Vanuatu residence and citizenship
The lowest comparable cited investment amount on file for a residence route in Vanuatu is VUV 10,000,000 (leasehold ownership of a Vanuatu property valued at VT 10 million or more), for the Residence Visa — Leasehold Holder. Ordinary naturalisation in Vanuatu needs 10 years of legal residence.
Checked — Sources last checked 11 November 2026 by the automated residence and citizenship review.
Residence routes in Vanuatu
Investment, own-income, remote-work and permanent routes. Scroll across the table to see every column.
| Route | Kind | Minimum | Processing | To citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residence Visa — Leasehold Holder | Investor | VUV 10,000,000 (leasehold ownership of a Vanuatu property valued at VT 10 million or more) | — | 10 years |
| Residence Visa — Foreign Investor | Investor | — | — | 10 years |
| Provisional Investor Visa (12 months) | Investor | — | — | — |
| Business Investor Visa (3 years) | Investor | — | — | 10 years |
| Direct Investor Visa (up to 8 years) | Investor | VUV 20,000,000 (assets in the country of value more than VT 20,000,000) | — | 10 years |
| Residence Visa — Self-funded Resident | Retirement or own income | — | — | 10 years |
| Retiree Visa (age 50+) | Retirement or own income | — | — | — |
| Permanent Investor Visa | Permanent residence | VUV 50,000,000 (assets in the country with value of more than VT 50,000,000) | — | 10 years |
| Permanent Residency Visa — Subclass 131 (Part A) | Permanent residence | — | — | 10 years |
"Minimum" is a cited investment threshold in its stated currency. A USD figure appears only when a supported conversion is on file; "—" means no supported amount is on file, not that it is free. "To citizenship" counts the years of residence before a naturalisation application. A zero-year entry states no residence wait; citizenship still needs a separate decision.
Work, family, study and other routes (15)
| Route | Kind | Minimum | Processing | To citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsored employment visa (12 months) | Work | — | — | — |
| Residence Visa — Employee | Work | — | — | 10 years |
| Short-Term Employment Visa (1–4 months) | Work | — | — | — |
| Development Support Visa | Work | — | — | — |
| Specialist Skills Visa (up to two weeks) | Work | — | — | — |
| Residence Visa — Partner of a Vanuatu citizen | Family | — | — | — |
| Residence Visa — Child of a Vanuatu citizen | Family | — | — | — |
| Close Family Visa (12 months) | Family | — | — | — |
| Ni-Vanuatu Descent Visa (12 months) | Family | — | — | — |
| Student Visa | Study | — | — | — |
| Religious Worker Visa | Other | — | — | — |
| Social Exchange Visa (12 months) | Other | — | — | — |
| Special Category Visa | Other | — | — | — |
| Volunteer Visa | Other | — | — | — |
| Disaster Recovery Visa (12 months) | Other | — | up to 1 month | — |
Each route's conditions and sources
Residence Visa — Leasehold Holder
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Live in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services), Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Application Process (Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission)
Residence Visa — Foreign Investor
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Live in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services), Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Application Process (Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission)
Provisional Investor Visa (12 months)
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Invest in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Business Investor Visa (3 years)
Valid up to 3 years; may change to the Direct Investor or Permanent Investor visa.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Invest in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services), Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Application Process (Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission)
Direct Investor Visa (up to 8 years)
Valid up to 8 years. Threshold stated in VUV only.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Invest in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services), Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Application Process (Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission)
Residence Visa — Self-funded Resident
The official self-funded residence page names no minimum age; the separately listed eVisa Retiree Visa is age 50+. Unlike the other pathways it cannot include a spouse and dependants as secondary applicants on the same visa, per the official page. Citizenship: 10 years' continuous residence (naturalisation).
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Live in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services), Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Application Process (Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission), Global Citizen Solutions — How to Immigrate to Vanuatu (Global Citizen Solutions, summary)
Retiree Visa (age 50+)
A separate Retiree Visa is described in the secondary summary; it is distinct from the Residence Visa self-funded category. The eVisa authority lists it separately; the secondary summary calls it self-funded, so the naming overlap remains explicit.
Sources: Vanuatu eVisa — Retiree Visa (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Service), Global Citizen Solutions — Vanuatu retiree visa (Global Citizen Solutions, summary)
Permanent Investor Visa
Indefinite validity. Reached only after 10 years' lawful residence, which also meets the 10-year naturalisation requirement.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Invest in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services), Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Application Process (Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission)
Permanent Residency Visa — Subclass 131 (Part A)
The investor subclasses 132-135 (Part B) are for 'serious investors' with no published threshold or fee and are not modelled separately.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Live in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services), Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Application Process (Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission)
Sponsored employment visa (12 months)
The 12-month visa allows multiple entry. The shorter one-to-four-month employment visa is another route with a different charge.
Sources: Twelve-month employment visa and charge (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Residence Visa — Employee
The separate 12-month Employment Visa (VT 257,500) is the shorter sponsored-work route.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Live in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services), Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Application Process (Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission)
Short-Term Employment Visa (1–4 months)
The official page calls this a 1–4 month visa. As a short stay it has no verified direct path to citizenship.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — other work visas (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Development Support Visa
Up to five years; a family of four pays VT 15,450 and UN agency staff are exempt.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — other work visas (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Specialist Skills Visa (up to two weeks)
A short assignment with no verified direct citizenship path.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — other work visas (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Residence Visa — Partner of a Vanuatu citizen
Form B citizenship after 2 years requires legal marriage and residence; this residence route also covers de facto partners, so its general path is unknown. Both naturalisation and Form B require the Bislama test.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Live in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services), Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Application Process (Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission)
Residence Visa — Child of a Vanuatu citizen
The official residence page lists a child pathway and VT 2,880 fee for under-18 applicants. Citizenship entitlement may apply separately; no general naturalisation period is assigned.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Live in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Close Family Visa (12 months)
A visiting family visa, distinct from the Residence Visa partner and child pathways. Under-18 fee is VT 5,150; no direct citizenship timetable is assigned.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — family visit visas (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Ni-Vanuatu Descent Visa (12 months)
Visiting route; citizenship by entitlement or regaining may apply separately, so no naturalisation period is assigned.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — family visit visas (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Student Visa
Two official Immigration pages disagree on the student application charge for both age groups. No fee or citizenship credit is modeled pending reconciliation.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — Student visa checklist (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services), Vanuatu Immigration — Study in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Religious Worker Visa
Up to five years; a family of four pays VT 20,600.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — other work visas (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Social Exchange Visa (12 months)
A concert group pays VT 103,000; a student attachment is exempt. The ordinary individual fee is modeled. No verified citizenship path.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — special category and social exchange (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Special Category Visa
The authority says fees vary and provides no category-independent amount; fee and citizenship path are unknown.
Sources: Vanuatu Immigration — special category and social exchange (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services)
Volunteer Visa
Validity up to two years. No verified direct citizenship path.
Sources: Vanuatu eVisa — volunteer and disaster recovery (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Service)
Disaster Recovery Visa (12 months)
The eVisa portal says the fee is exempted.
Sources: Vanuatu eVisa — volunteer and disaster recovery (Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Service)
Citizenship in Vanuatu
- Years of residence before naturalisation: 10 years
- Years before permanent residence: 1 year
- Dual citizenship allowed: Yes
- Citizenship by investment: Development Support Program (citizenship by contribution), from $200,000
- Language: Written Bislama test on general knowledge of Vanuatu (naturalisation and spouse applicants).
- Residence and presence: Continuous residence in Vanuatu for at least 10 years immediately before the application (2 years for a spouse of a citizen).
Dual citizenship is recognised since the 2013 constitutional amendments, in force since 2014 (Citizenship Office). Contribution route: USD 130,000 government mandated fee for a single applicant (USD 150,000 couple) plus a USD 5,000 FIU due-diligence fee and a VT 5,000 application fee; the office's table does not name which programme each row belongs to, while Global Citizen Solutions ties USD 130,000 to the Development Support Program. Processing is separately sourced to a 60-to-90-day secondary summary; the maximum is recorded as 3 months. The Real Estate Option Program (since 2021) needs a property in a Government Approved Project; Global Citizen Solutions gives a USD 200,000 minimum purchase, while the Citizenship Office does not publish an amount.
What is the cheapest residence visa in Vanuatu?
The lowest comparable cited investment amount on file for a residence route in Vanuatu is VUV 10,000,000 (leasehold ownership of a Vanuatu property valued at VT 10 million or more), for the Residence Visa — Leasehold Holder. Routes for people living on their own income or working remotely (Residence Visa — Self-funded Resident; Retiree Visa (age 50+)) ask for proof of income, not an investment.
How many years to citizenship in Vanuatu?
Ordinary naturalisation in Vanuatu needs 10 years of legal residence. Permanent residence is possible after 1 year. Continuous residence in Vanuatu for at least 10 years immediately before the application (2 years for a spouse of a citizen).
Does Vanuatu allow dual citizenship?
Yes. Vanuatu lets a new citizen keep another nationality, subject to the other country's rules.
Can you get citizenship by investment in Vanuatu?
Yes: Development Support Program (citizenship by contribution), from $200,000 for one applicant. Due diligence and fees come on top.
Tax and residence days
A residence permit and tax residence are different tests. See the Vanuatu tax rates, count your days with the Vanuatu day test and see what changed in the data, day by day.
Sources
The Vanuatu profile cites 17 sources, 14 of them from a government or a statute. Data as of 2026-Q4.
- Twelve-month employment visa and charge · Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Immigration — Live in Vanuatu · Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Immigration — Invest in Vanuatu · Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Application Process · Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Fees and Charges · Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Legislative Framework · Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Citizenship Office — Real Estate Option Program (REO) · Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Immigration — other work visas · Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Immigration — Student visa checklist · Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Immigration — Study in Vanuatu · Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Immigration — family visit visas · Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu eVisa — Retiree Visa · Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Service, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu Immigration — special category and social exchange · Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Services, official, read 11 November 2026
- Vanuatu eVisa — volunteer and disaster recovery · Vanuatu Department of Immigration and Passport Service, official, read 11 November 2026
- Global Citizen Solutions — How to Immigrate to Vanuatu · Global Citizen Solutions, summary, read 11 November 2026
- Global Citizen Solutions — citizenship by investment timing · Global Citizen Solutions, summary, read 11 November 2026
- Global Citizen Solutions — Vanuatu retiree visa · Global Citizen Solutions, summary, read 11 November 2026
Rules, fees and minimums change, and many routes have conditions not shown here. Did you find an error? Tell us, with the source.
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