Vanuatu CBI Program 2026: Updated Requirements and Passport Changes

Vanuatu sells citizenship faster than most countries process a tourist visa. That speed is both its biggest selling point and the source of its growing problems.

The Development Support Program (DSP) remains Vanuatu's flagship citizenship-by-investment pathway in 2026. A single applicant contributes $130,000 to the government, submits to a due diligence check, and receives a Vanuatu passport, often within 30 to 60 days. Couples pay $150,000. A family of four pays $180,000. These are non-refundable contributions, not investments you get back.

What the passport actually gets you

A Vanuatu passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to roughly 95 countries. That includes the Schengen Area (90 days in any 180-day period), the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Russia. For citizens of countries with restricted passports (China, Bangladesh, various Middle Eastern and African nations), this represents a massive upgrade in mobility.

Vanuatu also has no income tax, no capital gains tax, and no inheritance tax. The country operates as a zero-tax jurisdiction for individuals. For some applicants, the tax structure matters as much as the passport itself.

The EU problem nobody wants to talk about

Here is where the marketing diverges from reality. The European Commission has repeatedly flagged Vanuatu's CBI program for insufficient due diligence. In 2022, the EU temporarily suspended Vanuatu's visa waiver agreement, only reinstating it after Vanuatu promised reforms. Those reforms have been inconsistent at best.

The European Commission continues to monitor CBI countries closely. Multiple EU parliamentarians have called for tightening or eliminating visa-free access for nations that sell citizenship without rigorous background checks. Vanuatu sits near the top of that concern list, alongside some Caribbean programs.

What does this mean practically? If you obtain a Vanuatu passport partly for Schengen access, that access could be revoked. Not tomorrow, probably not this year, but the risk is not hypothetical. It has happened before and the political pressure to make it happen again is real.

Due diligence: fast does not mean thorough

The 30-to-60-day processing timeline is genuinely remarkable. Caribbean programs (Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis) typically take 3 to 6 months. Turkey's citizenship-by-investment runs 3 to 6 months as well. Vanuatu's speed is not an accident: the due diligence process is lighter.

Vanuatu uses third-party due diligence firms, and the depth of investigation has been questioned by international observers. The program has approved applicants who were later found to have problematic backgrounds. Each such case strengthens the argument for restricting Vanuatu passport privileges.

Reputable agents will tell you the program is legitimate. They are correct. But "legitimate" and "sustainable" are different things.

How Vanuatu compares to Caribbean programs

Dominica's CBI starts at $100,000 for a single applicant (government contribution option), with processing in 3 to 4 months. Grenada's starts at $150,000 but includes access to the US E-2 investor visa treaty, which Vanuatu does not offer. St. Kitts and Nevis charges $250,000 for the sustainable island contribution but carries the longest CBI track record.

Vanuatu wins on speed and loses on reputation. The Caribbean programs have weathered more international scrutiny and made more visible compliance improvements. Their passports are generally viewed as more stable long-term holdings.

For applicants who need a second passport quickly and are comfortable with the risks, Vanuatu remains compelling. For those prioritizing long-term passport stability, the Caribbean options or Turkey ($400,000 real estate, with a far stronger passport) may justify the higher cost and longer wait.

The honest assessment

Vanuatu's DSP is real, it works, and the passport has genuine utility today. The concern is about what it will be worth in five years. A passport that loses Schengen access becomes dramatically less valuable, and Vanuatu's government has shown limited ability to address the concerns that make that outcome possible.

If you are considering this route, factor the EU risk into your decision. Ask your agent directly about it. If they dismiss the concern entirely, find a different agent.