Vanuatu runs the fastest citizenship-by-investment programme in the world: a decision in 2–3 months, a fully remote process, and an entry threshold below most alternatives. And, unlike the Caribbean programmes, it is open to citizens of Russia and Belarus. Here's the no-fluff version: what it really costs, how the process works — and an honest look at what that speed costs you in visa-free access.
In short: what Vanuatu citizenship gives you
- Direct citizenship for an investment — no exams, no interviews, no requirement to relocate.
- A contribution from $130,000 for a single applicant — a non-refundable contribution to a government fund, not the purchase of an asset.
- The shortest processing time of any citizenship-by-investment programme — 2–3 months.
- Fully remote: you never have to travel to the country at any stage.
- The whole family in a single application: spouse, children up to 25 (under 18 automatically; 18–25 if financially dependent and in full-time university study), and parents and grandparents from 50 (financially dependent and residing with the investor).
- Dual citizenship is allowed — you don't have to give up your current passport.
- No tax on income, capital gains, inheritance or dividends — but this is a territorial matter for Vanuatu itself, not a change to your own tax residency (we explain the difference below).
What it really costs
The contribution depends on who is applying, not on a flat "per passport" price:
| Applicants | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Single applicant | from $130,000 |
| Married couple | from $150,000 |
| Family of three | from $165,000 |
| Family of four | from $180,000 |
| Each additional family member | + $15,000 |
How it works: 2–3 months, step by step
- Document preparation and payment of the check fee — 1–2 weeks.
- Vetting of adult applicants by the relevant government body (the Financial Intelligence Unit) — 2–4 weeks.
- Clearance of the check and payment of the investment.
- Approval by the Citizenship Commission — 2–4 weeks.
- Certificate of registration of citizenship.
- Vanuatu passport — printed and sent to the client.
None of these steps requires a physical visit to Vanuatu. For comparison: Turkish citizenship at the $400,000 threshold takes 9–12 months because of the 3-year property-holding requirement; Vanuatu is an order of magnitude faster precisely because it is built on a donation, not an investment asset.
Honestly about visa-free access: where Vanuatu pays for its speed
This is the part that matters most for the decision, not just for the marketing. A fast, cheap entry has a price: Vanuatu's visa-free list is noticeably narrower than Turkey's or the Caribbean programmes', and over recent years it has shrunk rather than grown.
- Since 2022 the EU has progressively suspended visa-free access for the Vanuatu passport — first for passports issued after May 2015, then in full. Since February 2025, visa-free entry to the Schengen area for Vanuatu citizens has been abolished: you need a standard short-stay visa, just like holders of passports with no visa agreement with the EU. The EU's stated reason is the risks it sees in the scale of citizenship-by-investment programmes.
- The United Kingdom likewise requires a visa.
- Vanuatu's current visa-free list is around 90 destinations, mostly in Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore), part of the CIS (including Russia) and Oceania — but without Europe or the UK.
For comparison: Turkey offers a G20 passport with wider mobility, and the Caribbean programmes (where they are available) include Schengen in their visa-free list. Vanuatu loses out specifically on the "European" direction — and that is not fine print, but a direct consequence of why the programme is so fast and accessible.
Who Vanuatu suits
- Those who value speed and a predictable budget over a specific list of visa-free countries — a second passport as an "in case" insurance policy, not a working tool for frequent trips to Europe.
- Owners of international businesses who need a second travel document and a second citizenship to open accounts and work with counterparties for whom an RF/RB passport is inconvenient.
- Those who want to protect assets or re-register ownership of foreign real estate under a different citizenship.
- As a first step toward programmes that require "any second citizenship" to enter — for example, the Greek Golden Visa is not available directly on an RF/RB passport, but opens up if the applicant already holds Vanuatu or another non-sanctioned passport.
If the priority is European mobility and visa-free Schengen here and now, it is more honest to look straight at Turkey or European residency — that is a different job for a different tool. We'll cover a detailed comparison of Vanuatu, São Tomé and Turkey by speed, price and mobility separately.
Risks and what a Vanuatu passport honestly does NOT do
- It does not give visa-free access to Europe or the UK — since 2025 that is a visa, not a stamp at the border. Don't plan frequent business trips to the EU on a Vanuatu passport.
- It does not automatically change your tax residency. Vanuatu's own lack of taxes does not cancel your obligations where you actually live 183+ days a year — including notifying the Russian tax service (FTS) and the interior ministry (MVD) of a second citizenship, CFC rules and CRS exchange. We break these obligations down in the articles "Notify the FTS and MVD of a second citizenship" and "CRS and automatic exchange 2026".
- The visa-free list is not guaranteed forever. It has already shrunk once in recent years under EU pressure; further changes are possible in either direction.
- It is not a green card and not a residence permit in another country — the passport gives you Vanuatu citizenship, not the right to live anywhere else.