and fees.

Can a Vanuatu passport still enter the Schengen area visa-free?

No. The EU acted in steps because of Vanuatu's investor citizenship schemes:

4 May 2022: visa-free travel suspended for ordinary passports issued from 25 May 2015 (Council Decision (EU) 2022/366 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/693).
4 February 2023: the EU-Vanuatu visa waiver agreement suspended in whole (Council Decision (EU) 2022/2198), and visa-free travel suspended for all Vanuatu nationals (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/222). Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2059 extended that suspension to 3 February 2025.
3 February 2025: Regulation (EU) 2025/11 moved Vanuatu to the list of countries whose nationals need a visa.

At 8 October 2026, Vanuatu is still on that list in the latest consolidated text of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806.

The EU's reasons are set out in Regulation 2025/11. They include no requirement to live in or visit Vanuatu, no interviews, screening that takes at most 14 days (extendable to 30), and very few refusals: 27 of 1,988 applications in 2022 and 2023.

Has UK access changed too?

Yes. The UK imposed a visa requirement on Vanuatu nationals from 15:00 on 19 July 2023. The Home Office cited "clear and evident abuse" of the citizenship by investment scheme. Vanuatu remains on the UK visa national list as updated on 8 October 2026.

Vanuatu has been on the US visa-bond list since 21 January 2026: citizens applying for a US visitor (B-1/B-2) visa may have to post a bond of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 (as at 9 October 2026).

Which routes exist and what are the fees?

The Commission lists four investment-linked types of citizenship: honorary citizenship under the Development Support Program, the Vanuatu Contribution Program, the Capital Investment Immigration Plan, and the Real Estate Option Program.

Its fee table shows:

Applicant	USD
Single applicant	130,000
Married couple	150,000
Married couple and 1 child	165,000
Married couple and 2 children	180,000
Each additional applicant	10,000
Due-diligence fee (Financial Intelligence Unit)	5,000

A separate application fee of 5,000 vatu is paid on lodging. The Commission says the citizenship fee is paid only after it approves the application.

For the Capital Investment Immigration Plan, the Commission lists a USD 250 application fee and a USD 260,000 citizenship fee for an applicant, spouse and one child under 18. Each extra child under 18 costs USD 19,250, and each dependant aged 18 to 21 costs USD 44,250.

What has changed in the program since 2023?

In March 2023 Vanuatu amended its Citizenship Act so that the police, the Financial Intelligence Unit and the immigration service screen applicants, according to the EU's account in Regulation 2025/11.

A Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2025, published by Parliament, would make the Commission set aside an application where police find the applicant on an Interpol database, the Financial Intelligence Unit reports adverse information, or immigration reports a Red Alert. It would also set registration criteria for companies seeking to act as agents. If enacted, it would take effect on the day it is published in the Gazette.

How long does it take?

Vanuatu publishes no overall processing time. The 2019 Development Support Program Regulations require the Commission to issue the citizenship certificate within 90 days after approval.

Do you need to live in Vanuatu, and is there income tax?

The EU's 2024 assessment found no requirement to live in or visit Vanuatu. Vanuatu does not levy personal income tax. The IMF's 2025 review lists introducing one as a reform the government is still exploring. Vanuatu also recognises dual citizenship, under constitutional amendments in force since 2014.

Notes by audience

For Europe and the UK, a Vanuatu passport adds no access for any of these readers:

Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea and the UAE: your own passport is visa-free for Schengen short stays and needs no UK visa. A Vanuatu passport needs both.
Mainland China, Indonesia and the Philippines: your passport already needs a Schengen visa and a UK visa, and so does a Vanuatu passport.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman: you already need a Schengen visa, but not a UK visa. A Vanuatu passport needs both.

We have not found an official Vanuatu list of visa-free destinations, so this page does not give a country count. Check your home country's rules on holding a second citizenship before applying.

FAQ

Can I use a Vanuatu passport to visit France or Germany without a visa?

No. Vanuatu nationals have needed a Schengen visa since 4 February 2023.

Does a Vanuatu passport get me into the UK without a visa?

No. A UK visa has been required since 19 July 2023.

What is the minimum cost?

USD 130,000 for a single applicant on the Commission's fee table, plus a USD 5,000 due-diligence fee and a 5,000 vatu application fee.

Do I have to move to Vanuatu?

The EU found no residence or visit requirement in 2024.

Related: Argentina Citizenship by Investment 2026: Not Open Yet

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