The Vanuatu citizenship program entered the new business year in the passport by investment industry as a leader in terms of the ratio of investment requirements and processing time. It is obvious that the successful example of the development of this quite simple CIP by an island state has “inspired” other countries of a similar caliber to try to attract the attention of wealthy audiences from around the world. For example, in November 2024, the state of Nauru (a very small country in the Western Pacific) announced the launch of the Nauru Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program (NECRCP). In fact, the conditions are similar to Vanuatu – you need to deposit money into a state fund. However, Nauru passport program has not yet completed its processing – it is too early to talk about its prospects and reliability for investors.
This article contains answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment program.
In January 2025, international news announced that Vanuatu had been hit by a major earthquake. How will this fact affect the work of local authorities and specifically the processing of citizenship applications
Vanuatu is located in the seismically active zone of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which causes frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the region. For example, on January 15, 2025, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurred. The epicenter was located 41 km from the capital of the island state, the city of Port Vila. Before this, Vanuatu was shaking in mid-December last year. Then the earthquake was stronger – the magnitude was 7.3.

Several buildings housing foreign missions, including the US, British, French and New Zealand embassies, were damaged. All the cataclysms resulted in difficulties in the functioning of government bodies and the Department of Citizenship as well. Unfortunately, there will be delays in processing applications. However, Vanuatu authorities are doing everything possible to restore normal operations. Usually, the period for obtaining Vanuatu citizenship is on average 2-3 months, which is the minimum figure for the market.
How must a candidate prove income when applying for Vanuatu citizenship
Currently, according to the requirements of the Vanuatu program, it is not necessary to confirm income; it is enough to provide a bank statement for the last 6 months. The main applicant fills out a special form with assets, which is certified by an APEX lawyer accredited for the program. The applicant will also need to show a net worth of at least $250,000.
How much does it cost to obtain Vanuatu citizenship for an investor and dependent family members? For example, the main applicant and the investor’s spouse, child, mother
The Vanuatu Citizenship program is valid for the applicant’s spouse, his children, and parents. The most profitable option for such a family composition will be the “Contribution to the Coconut Fund” option: investment – $157,000, due diligence – $5000, administrative fee – $3000, application fee – $50, fee for issuing citizenship certificates – spouse + spouse $100×2 + child and grandmother $100×2, passport fee – spouse + spouse $250×2 + child and grandmother $160×2, oath fee – $300.
Total: $166,570.
APEX legal support services are also paid separately.
Is physical presence required to obtain Vanuatu citizenship
All documents for Vanuatu citizenship are accepted remotely. But soon physical presence will be required to submit biometric data at special centers. This new standard for Vanuatu passport issuance was planned to be introduced from December 2024. Now the deadline has been postponed to March 2025, as the authorities were unable to resolve all technical issues within the established time frame.

Whan do the candidates pass the Interview procedure
Two years ago, the Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Programs introduced a mandatory candidate interview process. It is important to note that they interview applicants BEFORE making a final decision on them. And in the Vanuatu program, candidates take an oath as part of the naturalization procedure AFTER their application is approved. That is, this procedure does not affect the issuance of a passport, since it is a formality. How to obtain Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment – Step-by-step with APEX >>