Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment: What's Changed, What's Coming, and Why 2026 Is Still a Strong Year to Apply

Parliament Passes the Citizenship Amendment Act 2025

The single most significant development of the past year was the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act 2025. Vanuatu's Parliament approved the legislation with 36 votes in favour and 10 abstentions. The reform is designed to make the program fully independent, transparent, and free from political interference, establishing safeguards to ensure decisions are made independently of political influence while reinforcing due diligence and oversight standards across the program.

This is not window dressing. Under the new law, all CIIP and DSP agents are required to register and comply with stricter operational guidelines. The reforms aim to strengthen accountability, enhance transparency, and prevent individuals with criminal records or Interpol Red Notices from acquiring citizenship. The Citizenship Commission has also already acted on past abuses, revoking around 30 citizenships that were granted contrary to the provisions of the Citizenship Act and the national Constitution.

For serious, legitimate investors, these changes are entirely positive. They signal a government committed to protecting the long-term credibility of a program that is now one of the country's most vital economic assets.

New Biometric Passports and Mandatory Biometrics

From November 2025, Vanuatu began issuing biometric passports, with biometrics now mandatory for all applicants regardless of age. This was a significant technical upgrade, driven in part by the government's commitment to aligning with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards — the same standards the EU had been pressing Vanuatu to meet.

From July 1, 2025, biometrics became mandatory for all applicants, with fees of $1,000 per person in Vanuatu, $3,000 in Dubai, or $3,000 plus actual travel expenses for a consular visit. Biometrics can be submitted in Vanuatu itself or at approved overseas enrolment locations in Dubai, Hong Kong, and Nouméa — making the process accessible for investors across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions. From July 18, 2025, all passport applications must also include a Vanuatu National Identity Card, at a cost of $1,000 per person. These are additional administrative steps, but they represent a meaningful upgrade in program integrity.

The EU Picture: Honest Assessment and Positive Horizon

It's important to address the EU situation directly, because it is the most discussed topic in the citizenship-by-investment space right now. In December 2024, the EU Council officially terminated the visa waiver agreement with Vanuatu, following a multi-year suspension process that began in 2022. The EU's concerns centred on issues including the granting of passports to individuals listed in Interpol databases, inconsistent statistics provided to the Commission, and a lack of information exchange with applicants' countries of origin.

The Citizenship Amendment Act 2025 and the biometric passport rollout are precisely the kinds of structural reforms the EU had been calling for, and the Vanuatu government is currently in active negotiations to fully restore Schengen visa-free travel. However, it would be misleading to suggest that restoration is imminent. Prospects for restoring visa-free travel by the end of 2026 remain unclear, as the EU has introduced a new mechanism allowing for the automatic suspension of visa-free regimes with countries where citizenship-by-investment programs do not imply genuine ties to the country.

What this means in practice is that applicants should assess the Vanuatu passport based on its current access — which remains strong across Asia, the Pacific, Latin America, and key Commonwealth destinations including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia — rather than on the expectation of near-term EU restoration. Vanuatu passport holders will also not be eligible for ETIAS, the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System set to become operational in 2026. For investors whose primary goal is European access, this is a genuine consideration. For the majority of Vanuatu applicants — who are focused on Asia-Pacific mobility, tax optimisation, and family security — it does not materially diminish the program's appeal.

A New Online Portal and Streamlined Process

On a practical level, Vanuatu launched a new online application portal that allows applicants and their authorised agents to upload documents, track application status in real time, and communicate with officials through a secure interface. Several bureaucratic steps were removed, reducing paperwork and typical processing times and making the program more transparent and convenient for investors.

What to Expect in the Months Ahead

The Vanuatu government has signalled a clear direction: a tighter, more credible, more institutionally robust program. For investors who value speed, simplicity, and Asia-Pacific mobility, Vanuatu remains the standout option in the citizenship-by-investment market. The reforms of the past twelve months have not weakened the program — they have given it the institutional foundation it needs to remain relevant and reputable for the years ahead.