Vanuatu citizenship is not limited to investment programmes. Naturalisation, marriage, entitlement and regain categories also exist under Vanuatu law.
The Vanuatu Citizenship Office lists multiple citizenship categories, including naturalisation, a non-citizen married to a Vanuatu citizen, entitlement, regain, CIIP, DSP, VCP and REO.
This matters for foreigners who already live in Vanuatu, have a Vanuatu spouse or parent, have Vanuatu ancestry, or previously held Vanuatu citizenship. Paying into an investment programme may not be the relevant route.
Official reference: Citizenship Office — Types of Citizenship.
Vanuatu Immigration explains that it is not the authority that grants citizenship; citizenship applications are handled by the Citizenship Office. Immigration does, however, certify residence for naturalisation applications.
The current Immigration guidance states that an applicant seeking naturalisation residence certification must, on the date of application, have been continuously residing ordinarily and legally in Vanuatu for 10 years in compliance with the Immigration Act.
That residence requirement is fundamentally different from an investment citizenship route. A person considering naturalisation should maintain clear immigration records and obtain current advice before assuming that every period spent physically in Vanuatu counts in the required way.
Official source: Vanuatu Immigration — Citizenship by Naturalization.
Immigration's current naturalisation/citizenship certification guidance also refers to a person married to a Vanuatu citizen who has been residing with their spouse in Vanuatu for more than two years. The Citizenship Office separately lists “Non-Citizen married to a Vanuatu Citizen (Form B)” as a citizenship category.
Marriage itself should not be treated as an automatic passport entitlement. The correct form, residence or relationship evidence and other statutory requirements still need to be satisfied.
Applicants should obtain current official guidance because family circumstances—previous marriages, name changes, residence absences, children and documentary records—can affect what evidence is needed.
The Citizenship Office lists an entitlement category using Form C(a). It can be relevant where a person has the required connection to Vanuatu under citizenship law. Use the official form and legal criteria rather than assuming ancestry alone is sufficient.
The Citizenship Office also lists a regain category using Form C(b) for circumstances where a former Vanuatu citizen may be eligible to regain citizenship under the Act.
These routes are fact-specific and are best handled directly with the Citizenship Office or a qualified Vanuatu legal adviser.
Living in Vanuatu under a residence visa is not the same as being a Vanuatu citizen. Residence status is administered under immigration law and can be based on grounds such as spouse/partner, employment, self-funded residence, investment or qualifying leasehold property.
If your goal is primarily to live in Vanuatu rather than acquire citizenship immediately, a residence route may be relevant. Long-term lawful residence can also be important if your eventual objective is naturalisation.
We encourage applicants to verify programme status, prices and procedures directly. External links open in a new window.
Ask us for factual information at no charge. If you want professional application assistance, we can introduce you to an appropriate Vanuatu Government-designated citizenship agent. Transworld Leisure receives no referral fee or commission for that introduction.