VANUATU'S LEADING CITIZENSHIP SERVICE AGENT
PACIFIC STARS CONSULTANT VANUATU LTD
PACIFIC STARS CONSULTANT VANUATU LTD
PACIFIC STARS CONSULTANT VANUATU LTD
PRIVILEGES
Privileges for the Vanuatu Passport under the Development Support Program
EU Allows 18 Months' Extension
Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau meets EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson.
By Glenda Willie
The European Union (EU) has given a further 18 months’ extension to allow time for the Vanuatu Government to complete reforming its Citizenship Program.
This follows a letter from Prime Minister (PM) Ishmael Kalsakau seeking a 6 months’ extension. The 18 months’ extension will end on the 3rd of August 2024.
The EU Council made this decision on the 1st of December 2022 after having received a letter dated November 25, 2022, from Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau. In December 2022, PM Kalsakau led a delegation to the EU and laid out plans his government has embarked upon in reforming the Vanuatu Citizenship program.
The EU will continue to work closely with the established committee through virtual meetings so they get first-hand information on progress made on the ground.
According to Public Relations Officer (PRO) Joe Harry, virtual meetings will be held between the technical committee with Vanuatu’s Ambassador based in Brussels, George Maniuri, to prepare the team for a further meeting with the EU on February 15, 2023.
At the beginning of 2022, the European Commission proposed the partial suspension of the application of the agreement with the Republic of Vanuatu, allowing citizens of Vanuatu to travel to the EU without a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Later in March 2022, the Council of the EU partially suspended the visa waiver agreement with Vanuatu, explaining in a statement their decision announced was due to risks posed by its investor citizenship schemes.
The suspension concerns only citizens of Vanuatu holding ordinary passports issued since 25 May 2015, when these Vanuatu investment citizenship schemes entered into force.
EU Council initially announced that a full suspension will come into effect on February 14, 2023. (Source Daily POST VANUATU)
A person and his or her spouse /family being conferred with the Vanuatu Citizenship under the Development Support Program are entitled to the following privileges:
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The Republic of Vanuatu provides the opportunity to obtain its distinctive nationality easily
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No residency requirements for successful applicants
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A Vanuatu Passport that is renewal upon expiry
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Family friendly citizenship program - the successful application covers a family of four (main applicant, spouse, and one child under 18 years) with only nominal fees for additional dependents.
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Citizenship is hereditary. A child and any resident dependent of the person or his or her spouse are entitled to Vanuatu Passport Renewal upon expiry
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A Vanuatu passport allows visa-free entry to more that 125 + countries including all European Union countries, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Russia
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Be a citizen of a tax haven country
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The Republic of Vanuatu imposes no income tax, no corporate tax, wealth, and inheritance tax
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Absence of tax treaty exchange and guaranteed bank and commercial privacy in the highly developed Vanuatu Banking sector (Vanuatu is the Bahamas of the Pacific but without tax exchange treaties in place with most countries).
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The granting of citizenship is at the sole discretion of the government of Vanuatu.
