Vanuatu Citizenship in 2026: Timelines, Costs and Limits

Vanuatu citizenship through the Development Support Program (DSP) has a legal decision deadline of 3 months after the application, under the country's Citizenship Act. Enhanced due diligence can lengthen that time, and the passport does not give visa-free entry to the European Union, where the exemption is suspended, according to the European Commission.

This guide uses official sources only: the Vanuatu Citizenship Office portal, the law and regulations of the program, the European Commission and Brazilian legislation. Where we found no official source, the number was removed.

How long does Vanuatu citizenship take through the DSP?

The law requires the Citizenship Commission to decide within 3 months after receiving the DSP application (Citizenship Act [Cap. 112], section 13E(4)). That is the legal decision deadline, not a guarantee of the total timeline. In a statement of December 2, 2024, the Vanuatu government itself said that enhanced vetting can extend processing.

If the oath and payment do not take place within that period, the approval expires and a new application must be filed. Promises such as "citizenship in 30 days" do not appear in the official sources we consulted; ask the agent to confirm any deadline in writing.

How much does Vanuatu citizenship cost through the DSP?

Order 33/2019 sets, for the DSP, minimum sale prices and government fees separately. The sale price "cannot be lower than" the amounts below, meaning agents may charge more.

For each additional child or additional resident dependent, the regulation provides for $10,000. There is also the due diligence fee of $5,000 per applicant (Order 39/2020 raised the amount from $2,000), the application fee of VT 5,000 and the certificate fee of VT 10,000 (vatu, the local currency).

The government fee is paid in two parts: 25% before the Commission reviews the application and 75% before the certificate is issued. If the application is refused, the initial 25% is non-refundable (Order 33/2019, clause 6).

Note a discrepancy between official sources. The Citizenship Office fees page lists the amounts in the "minimum sale price" column ($130,000, $150,000, $165,000 and $180,000) under the heading "Government Mandated Fees," without saying which program they apply to. For that reason, ask the agent for the price breakdown in writing and confirm the amount with the Citizenship Office itself before paying. Agent, translation and certificate costs are outside this calculation.

How does the process work, and do I have to go to Vanuatu?

For the oath, yes, according to the official portal. The Application Process page states that the oath can only be taken in a Vanuatu court and that people living abroad must travel to the country for it. The DSP regulation allows the agent to deliver the certificate abroad, but only after the oath (Order 33/2019, clause 9). The promise of "no mandatory visit" is not supported by these sources; confirm with the designated agent whether an alternative is currently available for your case.

The application path, according to Order 33/2019 and the 2020 amendments:

1. •Document submission. The designated agent submits to the FIU the valid passport, the criminal or court record certificate from your country of origin and other required documents.
2. •Due diligence. The FIU and, since Order 39/2020, an international firm specialized in citizenship and visa due diligence vet the applicant and the people listed in the application.
3. •Office review. The Citizenship Office checks that the documentation is complete and forwards the application to the Screening Committee.
4. •Commission decision. The Commission approves or refuses. The law only allows refusal if the application does not comply with the law and the regulation.
5. •Oath, payment and certificate. Once the application is approved, come the oath of allegiance (required by section 13B(3)(e) of the law), the final payment and the issuance of the certificate.

The Commission cannot approve the application of anyone with a criminal conviction (Order 33/2019, clause 6(9)). False information is a crime: section 22 of the law provides for a fine of up to VT 1,000,000 or imprisonment of up to 5 years for anyone who provides false information in a citizenship application, and section 14(2) provides for loss of citizenship when a court finds that it was obtained by false declaration, fraud or concealment of a material fact.

Does the Vanuatu passport give visa-free access to the European Union?

No. The European Commission states that the visa waiver agreement with Vanuatu is suspended under the EU visa suspension mechanism (Art. 8 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806). In its statement of December 2024, the Vanuatu government called the EU decision unexpected and said it would continue the dialogue to restore the exemption.

The same Commission page lists the "operation of an investor citizenship scheme" among the reasons that can lead to suspension. For other destinations, the rule depends on each country. Visa-free country lists published by private companies change often, and for that reason this guide includes no country count or ranking: check with the consulate or government of each destination before planning a trip.

Does Vanuatu citizenship change my taxes or my Brazilian nationality?

Taxes in Brazil do not depend on the passport. Art. 2 of Law 14,754/2023 (Lei 14.754/2023) covers individuals resident in the country, who must report in the Annual Adjustment Return the income from financial investments and the profits and dividends of entities controlled abroad, at a rate of 15% in the annual adjustment (Art. 2, § 1). Changing citizenship does not change tax residency. The report of Brazilian capital abroad (CBE) also follows its own rules, based on Law No. 14,286/2021 (Lei 14.286/2021) and Central Bank of Brazil guidance.

We do not claim that Vanuatu citizenship brings an income tax exemption: we could not confirm the country's tax regime in an official source. What defines tax in Brazil is tax residency, and changing it requires planning and its own formalities. See the international tax planning service.

On Brazilian nationality, the Constitution was amended. Art. 12, § 4, II, as worded by Constitutional Amendment 131/2023, provides for loss of nationality for anyone who makes an express request for loss before the competent Brazilian authority, except in situations that would cause statelessness. The earlier wording dealt with loss upon acquiring another nationality in certain cases. Vanuatu, for its part, regulates dual citizenship in Part 3A of the law. Before applying for citizenship, confirm with a nationality lawyer how this applies to your case.

What are the risks and limits of Vanuatu citizenship?

• •EU access: the visa waiver is suspended, according to the European Commission.
• •Timeline: the government admits that enhanced vetting can extend processing.
• •Agents: the official portal publishes lists of designated agents and canceled agents. In the December 2024 statement, the government said that agent contracts would expire in January 2025 and that it was considering regulating the programs. Check the current status before paying any amount.
• •Fraud and false information: they can lead to a crime and loss of citizenship, as seen above.
• •Obligations in Brazil: citizenship does not remove the CBE or the reporting of income abroad while you are a tax resident of Brazil. A compliance review before the application avoids surprises.

For those considering holding structures or an account abroad, citizenship is only one piece. See also offshore banking, corporate structures, the alternative of a company in Malta in the EU and the limits of secrecy in asset privacy with legal strategies.