Vanuatu offers both residency and citizenship programs. Citizenship in Vanuatu through naturalization is possible after 10 years of living in Vanuatu under residency options.
– An investment for the amount of USD 130,000 will be needed for Solo applicants.
-A contribution for the amount of USD 150,000 will be needed for spouses.
-A contribution for the amount of USD 165,000 will be needed in case of spouses applying with a child.
An investment of USD 25,000 will be needed for every supplemental family member named in the application in case a family has more than 3 members.
There are additional fees aside from the required government contribution, such as diligence fees and professional service fees.
Restriction on Citizenship acquired through this option
Vanuatu offers Citizenship with full Ni-Vanuatu rights (less voting rights and political involvement).
Article 13 (3) of the Vanuatu constitution states, For the purposes of protecting the national sovereignty of Vanuatu, a holder of dual citizenship must not:
-Hold or serve in any public office;
-Be involved in Vanuatu politics;
-Fund activities that would cause political instability in Vanuatu;
-Affiliate with or form any political parties in Vanuatu;
-Stand as a candidate and vote at any of the following elections: (i) general election for Members of Parliament; (ii) Provincial election for members of a provincial Government Council and (iii) municipal election for members of a Municipal Council
The requirements of the Vanuatu citizenship are quite simple, and they include the following:
Main Applicant Requirements
Before collecting a citizenship application form, one is advised on whether or not they are eligible to become a Vanuatu citizen. Upon eligibility, you will be advised and provided the correct application form depending on the nature of your eligibility. Each application form has a checklist that requires certain documentation that must be submitted together with the completed form. The application may be returned if the required documents are not provided with the application.
The application will then be perused by the responsible officers and forwarded to the compliance officer for a second examination.
The completed application form including all required documentation will then be forwarded to the Citizenship Internal Screening Committee for further review to ensure that it meets all the requirements before further processing. If the Internal Screening Committee is satisfied with the application, it will then forward it to the Citizenship Commission which is the body responsible for approving citizenship applications. Hence, the approval of the application rests with the Commission.
The Commission may defer or reject the application if one fails to provide a required and valid document or information or to satisfy some specific requirement.
After that one shall receive a letter from the Secretary-General of the Citizenship Office concerning the Commission’s decision on the application. Upon being instructed that the Commission has approved your application, you will also be advised on the final requirements before the issuance of your citizenship certificate, such as:
The completion of your oath can only be made if the application has been approved. This requires you to collect an oath form and the authorization letter to the Commissioner of Oath from the Citizenship Office and complete it in the presence of a Commissioner of Oath. Completion of the oath can only be made in Vanuatu’s court. This means that an applicant who is based in Santo, for example, can complete his oath in the court in Luganville. However, applicants who live in a foreign country must travel to Vanuatu to complete their oath.
Upon completion of your oath, you are finally required to pay your citizenship fee to enable the printing of your Vanuatu Citizenship Certificate.
Vanuatu permanent residency may be attractive for some foreign investors who are looking for residency rights in Vanuatu and don’t want citizenship. The PR card is also possible without visiting or living in Vanuatu.
Permanent Residency is possible in Vanuatu upon buying a property for USD 100,000 or proving a monthly income of USD 2,500. Citizenship is possible after 10 years of living in Vanuatu under this option under the naturalization process. A permanent residency card (PR card) can be obtained for an additional fee of $10,000 for individuals and $12,000 for families.
There are two types of permanent residence visas:
1. Part A, subclass 131
Subclass 131, this visa product can be granted to anyone his/her parents are Ni Vanuatu or Ni Vanuatu descent or anyone who has been residing in Vanuatu for the last 12 month and have to apply to the office of the director of Vanuatu Immigration Services using VIS prescribed Form 3-0.
2. Part B, subclass 132-135
This Visa product is established to accommodate any serious investor who seriously intended to invest in Vanuatu however, the benefits are more gorgeous compared to the normal Vanuatu resident visa since the requirements are tough and any interested applicant must apply to the office of the director of Vanuatu Immigration Services using VIS prescribed Form 3-1.
Residence Visas
It is also possible to obtain 1-year residency if you have enough income to cover your costs or if you invest $50,000 (landowner visa).
Vanuatu issues three types of residence visas.
1. Self-Funded Visa
2. Land-Owner Visa – USD
3. Investor Visa
Landowner visa
Vanuatu also offers Land Owner Visa for one year if you invest at least USD 100,000 (Vt 10 million). If you wish to settle in Vanuatu and lease real estate, you can apply for a Land Ownership visa. Note that lands in Vanuatu are not freehold. Properties can be leased for up to 50 years for residential lots and 75 years for commercial ones. Foreigners can freely invest in Vanuatu real estate or lands.
Requirements:
– Police clearance (original) for each person applying for a residence permit over the age of 18.
– Letter from a local bank verifying deposit in a trust covering the total amount of a one-way return ticket(s) for the persons applying for residence permits.
– Statutory declaration for each person applying for a residence permit over the age of 18 listings all criminal offenses they have been convicted of during the past 10 years.
– Leasehold contract.
Foreign Investor visa
You can get this visa if you Invest at least $50,000 in a project approved by the Vanuatu Investment and Promotion Authority (VIPA) and have an investment certificate as a Foreign Investor. the foreign investor certificate issued by VIPA indicates that you will be operating a business in Vanuatu, a business license issued by the relevant official body.
Requirements:
– Company structure, including a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation and structure details.
– CV or personal profile for the / each investor.;
– Copy(ies) of police clearances (less than 3 months old) for the investor(s).
– Business summary (i.e., business description, location (municipality/province) management, staffing, and including profitability (profit and loss) projections for the first 3 years.
– Training plan for citizens.
– Full details of any work permits required for non-citizen employees, i.e., position descriptions – these are normally for management/specialist positions that are not expected/are difficult to be filled locally.
– Comment on the environmental impact of the business, if applicable, and whether there must be consultation with the Environment Unit to determine if an environmental impact assessment will be necessary.
– Valid foreign investment approval certificate from VIPA
– Police clearance (original) for each person applying for a residence permit over the age of 18.
– Letter from a local bank verifying the deposit in a trust covering the total amount of a one-way return ticket(s) for those persons applying for residence permits.
– Statutory declaration for each person applying for a residence permit over the age of 18 listings all criminal offenses they have been convicted of during the past 10 years.
– Proof of sufficient funds to invest (either cash or assets).
Self Funded Visa
It is nothing but a self-employment visa ideal for ex-pats and retirees who have pensions.
All visas require proof of earning. The general rule to prove the source of income is you need to show. 250,000 Vatu per month for a single person or 500,000 Vatu per month for families
Requirements:
– Police clearance (original) for each person applying for a residence permit over the age of 18.
– Letter from a local bank verifying deposit in a trust covering the total amount of one-way return ticket(s) for the people applying for residence permits.
– Statutory declaration for each person applying for a residence permit over the age of 18, listing all criminal offenses they have been convicted of during the past 10 years.
– Proof of income via bank statements, contracts, or any other reliable means.
Processing:
From application processing to couriering your PR Card is only 10 working days.
Privacy World offers its services to anyone, not only looking to obtain residency and/or citizenship processes but our experts figure out legal ways to:
Privacy World can also help you with incorporating your company in Vanuatu, assisting in getting you settled in the country and coordinating with you so that this experience will be less of a hassle.
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