Vanuatu Launches the World’s First Sustainable Citizenship by Investment Program

What the program is

Vanuatu's new investment program (CIIP) allows international investors and their family members to obtain citizenship in exchange for investing in the country's sustainable economy.

Funds raised this way will go directly toward improving and developing Vanuatu's promising coconut oil (CNO) sector. Today this industry is only just emerging and taking shape, but it already has huge potential and room for growth - and not only in direct production, but in related activities too. The money is planned to fund agricultural development, purchase of necessary commercial real estate, and improvements to infrastructure and logistics.

Authorities note that these strategic investments should allow production of coconut biofuel to increase to 17 million liters a year. This, in turn, will first reduce - and eventually eliminate - reliance on imported fossil fuel needed for electricity generation.

Why obtain Vanuatu citizenship

Vanuatu is a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, regularly ranked in the "Happy Planet Index" as one of the happiest countries in the world. Vanuatu citizens enjoy a number of advantages, including:

• Visa-free travel to more than 100 countries across Asia, North and South America, Africa, the Middle East, Oceania, and the Caribbean.
• Proximity to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.
• Liberal tax legislation, with no tax on wealth, inheritance, gifts, capital gains, or income.
• Low crime rate and a high degree of personal safety.

Following the recent launch of the new program, obtaining these and other benefits of Vanuatu citizenship has become faster, simpler, and cheaper.

Features and advantages of the program

The main advantages of obtaining citizenship through CNO investment in Vanuatu include:

• Minimal waiting times - the entire process, through to obtaining citizenship, can be completed within 2-3 months.
• No residency requirement in the country, no tests, no interviews.
• Citizenship granted to all members of the investor's family at once.
• Investing in an industry with potentially high returns, plus a return of the investment after 5 years.
• A high degree of government support, with assistance provided to investors.

How to take part in the program

In general terms, the process of obtaining citizenship through CNO investment in Vanuatu looks like this:

• Initial due diligence check (7-10 days). The foreign investor submits a short questionnaire and pays a non-refundable fee. The authorized government bodies, in particular the financial intelligence unit and the immigration service, then check the candidate against the requirements and determine eligibility to take part in the program.
• Preparing and submitting the document package (1 month). After preliminary approval, the investor submits the required documents and pays the application fee. This fee is fully refunded if the citizenship process is not completed for any reason. The Citizenship Commission meets and reviews applications twice a month.
• Admission to citizenship (up to 2 weeks). After the Commission makes a positive decision on the application, the investor takes the oath and receives their new passport.

Once citizenship is granted, redeemable preferred shares in CNO Future Fund Limited are issued in the investor's name. The share certificate is delivered to the specified address along with the passport.

Cost of participating in the program

At the first stage, the investor must pay a non-refundable fixed contribution (Due Diligence fee) for the initial check. This amounts to $8,000 for all family members (up to 4 people).

The investment amount is also fixed - $130,000 for a family of up to 4 (parents and 2 children). The amount increases by a further $25,000 for each additional family member.

A separate fee also applies for organizing the oath ceremony, producing passports, and preparing the required documents. This amounts to $2,000 for a family with 2 children, plus $1,500 for each additional person.

All fees and investment amounts are paid and contributed in full, with no discounts available. Late transfer of funds can result in a refusal of citizenship or its revocation.

MIRBEZVIZ specialists are ready to help with preparing documents and going through the process of obtaining Vanuatu citizenship by investment. We take care of all the organizational matters, leaving you simply to await a positive decision. The cost of our services is determined on an individual basis and discussed following an initial consultation.