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Vanuatu

Vanuatu · Oceania · updated 06.09.2026

Vanuatu is an archipelago of more than 80 islands in the south-west Pacific, with no personal income tax: the country's main tax revenue comes from VAT, a turnover tax and excise duties (customsinlandrevenue.gov.vu). Its economy rests on tourism, offshore financial services and agriculture. The country is widely known for its citizenship-by-investment programme — the Vanuatu Development Support Program and its parallel versions (Capital Investment Immigration Plan, Vanuatu Contribution Program, Real Estate Option Program): citizenship here is granted with no residence-time requirement, but in response, from February 2023 the European Union suspended visa-free access for Vanuatu passport holders, and as of late 2024 (the most recent official statement found) negotiations to restore it were continuing. Land in Vanuatu is almost entirely held under customary (custom) ownership by indigenous communities; foreigners, including residence-visa holders, do not acquire freehold land but a long-term lease (leasehold). By cumulative risk indices, the country ranks among those most exposed to natural disasters in the world: it lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire with constant seismic and volcanic activity (including the active volcanoes Yasur on Tanna and Manaro Voui on Ambae, whose 2017–2018 eruption caused the full evacuation of the island) and falls within the Pacific cyclone season every year from November to April.

Some descriptions for this country are still Russian only: 80% translated. Numbers, prices and timelines are complete.

Entry

Entry rules depend on citizenship. Choose a passport to see the requirement for that one.

Work and visas

Visa speed
The country PUBLISHES NO processing standard, and what looks like one is not one. The department has a page of its own called “Processing Timeline”, and it opens with a plain refusal: applications are evaluated CASE BY CASE, and the time depends on the completeness of the package, on how promptly the applicant answers requests, on how quickly payment is made and confirmed, on the time the department needs for its own verifications, and on the time needed to obtain information from external agencies — above all on health, character and national security. On top of that the department names the complexity of the case, fluctuations in the number of applications, and changes of policy. The only figures on that page are not about the decision but ABOUT SILENCE: “the department will only respond to enquiries after 30 WORKING DAYS of Permit lodgment, 21 WORKING DAYS for Visa Application and 60 DAYS for all Citizenship application”. That is the threshold BEFORE which there is no point asking, not a deadline AFTER which the decision is overdue. Reading it as a standard is easy and wrong, which is why the processing time is marked unpublished on all twenty-five grounds. Payment has to be made before lodgment and not online. The business visa page says so outright: payment goes directly to the government cashier by cheque or cash, “we do not have any online payment facility yet”. The residence visa is paid as an EXACT amount in vatu by bank cheque made out to Vanuatu Immigration, or by international transfer if the applicant is abroad. The receipt is part of the list of documents, and an incomplete or partially completed application the department will not accept at all. An “Apply Online” button stands on almost every category page and leads to `evisa.gov.vu`; the application forms themselves, meanwhile, are posted as separate PDFs, and each ground of the residence visa comes with TWO checklists — one for a first lodgment and one for a renewal.
Changing employer
No: the Employment and Short-Term Employment Visas expressly require remaining an employee of the same business on which the visa was based; changing employer within the same visa is not provided for — a new visa is required (immigration.gov.vu/work).

Visa types: Employment Visa — a work visa for employment by a qualified employer in Vanuatu for a period of more than two months; a spouse (including common-law) and children may be included in the application. Changing employer within this visa is not provided for — the holder must remain an employee of the same business; a change of status is permitted only to the Investor Visa. Fee 257,500 vatu, valid for 12 months, multiple entry. Employment is separately regulated by the Labour (Work Permit Act) [CAP 187] (immigration.gov.vu/work). · Short-Term Employment Visa — for urgent skilled work under employer sponsorship, including in occupations outside the official list of shortage professions, if the Labour Commissioner has recognised the applicant's qualification as irreplaceable. Under the criteria, the work must not exceed 6 months, while the published visa validity is 1–4 months, multiple entry. Fee 51,500 vatu (immigration.gov.vu/work). · Residence Visa (a resident visa, over 12 months) — six grounds: partner of a Vanuatu citizen/resident, child of a citizen, worker with a contract of 12 months or more, self-funded resident (confirmed income of at least 250,000 vatu a month for one person or 500,000 vatu for a couple — including retirees not working in the country), foreign investor with a VIPA certificate, and holder of a long-term land lease (leasehold) worth at least 10 million vatu with income of at least 250,000 vatu a month. Fee from 57,600 to 511,200 vatu depending on the chosen visa term (1–10 years) (immigration.gov.vu/residence-visa, /live). · Permanent Resident Visa — permanent residence, subclass 131 (available to people of non-ni-Vanuatu origin or to those who have already lived in Vanuatu for at least 12 months) and subclasses 132–135 (for major investors; the official site describes the requirements as "strict" but does not publish an investment-amount threshold). A change of status to another visa from within the country is not provided for (immigration.gov.vu/permanent-resident-visa, /live, PR Official Directive Notice No.2 for 2023). · Development Support Visa — for staff, consultants and volunteers of UN agencies, Vanuatu government bodies and organisations implementing development programmes agreed with the government. Valid for up to 5 years, multiple entry, no change of status permitted. Fee of 10,300 vatu (individual) or 15,450 vatu (family of 4); UN agency personnel are exempt from the fee (immigration.gov.vu/work). · Business Visa — short-term business trips: single entry for 3 months or multiple entry for 10 months, including temporary employment under a Work Permit already obtained from the Department of Labour. Fee of 20,000 or 35,000 vatu (immigration.gov.vu/business-visa). · Citizenship by investment (Vanuatu Development Support Program / Capital Investment Immigration Plan / Vanuatu Contribution Program / Real Estate Option Program) is granted directly, without a visa or a residence permit, by a separate body — the Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission (vancitizenship.gov.vu), not the Department of Immigration. For current contribution thresholds and the programme's status, see residency.citizenshipExtra.

Collected on 24 August 2026 from the site of Vanuatu's Department of Immigration and Passport Services (`immigration.gov.vu`): all 42 pages of the site were enumerated through `wp-json/wp/v2/pages`, the sections “Work”, “Live”, “Study”, “Conduct business”, “Specialist” and “Visit” and the individual visa pages were read, and the sums were checked against the official application forms in PDF. **Two pages of a state site describe ANOTHER COUNTRY.** The page “Residence Special Purpose Permit on Medical Grounds” says outright that the permit is granted “to reside in FIJI and undergo medical treatment in a local medical hospital”. The page “Authority to Work or Study while on a Visitors Permit” cites the “Immigration Act, 2003” (Vanuatu's is Immigration Act No. 17 of 2010) and demands of entertainers “proof of tax registration from FIRCA” — from the revenue and customs authority of FIJI. Both pages were copied from Fiji's immigration department and posted unedited. Neither of those two grounds has been collected. The domain `gov.vu` confirms WHOSE page it is; it does not confirm WHAT the page is about. **Two pages of one department name different charges for one visa.** The overview page “Study” prints 5,150 vatu for a child and 15,450 for an adult for the student visa; the lodgment page “Student VISA” and the application form itself print 2,880 and 14,400. TWO tariff scales run through the site: the overview pages count in multiples of 5,150 vatu (10,300, 15,450, 20,600, 30,900, 51,500, 61,800, 103,000, 206,000, 257,500, 309,000, 3,090,000), while the lodgment pages and the forms count in multiples of 1,440 (2,880, 14,400, 57,600, 158,400, 259,200, 511,200). Recorded here are the figures from the forms and the lodgment pages; the discrepancy is named in the basis of the fee. **Land is not sold to a foreigner, and residence is bought with a lease.** The sixth ground of the residence visa is holding a leasehold worth 10 million vatu or more together with an income of at least 250,000 vatu a month FOR EACH person included in the application, but no more than 1 million vatu a month in total. This is not “buying property” but a lease: non-citizens do not own land in Vanuatu. **A spouse may come, a child may not — and the overview page compresses that into an untruth.** The “Live” page writes that family may be included “except for those applying under the Self-Funded Resident category”, which reads as a ban on any family at all. The application form is more precise: a spouse (married or de facto) MAY be included — and for a couple the income threshold is higher, 500,000 vatu instead of 250,000 — while a dependent child may not be included on THIS ground alone. The form is what has been recorded. **A grandfather clause dated 7 February 2011.** Those who held a residence permit as a self-funded RETIREE before 7 February 2011 keep the old threshold: 150,000 vatu a month for one person and 300,000 for a couple, instead of today's 250,000 and 500,000. The department prints both pairs of figures side by side — a rare case where the old threshold has not been erased but preserved in the current form. **Permanent residence is sold by agents with exclusive rights to REGIONS.** Ministerial order No. 120 of 2023 gave PRG Consulting Limited the exclusive right to market the programme in Greater China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan; other agents were left the Middle East, India, Africa, Europe, the Americas, the Pacific region and South East Asia. An amendment of 4 October 2023 (clause 5A of the visa regulation) made the card issued in Hong Kong YELLOW, bearing the words “Permanent Residency issued Overseas”, and the card issued in Vanuatu WHITE, and a person is entitled to one card only. The department itself publishes notices of abuse: on 3 April 2024 about FAKE white cards issued on 27 March 2024 to clients in mainland China, and separately that the company “SATOSHI ISLAND LIMITED” is not a recognised agent of the programme. And yet nowhere does the department print an investment threshold, a difference between subclasses 132, 133, 134 and 135, or a charge: the application form holds an empty box saying “insert the visa subclass number”. **A concession on price is not a rule of admission.** Exempt from the student visa charge are citizens of the Cook Islands, Micronesia, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu — but only those studying at the University of the South Pacific (USP) or the Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC) on a government scholarship. That is a discount, not an admission: the visa is open to everyone, and the nationality rule is empty on all twenty-five grounds. **Two family grounds are hidden in the “Visit” section.** The Close Family Visa (spouse or dependent child, up to 12 months) and the Ni Vanuatu Descent Visa (former citizens and descendants of citizens, up to 12 months) sit as tabs beside the tourist and transit visas — in a section whose name is about travel. Anyone who reads only “Work”, “Live”, “Study” and “Conduct business” will not find them at all. The sponsor for a Close Family Visa may be not only a citizen but a NON-citizen living in Vanuatu on a visa that provides for a secondary applicant. **Employment means two documents from two departments.** The immigration visa is issued by the Department of Immigration, while the work permit proper comes from the Department of Labour under the Labour (Work Permit) Act [CAP 187]; the checklist for the employee residence visa demands receipts for both charges and names the work permit charge separately — 200,000 vatu. A change of status from inside the country costs a further 100,000 vatu. **The Act itself cannot be read from the site.** The link `immigration.gov.vu/images/Immigration_Act_no17_of_2010.pdf` stands both on the forms page and on the public notices page — and returns 404. Everything collected here rests on the section pages and on the application forms; the text of the Act is not on the department's site. **What is not among the grounds.** The tourist visa (up to 120 days, no extension), the transit visa (up to 24 hours inside the airport proclaimed area) and the Visitor Visa (up to 30 days) are permission to enter, not to live. Citizenship is not a visa ground and is granted not by the Department of Immigration but by the Vanuatu Citizenship Office under the Prime Minister (`vancitizenship.gov.vu`); the department only certifies residence under the Citizenship Act [CAP 112] Part 3 — ten years of continuous lawful residence, or more than two years of residence with a Vanuatu spouse, or descent from a citizen. Citizenship by investment is sold by that same office, separately from visas. The two pages copied from Fiji are described above. **The charge for a change of status from inside the country is a general rule, not a property of a route.** Every residency visa checklist (partner, child, employee, self-funded, foreign investor, leasehold holder) carries one and the same line: if the applicant is already in Vanuatu and is changing status, 100,000 vatu is paid on top of the visa fee. This figure is not on the route pages or on the overview /live/ at all — it is only in the checklists (for example, RESIDENCY_VISA-PARTNER_CHECKLIST_V2.pdf).

Long-term visas and residence permits

Employment Visa

Work
term 12 mocounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 257 500 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 257,500 vatu. Separately and on top of it — the work permit fee of the Department of Labour: it is named not by the visa page but by the employee residency visa checklist (RESIDENCY_VISA-EMPLOYEE_CHECKLIST_V2.pdf), line «Receipt for Payment of Work Permit Fees».
official source · read 2026-08-24

Short-Term Employment Visa

Work
term 4 modoes not count toward permanent residencefee 51 500 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 51,500 vatu. In the section on the short-term employment visa the department printed this sum under the caption “the charge for an Employment visa” — a trace of copying from the neighbouring section, where 257,500 stands. Recorded is the sum from the short-term visa's own section.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Development Support Visa

Other
term 60 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 10 300 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 10,300 vatu for one person and 15,450 vatu for a family of four. Staff of UN agencies are exempt. An exemption is also possible on a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Religious Worker Visa

Other
term 60 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 10 300 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 10,300 vatu for one person and 20,600 vatu for a family of four. The security bond the Director is obliged to demand when the stay exceeds 90 days is not given a figure by the department.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Specialist Skills Visa

Work
does not count toward permanent residencefee 30 900 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 30,900 vatu. An incomplete or partially completed application is not accepted.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Residence Visa — partner of a citizen

Family
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 57 600 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 57,600 vatu for a one-year visa for an applicant aged 18 and over. Then up the ladder of terms: 158,400 for 3 years, 259,200 for 5 years, 511,200 for 10 years. For a child under 18 — 2,880 vatu for each year. The sum is paid FOR EACH person included in the application, not per application. It is paid as an exact amount in vatu by bank cheque to Vanuatu Immigration, or by international transfer if the applicant is abroad. The tariff is printed both on the overview page /live/ and in the application form itself (APPLICATION_FOR_RESIDENCY_VISA.pdf).
official source · read 2026-08-24

Residence Visa — dependent child of a citizen

Family
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 57 600 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Residence Visa — employee

Work
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 57 600 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Residence Visa — self-funded resident

Retirement
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedincome from 250 000 VUV a monthfee 57 600 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Residence Visa — foreign investor

Investment
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 57 600 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Residence Visa — leasehold holder

Investment
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedincome from 250 000 VUV a monthfee 57 600 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Permanent Resident Visa — subclass 131

Other
counts toward permanent residencefamily allowedprocessing time not published
Fee: The department prints no charge: the page refers you “to the official site or directly to the service”. The figure is not on the permanent residence page, nor on the overview page /live/, nor in the application form itself — there is only a box asking how you will pay the charge. No numeric value has been recorded.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Permanent Resident Visa — subclasses 132–135 (investor)

Investment
counts toward permanent residencefamily allowedprocessing time not published
Fee: The department prints no charge: the page refers you “to the official site or directly to the service”. Neither an investment threshold nor a charge appears on the page or in the application form. No numeric value has been recorded.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Provisional Investor Visa

Investment
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedincome from 10 000 000 VUVfee 51 500 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 51,500 vatu. An incomplete or partially completed application is not accepted.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Business Investor Visa

Investment
term 36 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 206 000 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 206,000 vatu. An incomplete or partially completed application is not accepted.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Direct Investor Visa

Investment
term 96 morenewablecounts toward permanent residenceincome from 20 000 000 VUVfee 309 000 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 309,000 vatu. An incomplete or partially completed application is not accepted.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Permanent Investor Visa

Investment
renewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedincome from 50 000 000 VUVfee 3 090 000 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 3,090,000 vatu — the most expensive charge in the country, ten times that of the Direct Investor Visa. An incomplete or partially completed application is not accepted.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Student Visa

Study
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedincome from 40 000 VUV a monthfee 14 400 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 2,880 vatu for an applicant under 18 and 14,400 vatu for an applicant aged 18 and over — so it is printed both on the filing page /student-visa/ and in the application form itself. CAUTION: the same authority's overview page https://immigration.gov.vu/study/ prints different figures — 5,150 and 15,450 vatu. Two tariffs of one authority for one visa; the one recorded here is the one on the filing page and in the form. Exempt from the fee are students of the University of the South Pacific (USP) and of the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) who study on a scholarship from the state, USP or APTC and are citizens of the Cook Islands, Micronesia, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga or Tuvalu. This is a discount on the price, not a rule of admission: the visa is open to everyone.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Special Category Visa

Other
family allowedfee 0 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: There is no charge: the department's own application form prints outright “There is no visa application charge payable for a Special Category visa”. The overview page /specialist/ meanwhile writes evasively that the fees “may vary” and should be confirmed — the form is what has been recorded, because the form states and the page defers.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Diplomatic Visa

Other
renewablefamily allowedfee 0 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: There is no charge: the department prints “There is no visa application charge payable for a Diplomatic Visa”.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Social Exchange Visa

Other
term 12 mocounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 61 800 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 61,800 vatu per person and 103,000 vatu for a concert group. A student attachment is exempt from the charge.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Bridging Visa

Other
term 3 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 15 450 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 15,450 vatu. An incomplete or partially completed application is not accepted.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Business Visa (single or multiple entry)

Other
term 10 modoes not count toward permanent residenceprocessing time not published
Fee: The department prints “receipt for payment of associated fees (20,000 VUV or 35,000 VUV)” — two sums with no statement of which belongs to the single-entry visa for 3 months and which to the multiple-entry one for 10. The correspondence is nowhere on the page or in the application form, so no numeric value has been recorded: to record one of the two would be to choose on the department's behalf.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Close Family Visa

Family
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 61 800 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 61,800 vatu for an adult and 5,150 vatu for an applicant under 18.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Ni-Vanuatu Descent Visa

Repatriation
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 20 600 VUVprocessing time not published
Fee: 20,600 vatu. An incomplete or partially completed application is not accepted.
official source · read 2026-08-24

Programme terms change, and the final decision rests with the consulate or the country migration service. The data is collected from official sources on the date shown and is not legal advice.

Residence and citizenship

Permanent residence after
no residence period required
Citizenship after
10 years
Language
For naturalisation (Form A) and citizenship through marriage (Form B), a written test in Bislama is mandatory — general knowledge of the Republic of Vanuatu (geography, history, politics, society); the test lasts 1 hour, and after failing the first attempt a retake is possible no sooner than 6 months later (vancitizenship.gov.vu/citizenship/application-process). The source does not describe a language requirement for residence visas.
Dual citizenship
allowed

Dual citizenship: Dual citizenship is recognised by a Constitutional amendment (Chapter 3) adopted in 2013 and entering into force in 2014; the Citizenship Act [Cap 112], as amended in 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2021, expressly recognises dual citizenship, including a separate procedure for holders of citizenship under the Capital Investment Immigration Plan (vancitizenship.gov.vu/about-us/legislative-framework, news-and-updates/97-amendments-to-the-citizenship-act-cap-112).

Absence limits: For the Permanent Resident Visa: a total of 90 days or more spent outside Vanuatu (counted from age 18 and from the date the current visa was issued) requires attaching police clearance certificates from all countries of such stay (immigration.gov.vu/permanent-resident-visa) — the agency does not publish a formal upper limit on the length of absence.

Naturalisation (Form A, Citizenship Act [Cap 112] Part 3): continuous lawful residence in Vanuatu for at least 10 years before applying, a written test in Bislama (general knowledge of the country), review by the Citizenship Commission and an oath. Marriage to a Vanuatu citizen (Form B) reduces the requirement to 2 years of continuous residence with the spouse in the country under a formally registered marriage. A citizen's child, or a person of non-ni-Vanuatu origin through a parent/grandparent (Form C(a), Entitlement), acquires citizenship with no residence-time requirement — except where the applicant was born before their parent became a citizen by naturalisation and was not included in the parent's application. Citizenship applications are processed in no less than 60 days (processing-timeline, immigration.gov.vu); after approval — an oath and payment of the Citizenship Fee (vancitizenship.gov.vu/citizenship/application-process, /citizenship/types-of-citizenship).

Citizenship is also granted without a single day of residence in the country — for a contribution, through several parallel Vanuatu Citizenship Office programmes (vancitizenship.gov.vu, not the Department of Immigration): the Vanuatu Development Support Program (DSP) and the Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP, Form D). The official fee schedule (vancitizenship.gov.vu/citizenship/fees-and-charges, checked 03.08.2026) publishes, for DSP and the other Forms (other than D), a Citizenship Fee of: USD 130,000 for a single applicant, USD 150,000 for a married couple, USD 165,000 for a couple with 1 child, USD 180,000 for a couple with 2 children, and USD 10,000 for each additional applicant — plus a mandatory FIU Diligence Fee of USD 5,000 and an Application Fee of 5,000 vatu. Form D (CIIP) has a separate scale: an Application Fee of USD 250, a Citizenship Fee of USD 260,000 (covering the applicant, spouse and one child under 18), plus USD 19,250 for each additional child under 18 and USD 44,250 for a dependant aged 18–21. A Vanuatu Citizenship Commission press release dated 02.12.2024 (PRESS_RELEASE_Dec2024.pdf, vancitizenship.gov.vu) adds to CIIP a mandatory investment component of USD 50,000 directed into the country's economy, subject to compliance checks and with citizenship revocable on breach. Besides DSP/CIIP, the Vanuatu Contribution Program (VCP) and the Real Estate Option Program (REO, since 23.07.2021 — purchasing property in one of four government-approved projects on Efate and Espiritu Santo islands instead of part of the cash contribution; news-and-updates/101) are also in effect. The programme's status as of 02.12.2024 (same press release): the European Union suspended visa-free travel for Vanuatu citizens because of this programme (partial suspension from March 2022, full suspension from February 2023, immigration.gov.vu/eu-halts-vanuatu-visa-free-access), negotiations to restore it are ongoing, and no more recent official statements on the outcome were found on agency websites. Historical detail: CIIP itself was previously suspended and was reinstated on 21.03.2016, with three approved agents under Order 93 of 2023 (news-and-updates/98, vancitizenship.gov.vu).

Documents

Document certification
apostille

The country is party to the 1961 Hague Convention: a degree or certificate is authenticated with a single apostille in the country that issued it.

Family

Partner

Timeline
The agency does not publish a separate standard for the Partner Residence Visa; the general immigration.gov.vu regulation (processing-timeline) sets no less than 21 working days for visa applications and 30 working days for permits. The Residence Visa is processed as a visa application with a fee on a scale from 57,600 vatu (1-year visa) to 511,200 vatu (10-year visa).

The "Partner" ground: marriage (including common-law) to a Vanuatu citizen or resident, or — on the death of a citizen partner — having been married to them at the time of death, subject to additional conditions. A spouse and dependent children (under 18, or 18–20 if financially, psychologically or physically dependent) may be included in the application — except for the Self-funded Resident category, where accompanying persons on this ground are not admitted separately from the couple's income. The agency's website does not separately address the right to work under the "Partner" ground (unlike the "Employee" ground, where employment is a direct condition of the visa); the source does not clarify whether the general condition of "not engaging in activity outside the visa's ground", formulated for work visas, extends to the partner category (immigration.gov.vu/residence-visa, /live).

Parents

Partner's parents

Pets

Limit
no limit
Antibody titre test
not needed
Preparation
~6 months

The import of dogs and cats is regulated by the Animal Importation and Quarantine Act [Cap 201] (1988) and the Animal Importation and Quarantine Regulations (Order 14 of 1994, as amended; biosecurity.gov.vu/resources/legislation). An international veterinary certificate is mandatory, confirming: an examination within 24 hours before dispatch showing no signs of infectious disease; for dogs — vaccination against distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus 1–3 months before dispatch; for cats — against panleukopenia (1–12 months before) and feline viral rhinotracheitis/calicivirus (1–3 months before); treatment against echinococcosis and helminths and against ectoparasites 3 days before dispatch; no clinical signs of rabies on the day of dispatch, and origin from a country with no recorded rabies case in the past 2 years, where the animal has lived since birth or for at least 6 months before dispatch (regulation 21–22). The regulation does not provide for antibody titration (FAVN) as an alternative — only a certificate of the exporting country's rabies status, so the rabiesTiterRequired field is marked false rather than as no requirement at all. If all conditions are met, an immediate "Permit to Land / Quarantine Release" without quarantine is provided for (regulation 20(j)); if they are not met, the animal is held under quarantine control for an indefinite period until the requirements are met — the regulation does not specify a fixed number of days, so quarantineDays is left empty. All costs of holding, treatment and retesting are borne by the owner. The import fee for pets is 5,000 vatu for documentation plus 5,000 vatu for inspection per animal (Schedule 1 to the regulation). No indication of a ban on specific breeds was found in the act or regulation. The overall verdict is "difficult": a legal route exists, but in practice it is open only to animals that have lived for six months or more in a country officially free of rabies (biosecurity.gov.vu).

Safety

Climate

28J
28F
28M
28A
27M
26J
26J
25A
26S
26O
27N
27D

Quality of life

Cities

Port Vila

49 034 residents
$ 1 428
1 bedroom, per month

The capital and largest city of Vanuatu, on Efate island (Shefa province). The country's main port and business and tourism centre, with an offshore financial sector. Population: 49,034 people per the 2020 census (Vanuatu National Statistics Office, National Population and Housing Census, night of 16 November 2020 — urban boundary, not the whole of Shefa province).

2 bedrooms $ 1 932 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 2 614utilities $ 102ticket $ 1,26monthly pass $ 66,7
To buy, per m²: centre $ 4 923 · suburbs $ 2 243

Earthquakes and tsunamis of the Pacific Ring of Fire — on 17 December 2024 a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck near Efate, damaging part of the city's built-up area. The tropical cyclone season runs November–April (per the INFORM index, the country's "cyclone" risk is 6.4 out of 10, "earthquake" risk 6.2 out of 10).

+The only international airport with scheduled flights to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji (Bauerfield International Airport)
+The main concentration of the country's government offices, banks, embassies and offshore service companies
+The most developed medical and commercial infrastructure in the country
−The highest housing rent in the country (livingcost.org)
−Direct exposure to destructive earthquakes — Bauerfield and part of the city's infrastructure were damaged by the 17.12.2024 earthquake
−The country's only truly international hub — a disruption to air links or the port is felt across the whole country

Luganville

17 719 residents
$ 1 411
1 bedroom, per month

Vanuatu's second-largest city, on Espiritu Santo island (Sanma province); a major US forces base during the Second World War. A centre for dive tourism (the wreck of the SS President Coolidge, the Blue Holes), agriculture, cattle farming and offshore services. Population: 17,719 people per the 2020 census (Vanuatu National Statistics Office, National Population and Housing Census, night of 16 November 2020 — urban boundary, not the whole of Sanma province).

2 bedrooms $ 1 918 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 2 605utilities $ 102ticket $ 1,25monthly pass $ 67,2
To buy, per m²: centre $ 4 883 · suburbs $ 2 276

As across the whole country — seismic activity of the Pacific Ring of Fire and a tropical cyclone season running November–April. One of the country's wettest cities: around 2,920 mm of rainfall a year.

+The country's second international airport (Santo-Pekoa International Airport)
+A developed port for handling copra, coconut oil and cocoa
+Lower cost of living than in Port Vila, with a comparable set of basic services
−Fewer government offices and international services than in the capital — much has to be handled through Port Vila
−High annual rainfall (around 2,920 mm)
−Like the whole country, it lies in a zone of seismic and cyclonic activity

Lakatoro

The administrative centre of Malampa province, the largest settlement on Malekula island. Several retail shops, a supermarket, a local produce market, and a branch of the National Bank of Vanuatu. The 2020 census (VNSO) does not publish population figures for individual settlements smaller than Port Vila and Luganville — data exists only at the province level and for aggregated area councils (the "Central Malekula" area council, which Lakatoro falls under, has 3,411 people according to the same census, but that is the population of several villages, not the settlement itself); population is therefore left empty.

ticket —monthly pass —
To buy, per m²: centre — · suburbs —

Malekula lies in a zone of seismic activity on the Pacific Ring of Fire; the tropical cyclone season runs November–April, as across the whole country.

+The only administrative and banking centre on Malekula island
+Norsup Airport a few kilometres away and weekly combined cargo-passenger service with Port Vila
−Minimal commercial infrastructure — per immigration and tourism sources, just a few shops and one bank
−No data from international cost-of-living aggregators (livingcost.org has no page for Lakatoro) — there is nothing to base an estimate of rent and utilities on
−Supply depends on irregular sea links

Isangel

The administrative centre of Tafea province on Tanna island, the nearest large settlement to Mount Yasur — one of the most accessible active volcanoes in the world to visit. The 2020 census (VNSO) publishes Tanna's population only by area council (for example, West Tanna has 6,427 people and Whitesands has 4,061), without a breakdown by individual settlement, so Isangel's own population is left empty.

ticket —monthly pass —
To buy, per m²: centre — · suburbs —

Tanna island lies in a seismically active part of the Pacific Ring of Fire — in December 2023 a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near Isangel. The active Mount Yasur volcano sustains constant volcanic activity a few dozen kilometres away.

+The island's only administrative centre, home to the country's best-known tourist attraction — Mount Yasur
+An airport on Tanna with domestic flights to Port Vila
−Elevated seismic and volcanic activity in the area
−No data from international cost-of-living aggregators — there is nothing to base an estimate of rent and utilities on
−Minimal commercial and medical infrastructure beyond administrative functions

Saratamata

The administrative centre of Penama province, on the eastern shore of Ambae island. Retail shops, a restaurant, a guesthouse, a local market; the nearest airfield is at Longana, with flights to Port Vila and Luganville. The 2020 census (VNSO) publishes Ambae island's population only by area council, without a breakdown by individual settlement, so the settlement's own population is left empty.

ticket —monthly pass —
To buy, per m²: centre — · suburbs —

In 2017–2018 the eruption of Manaro Voui volcano (Ambae) led to the full evacuation of the island for several months — the risk of a repeat eruption remains. As across the whole country, the tropical cyclone season runs November–April.

+The only administrative centre on Ambae island, with a basic set of services (shops, a guesthouse, a market)
+Air links to the country's two largest cities via the airfield at Longana
−An active volcano on the island itself — in 2017–2018 the island was evacuated entirely
−No data from international cost-of-living aggregators — there is nothing to base an estimate of rent and utilities on
−The least developed infrastructure among the five cities covered

Grocery basket

Bread, 500 g
$ 2,22
Milk, 1 l
$ 2,77
Eggs, 12
$ 5,74
Chicken breast, 1 kg
$ 16,3
Cheese, 1 kg
$ 20,2
Rice, 1 kg
$ 4,02
Potatoes, 1 kg
$ 2,71
Apples, 1 kg
$ 6,12
Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 l
$ 5,34
Total
$ 65,4

The same set for every country, so the comparison is fair.

Cost of living across the country

Rent, 1 bedroom
$ 1 421 a month
Rent, 3 bedrooms
$ 3 161 a month
Utility bills
$ 102 a month
Home internet
$ 115 a month
Monthly transport pass
$ 66,8 a month
Single transport ticket
$ 1,26
Petrol, litre
$ 1,71
Cold medicine
$ 6,97 for a week

Country averages. City prices, where collected, are shown above and are more precise.

Indicators

Life expectancy
71,7 years2024
Homicides
0,3 per 100k2020 · data lags behind
Road deaths
12,5 per 100k2021
Unemployment
5,1 %2025
Unemployment, ages 15–24
11,3 %2025
Inequality (Gini)
32,32019 · data lags behind
Health spending per person
$ 143 a year
Air pollution, PM2.5
7 µg/m³2023
Access to clean water
87,1 %2024

Governance

Political stability
above average · 1
Control of corruption
below average · -0,2
Rule of law
above average · 0,4
Government effectiveness
below average · -0,8

World Bank estimates on a −2.5 to +2.5 scale, higher is better.

Natural hazards

Earthquakes
6,2 out of 10
River floods
0 out of 10
Coastal floods
4,9 out of 10
Tropical cyclones
6,4 out of 10
Droughts
5 out of 10
Tsunamis
7 out of 10

Each value carries the year it refers to. “Data lags behind” means this country's figure was collected noticeably earlier than the rest. Natural hazards use one 0–10 scale and are meant to be compared against each other.

Pros and cons

+No personal income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax — the country's main tax revenue comes from VAT (12.5%), a turnover tax and excise duties (customsinlandrevenue.gov.vu)
+Dual citizenship has been recognised since 2014
+Several parallel citizenship-by-investment programmes (DSP, CIIP, VCP, REO) with no requirement for a period of residence in the country
+English and French are official languages alongside Bislama
−One of the highest levels of exposure to natural disasters in the world: the country lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire (earthquakes, the active volcanoes Yasur on Tanna and Manaro Voui on Ambae) and falls within the Pacific cyclone season from November to April (INFORM index: cyclones 6.4, earthquakes 6.2, tsunamis 7.0 out of 10)
−Land is almost entirely held under customary (custom) ownership by indigenous communities — foreigners, including residence-visa holders, have access only to long-term leasehold, not freehold ownership (immigration.gov.vu/residence-visa)
−From February 2023 the European Union suspended visa-free travel for the Vanuatu passport because of the citizenship-by-investment programme; as of late 2024 negotiations to restore it were continuing (immigration.gov.vu, vancitizenship.gov.vu)
−An extremely small labour market and infrastructure outside Port Vila and Luganville — international cost-of-living aggregators have almost no data on the other islands

Compare with other countries in the region

Australia · Fiji · New Caledonia · New Zealand · Papua New Guinea · Solomon Islands

Other countries in the region: Oceania

Australia · Fiji · New Caledonia · New Zealand · Papua New Guinea · Solomon Islands

All countries by region

Official sources

Department of Immigration and Passport Services
↗
Vanuatu Immigration — Work In Vanuatu (visa categories for work)
↗
Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission
↗
Livingcost.org — Port Vila
↗
Livingcost.org — Luganville
↗
Biosecurity Vanuatu — Animal Importation and Quarantine Act [Cap 201] and Regulations
↗
Department of Customs & Inland Revenue — Taxes and Licensing
There is no personal income tax: the agency's list of taxes includes only VAT (12.5%), a turnover tax, a rental tax and excise duties.
↗

Reliability. Collected from open sources: official immigration service sites, statistical aggregators, industry surveys. Updated: 2026-09-06.

This is not advice. This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.