What It Costs in Total
The total runs from US$130,000 for one applicant up to US$180,000 for a family of four. Add a US$5,000 due diligence fee that is not refunded, your agent's fees and the cost of documents.
Reviewed by Dr. Anatoliy Yarovyi, Senior Partner
Navigating Vanuatu's Citizenship by Investment (CBI) landscape feels complex. There are varying costs, conflicting information online, and a real risk of rejection if you don't meet the requirements perfectly. For a single applicant, the starting point is a $130,000 government donation for the Development Support Programme (VDSP), plus a separate, non-refundable $5,000 due diligence fee. But that isn't the final number. Understanding the full financial picture is critical for a smooth process, which generally runs two to four months between lodging and passport in hand, with no date promised. This timeline means if you submit in January, a decision is unlikely before March and may come later, so plan any major travel or business deals around that window. What can be given before anything is lodged is a clear, confidential cost breakdown.
Vanuatu Development Support Programme (VDSP) - Vanuatu's government-run citizenship by investment programme. Applicants make a contribution to a government fund, which is not refunded, and receive citizenship in return, on the basis set out in the country's Citizenship Act [CAP 112].
Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) - The Vanuatu government agency that runs the compulsory background and due diligence screening of every citizenship applicant, protecting the integrity of the programme.
Understanding the Main Vanuatu Citizenship Investment Options
There are two primary paths to a Vanuatu passport through investment, both created by the government. They have different financial structures but ultimately lead to the exact same citizenship status. Your choice between them boils down to your financial strategy and whether you prefer a straightforward donation or a partial investment.
Vanuatu Development Support Programme (VDSP): The Donation Option
The VDSP is the most established route to Vanuatu citizenship. Simple. It's a one-time, non-refundable donation made directly to the government's development fund. The required amount is tiered based on the size of your family.
- Single Applicant: $130,000
- Married Couple: $150,000
- Couple with One Child: $165,000
- Couple with Two Children: $180,000
- For each additional dependant: $10,000
Remember, these figures are just the core government donation. Other mandatory fees apply.
The Investment + Donation Option: Vanuatu Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP), Now Closed
A newer alternative, the CIIP, combines a smaller non-refundable donation with a redeemable investment. This structure can be attractive for investors who want to recover a portion of their capital after a set period.
- Its structure: part of what you pay is a non-refundable contribution and part is a redeemable investment into a designated fund, which is returned after a holding period. That mix is what distinguishes it from the Development Support Programme, where the whole amount is a donation.
- Its status: the Capital Investment Immigration Plan has not accepted new applications since March 2025, and no reopening has been confirmed, so any CIIP fee schedule still circulating should be read as historical rather than current. Ask a designated agent in writing whether anything has changed before comparing it with the donation route.
The potential for capital recovery is the key difference here. While the CIIP's initial family cost seems lower, you have to weigh the net non-refundable portion against the pure donation model of the VDSP.
When Each Amount Becomes Payable
The order in which money leaves your account matters as much as the total, because the two main payments carry entirely different risk.
The US$5,000 due diligence fee is payable before the Financial Intelligence Unit begins its check. It is non-refundable in every case, including — in fact especially — where the check is not passed. This is the only substantial sum genuinely at risk, and it is at risk precisely because it buys the examination rather than the outcome.
The contribution is different. It falls due after approval in principle, once the Commission has indicated it will grant citizenship. An applicant who fails due diligence never reaches this point and never pays it. That sequencing is the single most reassuring feature of the programme's structure, and it is worth confirming in writing with any agent before engaging them, because an agent asking for the full contribution up front is departing from it.
Agent fees are charged on top of both and differ a great deal from one agent to the next. Billing may be staged, taken in full when you sign up, or partly held back until approval. Government amounts are set by regulation and do not change whoever you use, so the agent's fee is the one figure that genuinely differs between quotes, and the only one open to negotiation.
The costs people forget to budget for
Document preparation is the line item most frequently omitted from a quote and it is rarely trivial. Police clearance certificates carry fees in each jurisdiction that issues them. Apostilles are charged per document. Certified translation is charged per page, and a marriage certificate with an unusual script can cost more than expected. Courier charges for originals moving internationally add up. For a family application with documents from several countries, this cluster can reach several thousand dollars on its own.
Every item here is compulsory, and none of it comes back to you if the application goes no further.
The Published Fee Schedule
These amounts are not our estimate. They are the schedule the Citizenship Office publishes, and they are the same through every designated agent.
| What it is | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee, per application | VT 5,000 | On lodging, whatever the applicant's age |
| Financial Intelligence Unit due diligence fee | US$5,000 | Paid up front; kept whatever the outcome |
| Single applicant | US$130,000 | After the Commission approves the application |
| Married couple | US$150,000 | |
| Married couple and one child | US$165,000 | |
| Married couple and two children | US$180,000 | |
| Each additional applicant | US$10,000 |
The Capital Investment Immigration Plan: priced on its own
The CIIP was never part of the DSP price list: it had a separate application form and a fee schedule of its own. Since March 2025 it has not accepted new applications, and no date for reopening has been confirmed. For that reason we do not quote CIIP figures on this page. Anyone who wants to see how the plan was priced can consult the schedule of fees and charges published by the Citizenship Office, and a designated agent can say whether anything has changed.
The two routes price things differently, so setting one headline number against the other tells you little. Work out the full total for the family members you would actually include, and check which portion, if any, could ever come back to you.
FAQ
What It Costs in Total: FAQs
For a single applicant, the baseline cost is around $135,000 through the VDSP. This figure covers the $130,000 non-refundable donation and the required $5,000 FIU due diligence fee. The price goes up for families and doesn't include the professional agent fees needed to prepare and submit your case.
As of July 2024, the minimum donation for Caribbean CBI programmes jumped to $200,000. This shift makes Vanuatu's programme, which starts at a $130,000 donation, the most affordable donation-based citizenship option available today. Its real value proposition is that price combined with relatively short processing, generally two to four months and never on a set date.
A Vanuatu passport grants visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 88 countries. It no longer offers visa-free entry to the EU Schengen Area or the UK. Still, it remains a very useful travel document for business and leisure in Asia (including Singapore and Hong Kong), Russia, and other key jurisdictions. Its strength isn't just in travel, but in the substantial tax benefits that come with citizenship.
Nobody knows for sure. The prices for citizenship by investment are dictated by the government and can change without warning based on economic policy. While today's pricing is set, there's absolutely no guarantee those rates will hold until 2026. The only way to lock in the current, known costs is to act on them now.
Contact Us
Schedule Your Free Initial Assessment Today
Share the details of your situation with our team, and we'll provide a prompt, confidential response. We're here to listen, answer your questions, and help you understand your legal options.
Send Us a Message
Reach Us Directly
All consultations are strictly confidential and protected by legal professional privilege.