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Pathway

Vanuatu Investor Residence Visas

Vanuatu Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

Vanuatu’s investor visas cover different stages, from preparing an investment to running a business or holding substantial local assets. Each category has separate amounts, permissions, and duration rules; the VUV 10 million provisional option is not permanent residence.

Provisional
At least VUV 10 million available; up to 12 months; no work
Direct
More than VUV 20 million in Vanuatu assets; up to eight years
Permanent
Ten qualifying years plus more than VUV 50 million in local assets and continuing requirements

Summary

Vanuatu offers distinct provisional, business, direct-investor, and permanent-residence categories with different investment and operating requirements. The provisional route needs at least VUV 10 million in funds and evidence of contact with the investment authority, and it does not allow employment. The business route needs an approved and operating Vanuatu business. The direct route needs in-country assets worth more than VUV 20 million. The permanent route requires at least 10 years of qualifying lawful investor residence or maintained investment, continuing business or investment conditions, and assets in Vanuatu worth more than VUV 50 million.

The official Immigration site presents both a general Residence Visa on the “foreign investor” ground and four newer investor-visa categories. The right application depends on whether the business is planned or already operating, which approvals you hold, and what assets you have in Vanuatu. Do not assume that contacting an agency, registering a company, buying property, or holding funds alone satisfies every route.

Choosing the right Vanuatu investor visa
  1. Confirm the category for your investment stage Check whether you are preparing, operating, or maintaining the required local assets and history.
  2. Meet that category’s approval and evidence rules Arrange the necessary investment certificate, business records, funds, and personal documents.
  3. Apply and maintain the specific conditions Check work limits, fees, family rules, and any later application needed.

The investor categories are not automatic successive steps, and the provisional visa does not allow work.

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Eligibility

For the general Foreign Investor Residence Visa, Immigration requires a current Foreign Investment Approval Certificate from the Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority (VIPA) and a business license if the certificate says one is required. The current checklist also asks for Vanuatu Financial Services Commission registration, passport and photos, police clearance, medical evidence, the immigration bond, and the residence-visa fee.

Immigration also publishes four investor categories:

The current official fees shown for those four categories are VUV 51,500, VUV 206,000, VUV 309,000, and VUV 3,090,000 respectively. Fees and category names should be reconfirmed before payment because the general residence-visa checklist uses a different schedule.

Family members

The general residence process permits a spouse or a genuine unmarried partner (called a de facto partner) and dependent children to be included. Immigration defines a dependent child as unmarried and under 18, or age 18, 19, or 20 and dependent for financial, psychological, or physical support. The investor pages also refer to a “secondary applicant,” meaning someone included alongside the main applicant. Each family member needs identity, relationship, health, police, and bond documents as applicable; inclusion should be confirmed for the specific investor category.

What This Route Allows

The appropriate investor visa allows residence in Vanuatu and multiple entry for the approved period. A Business or Direct Investor may conduct the business activity on which the visa was granted, subject to the Foreign Investment Approval Certificate, business license, company registration, tax, labor, and any sector-specific approvals.

The general Foreign Investor Residence Visa must remain supported by a valid VIPA certificate and business license where required. The published general residence durations and fees vary; adult residence fees run from VUV 57,600 for one year to VUV 511,200 for ten years, while the specific investor categories use the separate durations and charges above.

The Direct and Permanent Investor routes can support a longer-term presence, but moving to another category is not automatic. The applicant must apply for the next status and prove the required investment, residence history, operating business, and compliance with the rules.

What This Route Is Not

This is not permission to take unrelated employment. A provisional investor may not work, and a business investor may not work outside the approved investment. Any separate employment must meet Vanuatu's immigration and Labor Department work-permit rules.

It is not citizenship, and years on an investor visa do not themselves issue a citizenship certificate. Ordinary naturalization has a separate ten-year continuous residence rule and additional character, language, civic, and Commission-decision requirements.

It is not passive ownership alone where the selected category requires an operating business. The Business Investor Visa expressly calls for a Vanuatu bank account, physical establishment, and fully operational business. The Permanent Investor route requires a continuing investment or business contribution and compliance with the rules, not merely historical spending.

Next Steps

  1. Write a short description of the proposed activity, ownership, location, capital, staffing, and whether the business already operates in Vanuatu.
  2. Ask VIPA and Immigration which current category applies. Use the government Trade Portal to check the Foreign Investment Approval Certificate process and whether the activity is restricted, reserved, or needs sector approval.
  3. Obtain VFSC registration, the Foreign Investment Approval Certificate, business license, tax registration, bank account, premises, or operating evidence required for that category—in the correct order.
  4. Prepare certified passport, photo, police, medical, financial, source-of-funds, business, relationship, and immigration-bond documents.
  5. Match the application to the exact category and fee. Do not use the general Foreign Investor Residence checklist as proof that a Provisional, Business, Direct, or Permanent Investor application is complete.
  6. After approval, keep the investment approval, licenses, bank and accounting records, tax and labor compliance, local employment and training records, and asset valuations current.
  7. Apply before expiry for any extension or change of category; do not assume investment alone preserves status.

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