The peaceful and beautiful state of Vanuatu in Oceania offers the fastest citizenship through investment. The process only takes between 45 to 60 days, and with an investment of $130,000, which is a great deal for those who are aiming to acquire the Vanuatuan citizenship.
The nation is located in the south-western Pacific ocean, with Fiji on the west and Australia on the east of its islands. Vanuatu is part of the Commonwealth of Nations, which explains the strong economic and cultural ties that the state has with other former British colonies. Moreover, the country has a close relation with its neighbouring countries, New Zealand and Australia. Vanuatu is home to a diverse set of cultures — many residents are expats that have chosen Vanuatu as their new home for the great quality of life, the amazing weather, and the beautiful beaches; no wonder it is ranked as the fourth happiest country in the world.
Types of programs to obtain citizenship
In order to obtain the Vanuatuan citizenship, there are two types of programs to choose from:
- The development Support Program (DSP) – honorary citizenship
- Vanuatu Contribution Program (VCP) – ordinary citizenship
These are the official programs by the Government of Vanuatu, whereas there are four types of application with different amounts of investment depending on the applicants involved.
- Single application – $130,000
- Married couple – $150,000
- Couple with an only child – $165,000
- Couple with more than one child – $180,000
Additional dependents will add $10,000 per person. The programs do not require residence requirements and can be processed as fast as 3 weeks. The primary applicant and the dependents must pay the indicated fare in order to obtain the Vanuatuan passport and enjoy the advantages that come with it.
The Vanuatu citizenship by investment program is the fastest and easiest for foreigners to obtain a second passport. Immediate family members of the investor can become citizens of Vanuatu as well. One of the major advantages of becoming a citizen of the country is that the Vanuatuan passport enables its holders to have short-stay visits without the need of additional visas to a total of 129 countries, including countries in Europe and the USA. This is perfect for entrepreneurs that are constantly moving for business, and also for those who enjoy exploring different countries in search for the best cuisine and marvelous landscapes.
Benefits of the Vanuatu citizenship
The country of Vanuatu not only has the simplest and most affordable citizenship by investment, but it has a favorable taxation system as well. The tax rates are equal for residents and non-residents; there is no personal tax nor foreign income tax. For instance, international companies are only required to pay an annual fee of $300 and are exempted from paying taxes for 20 years.
Foreign entrepreneurs would see the Vanuatu citizenship as an opportunity for a fast path to acquire a second passport that enables the visit to many countries in the world. Moreover, the applicants are not required to reside in the country during or after the application process and even when they acquire their citizenship.
On the other hand, there are other programs offered by the government for foreign investors that seek to obtain a residence permit in the country.
The Vanuatu Permanent Residency Program, also known as the investor visa, offers permanent residency to foreigners that buy a property worth $100,000, or for retirees who receive at least $2,500 monthly. Additionally, the Land Ownership Visa is for those who want to live or are planning to lease real estate in the country. Nevertheless, the applicants for these two residency permits can obtain citizenship only by naturalization (after living in Vanuatu for at least 10 years), unlike with the DSP and VCP, whereas citizenship is acquired after no more than 2 months.