The Vanuatu citizenship commission through a press release in december has announced strengthening citizenship by investment program, paving way for enhanced dialogue to restore lost visa waiver with European Union and United Kingdom. The new changes such as strengthened due diligence, verified contributions and technology enhancements made to the program ensures credibility of the program and nations commitment to international best practises and economic development. The Government is dedicated to rebuilding trust and fostering international cooperation with stakeholders and parties.
“We are witnessing a transformation in Vanuatu’s citizenship program. The combination of strengthened due diligence ,verified economic contribution and technology advancement creates a robust foundation for international cooperation and trust”
Key Changes
The following are the important key changes done to the citizenship by investment program in Vanuatu.
- Mandatory investment – The Vanuatu CIIP program will have a strict oversight of mandatory USD 50,000 investment component ensuring active contribution to national economy.
- Investment compliance – The Vanuatu citizenship commission has implemented verification procedures for investment compliance. Non compliance could lead to citizenship revocation.
- Extended processing – Processing times will now be extended to allow adequate time for vetting of applications.
- Passport security – New biometric passports will be issued aligns Vanuatu travel documents align with international security standards. The biometric capturing machines will be installed in diplomatic missions worldwide by March 2025 streamlining application process with rigorous vetting.
- Enhanced Vetting – Multiple institutions will be screening the applications. The applications are subjected to due diligence done by FIU, Interpol police and immigration services.
The improvements represent a coordinated effort across multiple government agencies to elevate Vanuatu’s Citizenship program to World Class Standards.
– Commission Secretary General
