Vanuatu

Start with what the status is for

Vanuatu can be considered for residence, investment or additional citizenship, but those are different projects. A family intending to live there should investigate healthcare, education, connectivity, housing, climate and travel logistics. The passport decision should be tied to actual destinations and long-term needs rather than an old promotional access count.

The travel picture changed materially

The EU ended Vanuatu’s visa exemption in December 2024 after an earlier suspension. The United Kingdom imposed a visa requirement in July 2023. These are material limitations for anyone comparing investment citizenship programmes. Historical claims about visa-free Schengen or UK access should not be reused.

Use the official programme and agent framework

The Citizenship Office publishes programme notices and prescribed pricing requirements. The official documents surfaced in this research include older regulations, so a current written schedule and confirmation of the authorised route are required before quoting an application. A provider’s discount or quick turnaround claim is not a substitute for the government’s current requirements.

Match residence evidence to the actual category

The government’s residence procedure distinguishes employees, self-funded applicants, foreign investors and leasehold holders. For self-funded residence, the published evidence includes bank-certified monthly income of VT250,000, or VT500,000 with a partner, with different grandfathered figures for certain existing permit holders. Treat this as a category-specific evidence test and confirm the live checklist before paying application costs.

The investor category calls for the relevant foreign-investment approval and business licence where required. Leasehold residence has separate property-value and income evidence. A residence application, investment approval and business licence therefore solve different problems. A family should establish which category genuinely fits and whether each member can undertake the intended employment or other activity.

Document preparation can take longer than the local submission

The published residence form asks for identity, family and category evidence, with medical and police documents for relevant adult applicants. Police history can involve countries lived in previously, so a recent certificate from the current home alone may not complete the file. Resolve the authority’s certification, translation and validity requirements before ordering documents.

The official forms available include older publication dates. They are useful evidence of the process but are not a basis for guaranteeing a 2026 fee or completion date. Obtain the current version and written instructions for entry status, any change of status and the immigration bond. Keep government charges, funds demonstrating self-sufficiency and commercial property or business investments separate in the budget.

Local business has real registration and tax obligations

Customs and Inland Revenue requires a business licence for profit-making business activity and a tax identification number. Certain activities need additional approvals. Foreign-investor authorisation should be checked before operations start, not treated as an administrative detail that follows the first sale. Assign someone to maintain licences and accounting records after establishment.

VAT is generally 15% on taxable supplies and imports. Registration turns on the statutory taxable-supply threshold, with voluntary registration possible in some cases. Exempt and zero-rated supplies have different input-tax consequences. A business serving overseas customers should analyse the actual supply and evidence for its treatment; simply invoicing in foreign currency does not establish that every receipt is outside VAT.

Property income needs its own calculation

The official rent-tax guide describes a 12.5% charge on gross rent within the regime, without a deduction for ordinary property expenses. Individuals have a specified VT200,000 exemption per six-month period, while companies do not receive the same allowance. This can produce a meaningful difference between the rent received and the landlord’s net economic return.

Commercial and short-term rental activity can interact with VAT, whereas residential accommodation has its own treatment. Review the particular lease, use, turnover and registration rather than treating every rental identically. A property plan should include legal title or leasehold review, insurance, management, maintenance and tax reporting. The nationality application does not perform this commercial due diligence for the investor.

Evaluate citizenship against current travel rights

The EU ended Vanuatu’s visa exemption in December 2024, and the UK introduced a visa requirement in July 2023. Old programme brochures that advertise visa-free Schengen or UK visits are unsuitable for a current comparison. Check the actual destinations the family uses and distinguish permission to visit from the right to live or work.

The Citizenship Office publishes authorised-agent information and programme documents. Require a current written government contribution and fee schedule, the precise route, family rules and the refund terms before making a payment. The public material reviewed does not justify a universal 2026 minimum or a guaranteed short completion period. Offshore Capitalist can help evaluate the remaining benefits and coordinate the appropriate route without giving unverified marketing figures the appearance of legal certainty.

How Offshore Capitalist can help

Share your current residence, nationality, business activities and intended changes through the inquiry form or WhatsApp. We can assess the cross-border issues, explain the work required and coordinate the agreed implementation. For this jurisdiction, local regulated work and government decisions remain with the relevant qualified providers and authorities. We confirm scope and fees before starting.