Vanuatu vs Dominica vs Grenada: Speed, Cost, Mobility

When a client tells me they want “a second passport, fast and not too expensive”, the shortlist usually comes down to three programmes: Vanuatu in the Pacific and Dominica and Grenada in the Caribbean. They look similar in adverts. They are not, and the right choice depends on one question more than any other: do you need Europe without a visa?

Below I compare them on the points that actually decide the matter.

The short version

	Vanuatu	Dominica	Grenada
Minimum contribution, one applicant	$130,000 (DSP)	$200,000 (fund)	$235,000 (fund)
Family of four	$157,000 fund or $180,000 DSP	$250,000 (same for a couple and for up to four)	$235,000 covers up to four
Partly refundable option	CIIP fund: $50,000 back after 5 years	Approved property from $200,000 plus a government fee, resale after 3 years	Approved project from $270,000 plus a $50,000 contribution, 5-year hold
Typical processing	about 2-3 months	about 3-4 months	about 3-6 months
Schengen visa-free	No	Yes	Yes
UK	Visa required	Visa required since 19 July 2023	No visa; ETA needed
US E-2 investor visa	No	No	Yes (treaty country)
Interview	No	Yes, usually by video	Yes, online
Dual citizenship	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed

Contribution figures are the published programme minimums as compiled by BRIDGES in August and September 2026. Due diligence and processing fees are added to each.

Cost: who is cheapest for your family

Single applicant. Vanuatu is the cheapest at $130,000 plus a $5,000 FIU fee. Dominica starts at $200,000, and BRIDGES estimates the all-in figure with its due diligence, interview and processing fees at about $212,000. Grenada starts at $235,000, around $246,000 all-in for one person.

Family of four. The gap narrows but does not close. Vanuatu’s CIIP fund is $157,000 for up to four people, with $50,000 returned after five years. Dominica’s fund contribution for a family of up to four is $250,000. Grenada’s $235,000 covers the main applicant and up to three dependants.

Large families. Grenada and Dominica are generous with who can be included. Grenada accepts children up to 30, parents, grandparents and even dependent unmarried siblings. Dominica accepts dependent parents and grandparents over 65. Vanuatu includes a spouse, dependent children up to 25 and dependent parents, with each person beyond four adding $26,500.

Speed

Vanuatu is the fastest of the three, typically two to three months from a complete file. Dominica is usually three to four months. Grenada’s agency aims to decide a complete file within 60 working days, and with documents and the passport the whole process tends to take three to six months.

If a family needs a passport by a fixed date, Vanuatu usually wins on timing alone.

Mobility: the deciding factor

Europe. Dominica and Grenada citizens travel to the Schengen area without a visa under visa waiver agreements with the EU. Vanuatu lost this: the EU fully suspended visa-free travel from 4 February 2023 and moved Vanuatu to the visa list in 2025. One caution: Caribbean visa waivers are under EU scrutiny too, so I tell clients to treat Schengen access as valuable but not guaranteed forever.

The UK. Here the picture is different from what many expect. The UK imposed visas on both Vanuatu and Dominica nationals on 19 July 2023. Grenada citizens still travel without a visa but need an ETA.

The United States. Grenada is the only one of the three whose citizens can apply for the US E-2 investor visa, because of its treaty with the United States. The US requires the citizenship to have been held for at least three years before the application. Grenada has not accepted applications from Russian and Belarusian citizens since 31 March 2023.

Asia. Vanuatu is strong here: Hong Kong 90 days, Singapore and Malaysia 30 days visa-free. Grenada has a mutual visa waiver with China. I cover Vanuatu’s full list in Vanuatu visa-free countries.

Process and checks

All three programmes accept applications only through licensed or authorised agents, and all three check the source of funds in detail. Dominica and Grenada require an interview, usually held online. Vanuatu has no interview but requires every person on the application to give biometrics in person, which can be done in several cities outside Vanuatu.

Taxes

None of these passports changes where you pay tax by itself. Vanuatu has no personal income tax; Dominica and Grenada do not tax income earned outside the country. All of this applies to tax residents, and tax residence depends on where you live, not on citizenship.

Which one I would look at, by goal

• Fastest and cheapest second passport, Asia focus: Vanuatu.
• Lowest cost with Schengen visa-free: Dominica.
• Schengen plus a route to a US E-2 visa, and a wide family definition: Grenada.
• Investment that stays an asset: Dominica’s property route (resale after three years) or Grenada’s approved projects (five-year hold).
• Europe as a place to live, not just to visit: any of them combined with a European residence permit, because a passport gives short visits, not the right to live there.

A word on comparing offers

When you compare programmes, put the same family into each calculation and include the due diligence and processing fees, not just the headline contribution. BRIDGES has a side-by-side programme comparison that is useful for checking current numbers for other countries too. And whichever programme you choose, confirm the current terms on the official government website before you pay anything, because all three have changed their rules in the last few years.