The Council of the EU ended visa-free access in December 2024. Vanuatu is therefore not positioned as a Schengen or European solution.
VANUATU · CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT
A Pacific citizenship route for specific objectives—not for visa-free EU mobility.
Vanuatu may remain relevant for time-sensitive or Pacific-focused optionality. Since EU visa-free access ended, the decision must rest on remaining mobility, the precise status objective, and currently confirmed fees.
NBF REVIEW · terms to be confirmed before engagementReviewed August 3, 2026Reconfirmed before engagement
VANUATU · ESPIRITU SANTO
Before complete government, agent, document, and advisory costs.
Age, dependency, and relationship are confirmed case by case.
Application, maintenance, and actual residence are assessed separately.
No time estimate is an approval or delivery guarantee.
Particularly suitable when …
When speed or a Pacific connection matters more than European mobility.
Another route may be more appropriate when …
When Schengen access or stability of travel access is the primary objective.
01 · YOUR STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
What Vanuatu can change for your family in practical terms.
Value does not come from a passport stored in a safe. It comes from the new citizenship performing a defined role in your mobility, family, and business planning.
Pacific citizenship
Vanuatu may serve a distinct purpose for clients with a regional connection or specific backup objective.
Contribution-based routes
Investor routes use government-defined contributions and avoid a conventional real-estate exit.
Time efficiency
The program is positioned around speed; NBF separates that from any approval guarantee.
A clear reality check
Without EU visa-free access, only the utility that genuinely remains is assessed—not historical marketing.
Speed is an advantage only when the remaining utility fits the objective precisely and survives regulatory change.
02 · PROGRAM & INVESTMENT
One focused route. One complete decision assessment.
Development Support Program and statutory investor routes The right route depends on cost clarity, capital commitment, family structure, and long-term utility within your overall architecture.
Development Support Program
Citizenship fee USD 260,000Contribution-based route currently stated to include applicant, spouse, and one child under 18.
NBF decision lensSuitable only where European mobility is expressly not the primary objective.
COMPLETE COST PICTURE
A sound decision begins with the actual capital requirement.
01Contribution or qualifying asset
02Application and processing
03Due diligence and interview
04Agent, documents, and translations
05Passport and case-specific logistics
06NBF and external professional advisors
FEES & COST MODELSView the official fee matrix and actual cost layers+
Current official fee page.
Officially covers applicant, spouse, and one child under 18.
Confirm current supplements in writing.
Do not use historic market tables.
Officially listed submission channel only.
No EU visa exemption since December 2024.
REVIEW · LIVE CHECK
The current official fee page states USD 260,000 for applicant, spouse, and one child under 18. Lower historic market prices are no longer used. The route, fee order, and Designated Agent are reconfirmed before any calculation.
04 · FAMILY & GENERATIONS
Who is included today determines cost, evidence, and long-term utility.
Family eligibility and total cost depend on the statutory route and current fee order. Historical tables are not treated as current offers.
PersonProgram logicWhat must be clarified first
Spouse
May be included under the program rules in force at the time.
Identity, marriage history, personal screening, and separate due-diligence fees.
Children
Qualifying children may be included according to age and dependency rules.
Document age at submission, education, marital status, and financial dependency.
Parents & grandparents
May qualify under defined age and dependency rules, depending on the program.
Confirm minimum age, actual support, and additional contributions in writing.
Later additions
Newborns, spouses, and other relatives follow separate post-citizenship rules.
Include costs, deadlines, and conditions in the family architecture before the initial application.
05 · FROM SHORTLIST TO PASSPORT
A clearly led process with six decision points.
Vanuatu is frequently marketed as fast. NBF offers no such guarantee and first tests whether remaining mobility serves the client's actual purpose.
- 01
Strategic target
We clarify the specific function Vanuatu should serve for mobility, family, residence, and wealth.
Before product selection - 02
Eligibility & pre-screening
Citizenships, visa history, PEP or sanctions profile, and potential exclusions are reviewed in advance.
Before formal engagement - 03
Source of wealth & documents
Wealth creation, source of funds, identity, and family relationships are documented consistently.
Depends on complexity - 04
Authorized Agent & submission
Only the government-authorized submission channel sends the complete file to the responsible Unit.
After full readiness - 05
Due diligence & interview
Independent checks, interviews, and questions shape the government's decision process.
Often positioned for speed; no NBF timing guarantee - 06
Approval, investment & citizenship
Following approval, the contribution or asset requirement is completed; registration, certificate, and passport follow.
After government approval
06 · THE PASSPORT WITHIN YOUR OVERALL ARCHITECTURE
Turning additional citizenship into additional freedom.
NBF connects citizenship with residence, tax status, banking, and family planning. That is how a product becomes a defensible international structure.
Design tax status deliberately
Citizenship alone does not move tax residence. Residence, domicile, income, and place of management must be planned together.
Prepare bankability
A second passport expands options. Banks still assess UBOs, residence, source of wealth, and transaction profile.
Prioritize travel routes
We assess the destinations that genuinely matter to your life and business—not an abstract passport count.
Plan ahead for the family
Age, dependency, later additions, and transfer to the next generation belong in the target picture before application.
READINESSView eligibility and the typical document package+
Adult principal applicant
The principal applicant must meet the statutory age and legal-capacity requirements.
Lawful, documented funds
Source of wealth and source of funds must align with personal, tax, and business history.
Defensible personal history
Criminal, visa, sanctions, and reputational matters must be disclosed completely and consistently.
Qualifying family relationships
Age, dependency, and relationship are evidenced through official documents and case-specific support.
Identity & civil status
Passports, birth and marriage certificates, and where relevant divorce or custody documents.
Residence & personal history
Proof of address, police clearances, visa history, education, and professional résumé.
Wealth & provenance
Bank statements, tax records, corporate evidence, contracts, and provenance of the specific investment.
Health & program forms
Medical evidence, photographs, powers of attorney, declarations, and route-specific forms.
07 · CLEAR ANSWERS
What you need to know before deciding on Vanuatu.
Precise answers to questions that sales brochures often treat too briefly.
Is Vanuatu automatically the least expensive route for me?+
No. Current official citizenship fee USD 260,000 states only a qualifying minimum. Family, due diligence, government fees, agent, documents, and strategic advice determine the actual capital requirement.
Does citizenship automatically create a new tax residence?+
No. Tax residence depends on physical presence, domicile, income, place of management, assets, and the rules of the jurisdictions concerned.
Does a second passport guarantee a bank account?+
No. Banks still assess original citizenship, residence, UBO structure, source of wealth, business activity, and transaction profile.
Can I apply directly to the government?+
Generally not. Formal submission is made through an officially Authorized Agent; NBF leads the target, comparison, and coordination.
Are processing times guaranteed?+
No. Often positioned for speed; no NBF timing guarantee is a planning indication. Completeness, countries of origin, interviews, and enhanced due diligence may change the timeline.
View official sources and review date August 3, 2026 +
Published terms are reconfirmed for the specific case with the government and Authorized Agent before every engagement. Market providers are used only for internal benchmarking.
Vanuatu Citizenship Office↗ENGAGEMENT-FIT REVIEW
What function should Vanuatu serve for you and your family?
Give us a concise overview. You receive a clear assessment of program fit, which family members should be considered, and which investment route appears most appropriate.
- Objective, family, and investment route in one picture
- Alignment with residence, banking, and mobility planning
- A clear recommendation for the most appropriate next step
Strategic NBF engagements start at USD 5,800. Government fees, Authorized Agent, and external professional advice are separate.
NBF REVIEW · terms to be confirmed before engagement
Active · elevated watchpoint · Last editorial review: August 3, 2026