Now may be the best time to secure Vanuatu citizenship by investment. The country’s opposition and international watchdogs are increasingly demanding transparency on passport programs, raising concerns about potential exposure of participants whose personal data has so far remained confidential. At the same time, the government is tightening requirements for immigrant investors. In summer 2025, authorities introduced new documentation rules that applicants must meet.
Context: What Is the CIIP?
The Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP) is one of three active passport schemes in Vanuatu. It was initially launched as a pilot program alongside the two main initiatives:
- Development Support Program (DSP) – involves a one-time donation, not available to applicants from mainland China.
- Vanuatu Contribution Program (VCP) – a DSP equivalent, exclusively for Chinese nationals.
Unlike traditional programs based on direct contributions to the state budget, CIIP focuses on returnable investments into strategically important sectors of Vanuatu’s economy — such as coffee and coconut oil production, both key export goods.
The program was promoted as a way to align investors’ interests with local economic growth, generating jobs and long-term benefits. In practice, however, reporting on actual investment projects has been sparse, fueling criticism.
It was claimed that the CIIP would align investor interests with the development of national industries, creating jobs and other long-term positive economic effects. In practice, however, the program has faced problems. Reporting on actual investment projects is rarely published, which has sparked criticism.
Criticism from the Opposition and Transparency International
In September 2025, CIIP became the center of political and public debate. Vanuatu’s opposition and Transparency International Vanuatu (TIV) are calling for full disclosure of how the program operates and its real impact.
Their key demand is the release of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) report into passport sales. The investigation was taxpayer-funded, which the opposition argues makes it subject to the Right to Information Act 2016 and therefore public property.
Main points of contention:
- Anonymous passport sales. Details about investor-immigrants are not disclosed, and most never visit Vanuatu. Critics say this undermines trust and suggests procedural bypassing.
- Financial irregularities. A large portion of CIIP funds allegedly bypasses the state budget and flows into private entities, raising concerns about corruption.
- The FIU scandal. The dismissal of the former head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has been linked to his attempts to expose issues within the passport schemes.
- Delayed COI report. The government’s reluctance to publish the report is seen as a sign of conflict of interest.
Transparency International and opposition leaders, including former Prime Minister and current MP Ishmael Kalsakau, stress that the lack of transparency jeopardizes both the country’s reputation and investor safety. Their goal is to reveal who benefited from these alternative passport sales and how the funds were actually used.
New Documentation Requirements for a Vanuatu Passport
In summer 2025, Vanuatu’s immigration authorities significantly changed the passport issuance process, introducing stricter documentation rules. From July 18, applicants must obtain a National ID card and a local birth certificate before applying for or renewing a passport.
The revised rules apply both to new citizenship-by-investment applicants and to current passport holders renewing or switching to biometric passports.
The legal basis includes:
- Immigration Regulation Order No. 112 of 2022 which mandates birth certificate submission with passport applications.
- Vanuatu National Identity Act, which requires new citizens to apply for a National ID card within 28 days of acquiring citizenship.
The Immigration and Passport Services Department confirmed in a July 15 circular that applications lacking these documents will no longer be accepted. This means the application process now includes an extra step: obtaining a birth certificate and ID card in advance to avoid delays.
Alternatives: Tailored Solutions and São Tomé Citizenship
With some citizenship-by-investment programs closed (Malta, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Moldova, Montenegro, Comoros) and others tightening conditions (Caribbean states, Vanuatu, Turkey), many investor-migrants are turning to alternative routes.
These are customized immigration solutions, not publicly advertised. Based on the discretionary powers of national authorities, they offer confidentiality, fast-track processing, and integration into long-term strategies for tax planning, asset protection, and global mobility.
Another option is the recently launched São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship-by-investment program, which is eligible to many nationalities often blacklisted. Announced in September 2025, it is now the most affordable “golden passport” worldwide.
- Minimum donation: $90,000 to the National Transformation Fund.
- Processing time: just 6 weeks.
- No residence or interview requirements.
- Entirely remote procedure.
São Tomé does not participate in the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), does not tax foreign income of its fiscal residents, and maintains neutrality in international relations. This makes its passport particularly valuable for nationals of countries facing sanctions.
