Vanuatu Citizenship Application Process Step by Step

On paper the Vanuatu process is short. In practice the difference between a smooth two-month application and a stalled one is almost always made before filing. In this guide I walk through the eight steps in the order they happen, with what you do, what the agent does and what the state does at each one.

Before you start: who files

You cannot file a Vanuatu citizenship by investment application yourself. Applications go to the Vanuatu Citizenship Office through a government-designated agent. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) checks the applicants, and the Citizenship Commission decides. Your adviser and the agent prepare the file and handle contact with the authorities; you provide documents, sign forms and take the oath.

Step 1. Preliminary check

Time: a few days.

Before anything is paid to the state, the background is checked: sanctions lists, public exposure, criminal records, previous visa refusals and, above all, the source of funds. The goal is to find problems while they can still be solved, because the FIU fee is not refunded on refusal.

What I ask clients at this stage: where did the money for the contribution come from, which documents prove it, and through which bank will it be paid?

Step 2. Choosing the route and signing the contract

The family chooses between the DSP (non-refundable contribution from $130,000) and the CIIP fund ($157,000 for up to four people, $50,000 returned after five years). The contract should fix the full budget and list who is on the application. This is also the moment to decide about adult children and parents, because adding them later means a separate application. I compare the two routes in detail in my cost guide.

Step 3. Documents

Time: usually one to three weeks, longer if documents come from several countries.

The official DSP nomination checklist lists, for the main applicant:

• nomination form;
• certified copy of a valid passport and of an identity card;
• police certificate from the country of origin;
• personal profile with education and employment history;
• medical certificate;
• six colour photos of 40 x 50 mm;
• asset report and supporting references (employment, bank, professional or academic).

A spouse provides similar documents plus a notarised marriage certificate. Dependent children and other dependants have their own sections in the checklist. Documents not in English are translated, and police certificates and civil records are apostilled.

My practical advice: check that names are spelled identically across every document, and watch the issue dates of police certificates so they do not expire while you wait for something else.

Step 4. Filing

Time: a few days.

The agent lodges the file with the Citizenship Office, and the FIU fee is paid: $5,000 for the DSP, $8,000 for the fund, once per application. A small application fee is paid at the same time.

Step 5. FIU due diligence

This is the stage that most often decides how long the whole process takes. The FIU checks each adult on the application, and children from 12 under the DSP checklist: criminal records, sanctions, public positions, reputation and the origin of funds.

If the FIU sends a request, the clock effectively stops until you answer. A good answer is a document, not a letter: a sale contract, a dividend resolution, a bank statement. The more precise the answer, the fewer follow-up questions.

Step 6. Decision and contribution

The Citizenship Commission considers applications at its sittings, which BRIDGES reports take place twice a month. After approval, the DSP contribution is paid against an official Treasury invoice. Fund payment terms are set in the investment plan documents. In both cases the money goes to an official government or fund account, never to an intermediary.

Step 7. Biometrics and oath

Since 1 July 2025 every person on the application gives biometrics in person. You do not need to travel to Vanuatu for this: BRIDGES arranges it in Dubai, Hong Kong, Moscow, St Petersburg or Port Vila. The oath of allegiance is taken by video call.

Plan the biometrics date in advance so the whole family can attend in one trip, and make sure everyone can enter the chosen city without a visa problem.

Step 8. Certificate and passport

Time: usually one to three weeks after the oath.

Each family member receives a citizenship certificate and a biometric passport valid for 10 years. Passports are delivered by courier.

Typical overall timeline

Stage	Indicative time
Preliminary check	a few days
Documents	1 to 3 weeks
Filing	a few days
FIU check, decision, contribution	the bulk of the process
Biometrics, oath, passport	1 to 3 weeks after approval
Total from a complete file	about 2 to 3 months

Where applications get stuck

• Source of funds explained in words, not documents. The FIU wants paper.
• Missing or expired police certificates, especially from a second country of residence.
• Payment routing. Some banks are slow to send large transfers to Vanuatu; check the route before filing.
• Late changes to the family. Adding a person after filing usually means a new application.

After the passport

There are no annual obligations. The passport is renewed every 10 years without new investment. If your home country requires you to report a second citizenship, do it within its deadline; that is separate from the Vanuatu process. If your goal includes Europe, start planning the residence application early, because I explain in my article on the EU visa suspension why the passport alone no longer covers Schengen.