We are repeatedly asked by interested parties to which countries citizens and holders of Vanuatu passports can now travel without a visa, since the EU has ordered the temporary closure of the Schengen area since May 2022.

As for the reasons for this action, we do not want to go into detail as it was undoubtedly staged as an example for other countries that have a CBI program. As previously reported, several international organizations and the EU as a whole have expressed concerns about such schemes and will continue to tighten the guidelines until eventually the pressure is so great that the remaining countries will also shut down their schemes. As mentioned in one of our last articles, the EU is even eyeing RBI programs like the Golden Visa.

For many people, the attitude towards migrants, particularly HNWIs (high-net-worth individuals) who are actually able to invest to obtain residency or even second citizenship, is incomprehensible.

It is undoubtedly the case that the EU has its own guidelines and standards to justify its decisions. The skills shortage in Germany, which appears to be reaching into the government, could certainly be alleviated by the millions of people who have been freely entering the country for years, some “government experts” will say. However, it is questionable whether the free passports offered to migrants after just a few years will actually be the solution to this problem.

An important reason for investing in a CBI program and thus acquiring a second citizenship has so far been that it has allowed you to travel largely visa-free around the world, including to the popular Schengen area.

However, the question remains whether this is still the case given the recent news about fears of war against Russia, economic problems such as inflation and increased cost of living, as well as the catastrophic economic downturn and the millions of people migrating from the EU. It is uncertain whether people are still willing to invest in Europe.

It is undoubtedly a valid question whether the ongoing political and economic instability in Europe is discouraging investors and companies and whether this is having an impact on the demand for a second passport. The fact that many companies are already in talks with other governments to relocate their operations and factories suggests that this may indeed be the case.

In addition, the decreasing number of tourists visiting Europe could also be an indicator of a possible decrease in interest in investors who acquired a second passport in the past. The question arises whether they still need visa-free access to Europe.

Vanuatu is therefore an interesting option for a second citizenship even without visa-free access to the Schengen area, with visa-free entry to Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, UK, Malaysia and other countries.

According to information, further negotiations are pending with the following countries such as Canada, Japan, Vietnam, UAE, China and recently Australia in order to be able to enter there without a visa.

With its 0% tax regime as an offshore island alone, Vanuatu remains a very interesting option for international income for tax savers, globetrotters and digital nomads.

Vanuatu, also known as the Republic of Vanuatu, is a stunning South Pacific island nation made up of around 80 islands. The picturesque towns, tropical forests and beautiful beaches make this place a real gem. But that’s not all Vanuatu has to offer. The country’s booming economy offers attractive investment opportunities and the real estate market is also affordable for foreigners.

As a Vanuatu passport holder, you enjoy the right to travel visa-free or with an arrival visa to over 112 countries. It also eliminates the need to apply for additional travel documents when entering countries like the UK or Asian destinations like Hong Kong and Singapore. This makes the Vanuatu passport a coveted document among travelers and investors alike.

Visa free countries for Vanuatu

Through Vanuatu’s Citizenship By Investment program, you can become a Vanuatu citizen and enjoy visa-free travel to 112 countries.

Vanuatu citizenship is granted to an applicant as an unchanging lifetime privilege. Whereas the Vanuatu passport loses its validity after a decade (10 years). However, Vanuatu passport holders have the option of renewing it either by contacting their representative in charge of managing their Vanuatu citizenship through investment plan at their local consulate, or by being in Vanuatu in person to obtain their passport documents to revise.

In fact, the Vanuatu passport opens the doors to a variety of visa-free countries for its holders, including some of the world’s most desirable travel destinations and major business development regions. The list of countries that Vanuatu passport holders can visit without a visa is truly impressive.

Among these visa-free countries, the UK stands out. France and Great Britain jointly ruled the island nation of Vanuatu until the mid-1980s. After the country’s independence in 1980, Vanuatu joined the Commonwealth. As a member of the Commonwealth, Vanuatu passport holders can now stay in the UK for a full 180 days without a visa.

Hong Kong and Singapore area

Travel to Hong Kong and Singapore is visa-free for Vanuatu passport holders. As major economies in the Asia-Pacific region, visa-free access to these financially stable countries is of great interest to international investors and business people.

If you are a Vanuatu passport holder, you can stay in Hong Kong visa-free for up to 90 days a year. The visa-free stay is 30 days when it comes to Singapore.

Complete list of visa free or on arrival visa countries for Vanuatu citizens

Albania                                                eVisa
Angola                                                 pre-visa on arrival
Antigua and Barbuda                         visa-free/180 days
Armenia                                              eVisa/120 days
Australia                                              eVisa
Bahamas                                             visa-free/90 days
Bahrain                                                eVisa
Bangladesh                                         visa-on-arrival/30 days
Barbados                                             visa-free/180 days
Belarus                                                visa-free/30 days
Belize                                                   visa free
Benin                                                   eVisa
Bolivia                                                 visa-on-arrival / eVisa/90 days
Bosnia and Herzegovina                  visa free/90 days
Botswana                                            visa free/90 days
Burundi                                               visa-on-arrival/30 days
Cambodia                                            eVisa/30 days
Cape Verde                                         visa-on-arrival (EASE)
Colombia                                             eVisa
Comoros                                              visa-on-arrival/45 days
Congo (Dem. Rep.)                            eVisa/90 days
Costa Rica                                           visa-free/90 days
Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)              pre-enrollment/90 days
Cuba                                                     tourist card/30 days
Djibouti                                               eVisa
Dominica                                            visa-free/180 days
Dominican Republic                         visa-free
Ecuador                                               visa-free/90 days
Egypt                                                   on-arrival-visa / eVisa/30 days
El Salvador                                          visa-free/90 days
Eswatini                                               visa-free/30 days
Ethiopia                                               eVisa
Fiji                                                        visa-free/120 days
Gabon                                                  eVisa
Gambia                                                visa-free/90 days
Georgia                                               eVisa
Grenada                                              visa-free/90 days
Guatemala                                          visa-free/90 days
Guinea                                                 eVisa/90 days
Guinea-Bissau                                    on-arrival-visa / eVisa/90 days
Guyana                                                pre-visa-on-arrival
Haiti                                                     visa-free/90 days
Honduras                                            visa-free/90 days
Hong Kong                                          visa-free/90 days
India                                                    eVisa/30 days
Iran                                                      eVisa/30 days
Ireland                                                 visa-free/90 days
Israel                                                   visa-free/90 days
Jamaica                                               visa-free
Jordan                                                 on-arrival-visa
Kazakhstan                                         eVisa
Kenya                                                  visa-free/90 days
Kiribati                                                visa-free/120 days
Kosovo                                                visa-free/90 days
Kyrgyzstan                                          eVisa
Laos                                                     visa-on-arrival / eVisa/30 days
Lesotho                                               visa-free/90 days
Madagascar                                        visa-on-arrival / eVisa/90 days
Malawi                                                visa-on-arrival / eVisa/30 days
Malaysia                                              visa-free/30 days
Maldives                                              visa on arrival/30 days
Mauritania                                          visa on arrival
Mauritius                                            visa-free/90 days
Micronesia                                          visa-free/30 days
Moldova                                              visa-free/90 days
Montenegro                                        visa-free/90 days
Mozambique                                       visa on arrival/30 days
Nauru                                                 visa on arrival
Nepal                                                   visa on arrival/90 days
Nicaragua                                            visa-free/90 days
Nigeria                                                 pre-visa on arrival
Oman                                                   eVisa
Pakistan                                               eVisa
Palau                                                   visa on arrival/30 days
Palestinian Territories                     visa-free
Panama                                               visa-free/90 days
Papua New Guinea                           visa on arrival / eVisa/60 days
Peru                                                     visa-free/180 days
Philippines                                          visa-free/30 days
Qatar                                                   eVisa
Russian Federation                           visa-free/90 days
Rwanda                                               visa on arrival / eVisa/30 days
Saint Kitts and Nevis                       visa-free/90 days
Saint Lucia                                         visa-free/42 days
Samoa                                                 visa on arrival/60 days
Sao Tome and Principe                   eVisa
Senegal                                                visa-free/90 days
Seychelles                                           tourist registration/90 days
Sierra Leone                                        visa on arrival/30 days
Singapore                                            visa-free/30 days
Solomon Islands                                visa on arrival/90 days
Somalia                                               visa on arrival/30 days
South Sudan                                        eVisa
Sri Lanka                                              eTA/30 days
St. Vincent and the Grenadines      visa-free/30 days
Suriname                                             eVisa
Tajikistan                                             eVisa
Tanzania                                              visa-free/90 days
Thailand                                              visa on arrival / eVisa/15 days
Timor-Leste                                         visa on arrival/30 days
Togo                                                    visa on arrival/7 days
Tonga                                                   visa on arrival/31 days
Trinidad and Tobago                           visa-free
Tuvalu                                                 visa on arrival/30 days
Uganda                                                visa-free/90 days
Ukraine                                               eVisa
United Arab Emirates                         eVisa
United Kingdom                                  visa-free/180 days
Uzbekistan                                          eVisa/30 days
Viet Nam                                             eVisa/30 days
Zambia                                                visa free/90 days
Zimbabwe                                           visa free/90 days

The following applies to travelers with a Vanuatu Passport who want to travel to the Schengen area:

Vanuatu citizens with passports issued after May 25, 2015 are required to apply for a short-stay visa to enter European Schengen Area countries. On the application, they must present a return ticket, a passport that is still valid for at least 3 months after the return date, proof of accommodation, proof of financial means for the stay and pay a fee of 80 euros.

Vanuatu Passport via Citizenship By Investment

An applicant can obtain a Vanuatu passport through Vanuatu’s Citizenship By Investment program fairly quickly. It takes around one-two months for a Vanuatu passport to get issued to a prospective Vanuatu citizen.

Visa Requirements

-You need to be at least 18 years old to apply for Vanuatu citizenship

-You need to prove that you have $250,000 in your bank account

-You should not have any criminal record

-Invest a minimum $130,000 (non-refundable) in Vanuatu’s economy

-You need to pass a stringent security check

-Foreign citizens from countries like Iran, Iraq, Syria, North Korea, or Yemen cannot apply for this program. However, they can drop their application if they have a permanent residence permit issued in a foreign country and have resided there for five years consecutively.

Investment Criteria

Local Development Fund – Applicants should contribute to boost the country’s economy and infrastructure, through the Vanuatu Development Support Program. The minimum donation depends on how many family members are included in the application:

Single applicant: $130,000

Main applicant + Spouse: $150,000

Main applicant + Spouse + 1 child (or other dependent): $165,000

Main applicant + Spouse + 2 children (or other dependents): $180,000

Families of 5 persons or more: + $15,000 for each additional person

 

Advantages of being a Vanuatu citizen

• You can receive your passport within a month
• You can include your family members in your visa application
• You don’t need to visit Vanuatu or pass an interview/language test for a citizenship application. Applicants can opt for an online application.
• With a minimum investment of $130,000, you can obtain citizenship and get access to Vanuatu passport visa free countries.
• No personal taxes, wealth taxes, inheritance, gift or income taxes will be levied
• Your travel documentation will be prioritized when you are visiting Commonwealth countries

 

If you’re thinking about leaving the country but don’t know where to start, our GCI UNT Worldwide team is here to help.

We’ve helped hundreds of people move their businesses overseas, legally reduce their taxes, and become dual citizens. We are focused on high-net-worth individuals and their families as well as corporations wishing to invest their offshore companies or even secure their wealth in offshore financial centers around the world. We will help you to find the best solution for setting up an offshore or onshore company. Another special area of our full-service consulting is the investment opportunity and solution in Europe, especially in the Balkans, Africa, Asia, UAE, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

If you are looking for it, please feel free to contact us. We create a holistic plan that serves your purpose.

The Global Citizenship Investment Worldwide Group is a leading professional International Business Investment and Advisory Firm for Foreign Economic Relations, with 17th. departments in different Countries and the Headquarter in Malaysia.

(GCI UNIT Worldwide), designs and implements customized, holistic strategies for successful investors and entrepreneurs to legally reduce their tax bills, diversify and protect their wealth, invest abroad, gain a second citizenship and live a freer life worldwide to lead.

YOUR CHANCE FOR A BETTER LIVE

GCI firm is a professional International Business Investment and Advisory Firm for Foreign Economic Relations. Our range of services includes:

• Offshore and Onshore Company Formation,
• international Business & Management
• Citizenship & Residency
• Advice on residency and citizenship by investment programs, VIP citizenship programs in cooperation with more than 70 countries
• Investments & Corporate Financing
• Advisory for Foreign Economic Relationship
• Diplomatic Consultancy & Public Affairs

If you would like to discuss your internationalization and diversification plans, book a consulting session* or email us under:  [email protected]

*A counseling session is a conversation about your portfolio and goals. It does not constitute legal, financial, tax or investment advice.

Department GCI – Unit Global Citizenship Investment (GCI worldwide)

by TCME Worldwide Group – Global Investments –
Level 33, Ilham Tower, 8 Jalan Binjai,
Kuala Lumpur 50450, Malaysia

www.tcme.company

www.citizenship-news.com

Phone: +66 99091 8357 also for WhatsApp