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Republic of Vanuatu · citizenship by investment · Leads to settlement

Development Support Program (citizenship by investment)

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Vanuatu's citizenship-by-investment route: a non-refundable contribution to a government fund in exchange for citizenship, run by the Vanuatu Citizenship Office / Citizenship Commission. Important update: a Vanuatu passport no longer gives visa-free Schengen access.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residencyGrants citizenship, not a time-limited residence; the underlying programme rules can change. Confirm the current rules with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office.In flux
Processing time
Indicative only - confirm current timelines with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office and authorised agents.
Government fees
Indicative only - a non-refundable government contribution plus due-diligence and processing fees apply, and amounts vary by family size. Confirm current figures with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office, not third-party sources.
Typical duration
Grants citizenship, not a time-limited residence; the underlying programme rules can change. Confirm the current rules with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
Yes
Reviewed Vanuatu Citizenship Office / Citizenship Commission (Citizenship Act Cap 112) ↗

In short

As of 1 August 2026, the Development Support Program (citizenship by investment) for Republic of Vanuatu is an unsponsored Vanuatu immigration route. Sources: official Republic of Vanuatu government pages, reviewed 1 August 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/vanuatu/citizenship-by-investment-dsp#answer

What is the Development Support Program (citizenship by investment) in Republic of Vanuatu?

Development Support Program (citizenship by investment) is an unsponsored Vanuatu route. Indicative government fees are Indicative only - a non-refundable government contribution plus due-diligence and processing fees apply, and amounts vary by family size. Confirm current figures with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office, not third-party sources; indicative processing time is Indicative only - confirm current timelines with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office and authorised agents; typical duration is Grants citizenship, not a time-limited residence; the underlying programme rules can change. Confirm the current rules with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Vanuatu Citizenship Office / Citizenship Commission (Citizenship Act Cap 112) on 1 June 2026.

Overview

The Development Support Program (DSP) is Vanuatu's citizenship-by-investment route. Applicants make a non-refundable contribution to a government development fund and, if approved, are granted Vanuatu citizenship. It is run by the Vanuatu Citizenship Office under the Citizenship Commission (Citizenship Act, Cap 112), and applications are made through government-authorised agents rather than directly. This is a citizenship route, not a residence visa - it is entirely separate from Vanuatu's residence visas. A critical change for anyone weighing it up: the EU removed Vanuatu from its visa-free Schengen list (Council decision of 12 December 2024) over due-diligence concerns, so a Vanuatu passport no longer gives visa-free access to the Schengen area. Visa-free access to any other country is decided independently by that country and can change. Treat any contribution figures or passport-access claims you read elsewhere as indicative and confirm them with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office.

Recent changes to this route

  • EU removes Vanuatu from its visa-free Schengen list12 December 2024

    The EU removed Vanuatu from its visa-free Schengen list in December 2024 over citizenship-by-investment due-diligence concerns; a Vanuatu passport no longer gives visa-free Schengen access.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Confirm the current contribution levels and conditions with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office, and understand that a Vanuatu passport no longer gives visa-free Schengen access.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Gather your passport, source-of-funds evidence and police or character clearances for due diligence.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Apply through a government-authorised agent, who lodges the application with the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission.

  4. After approval

    On approval and payment of the contribution, citizenship is granted. Verify what visa-free access the passport actually provides before relying on it.

After a successful citizenship decision

For Development Support Program (citizenship by investment), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Check whether an oath, registration, certificate or passport application remains outstanding. Do not assume that approval of citizenship is itself a travel document.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Check passport-use obligations and the effect on any other nationality before renouncing or using another passport.
Official Development Support Program (citizenship by investment) instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Vanuatu

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Use official Development Support Program (citizenship by investment) route page ↗

    Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for Development Support Program (citizenship by investment).

    Vanuatu Citizenship Office / Citizenship Commission (Citizenship Act Cap 112) · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Does a Vanuatu passport give visa-free access to the EU / Schengen area?+

No, not any more. The EU removed Vanuatu from its visa-free Schengen list by a Council decision of 12 December 2024 over due-diligence concerns, so a Vanuatu passport no longer gives visa-free access to the Schengen area. Visa-free access to other countries is set independently by each country and can change, so verify current access before relying on it.

Is the Development Support Program a residence visa?+

No. The DSP is a citizenship-by-investment route: a non-refundable contribution to a government fund in exchange for citizenship, run by the Vanuatu Citizenship Office. It is entirely separate from Vanuatu's residence visas. Confirm the current programme rules and contribution figures with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office.

Can I apply for Vanuatu citizenship by investment directly, or do I have to use an agent?+

Applications are made through a government-authorised agent, who lodges the application with the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission, rather than directly. It is a citizenship route run by the Vanuatu Citizenship Office, entirely separate from Vanuatu's residence visas. Confirm the current process and the list of authorised agents with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office.

Is the Vanuatu Development Support Program contribution refundable if my application fails?+

The contribution to the government development fund is described as non-refundable, and approval also depends on passing enhanced due-diligence and good-character checks. Confirm the current contribution levels and conditions with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Vanuatu Citizenship Office / Citizenship Commission (Citizenship Act Cap 112)

Last checked: 1 June 2026

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