Vanuatu citizenship

Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment programme to face major setback amid dispute in the government

An Australia based media organization Cronullanews.Sydney released a detailed interview with a person currently working as an official in the government. 

Cronulla News stated that following the EU Commission’s proposal to terminate the visa-waiver agreement with the European Union, Vanuatu’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Program is on the verge of collapsing. It added that the continuous squabble within the government is a significant impediment to the actions.

Afghan family with Vanuatu citizenship seeks repatriation

The Afghans were granted citizenship under Vanuatu's Development Support Program.

The family of five are now seeking assistance from Vanuatu's Embassy in Brussels to be repatriated.

The director of Vanuatu's Department of Foreign Affairs, Yvon Basil, has confirmed the Afghans' request.

But Mr Basil said, because Vanuatu has no connection with Afghanistan, the family's request had come through other foreign missions including New Zealand and Australia.

Ex-bikie and missing property magnate among Australian names granted Vanuatu citizenship

Marco Francis Coffen and Zhou Xiang Huang, both from Australia, appear on a list of people who purchased citizenship from Vanuatu for US$130,000 last year.

A Vanuatu passport allows visa-free travel through 130 countries, including the EU and UK, and Vanuatu also operates as a tax haven, with no income, corporate or wealth tax. The application process typically takes just over a month and can be conducted without ever setting foot in the country.

Middle Eastern firm under investigation for marketing Vanuatu citizenship

The Vanuatu Daily Post reported the videos show staff from the firm Global Migrate displaying Vanuatu passports and National ID cards.

The Vanuatu National Citizenship Commission confirmed launching an investigation into the matter.

Its chairman Ronald Warsal said the firm was not officially registered or authorised to promote the Vanuatu citizenship programme.

Vanuatu warned about citizenship sale flaw

Trade in citizenship for investment has been an increasingly significant revenue earner for Vanuatu in recent years. This year, as the Covid-19 pandemic has caused an increase in citizenship sales in general around the world, Vanuatu is tracking for a record level of sales.

As of mid-August, Vanuatu had earned around $US84.6m in revenue from citizenship sales in 2020, a rare economic success in a cyclone-hit year of fiscal strain for the Pacific nation.

Three foreigners illegally granted Vanuatu citizenship

Among the three foreigners are two Vietnamese nationals and a French national.

Despite not meeting a requirement to spend ten years in Vanuatu, they were granted Vanuatu citizenship by naturalisation.

This month opposition leader Ralph Regenvanu told local media the opposition was aware of about ten cases of illegally-granted Vanuatu citizenship under naturalisation by the office.

The director of passport and immigration, Jeffrey Markson, denies that the citizenship programme has breached rules.

     

Vanuatu Opposition raises concerns over citizenship grants

Ralph Regenvanu said the Constitution was clear on people gaining citizenship by naturalisation.

He said people were supposed to live in Vanuatu for 10 continuous years before they could be granted citizenship by naturalisation.

"We are aware that number of individuals who have not satisfied the requirement of 10 years continuous residence in Vanuatu have now obtained citizenship by naturalisation.

Vanuatu earns $US84m from citizenship sales

However Ronald Warsal told the Vanuatu Daily Post the government had tightened security and due diligence measures to ensure that all applicants had clean criminal records.

The programme has 80 ni-Vanuatu agents with another person based in Hong Kong.

"The Government intends to support locals by expanding the opportunity for more locals to become agents," Warsal said.

"We have been devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as Tropical Cyclone Harold. This opportunity does not only support our people but also boosts our economy."

Vanuatu refused Indian billionaire fugitive Nirav Modi citizenship on probity grounds

His application was rejected because the country discovered “adverse findings” during the probity check.

According to a report in the Indian Express, in November 2017, Modi transferred $195,000 from his personal account to one of the 18 authorised Vanuatu government agents who facilitate the country’s Citizenship by Investment programme. But when the South Pacific Ocean island nation ran a background check on the businessman, “adverse findings” were uncovered and his citizenship request was rejected.

Vanuatu citizenship office rejects use of bitcoins for citizenship

A short statement from the Government said the Citizenship office has no legal confirmation on the use of bitcoins to secure citizenship.

“The Office of citizenship is giving assurance to all the citizenship designated agents that all payments of fees concerning citizenship is in US dollars. Any other arrangement by any sub-agent will not be considered by the Citizenship Office.

Last week, the Vanuatu Information Office announced that it was the first country to accept bitcoins for citizenship.