Vanuatu
VUTVanuatu is a South Pacific island nation with no personal or corporate income tax, making it one of the world's few true zero-tax jurisdictions. The country operates one of the fastest citizenship by investment programmes globally, with passports typically issued within 30 to 60 days. English and French are official languages alongside Bislama, and the country offers a tropical climate with a low cost of living.
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Tax system
- No Income Tax
- Currency
- Vanuatu Vatu (VUV)
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed
- Capital
- Port Vila
- Region
- oceania
- Population
- 320,000
- Cost-of-living
- 62 /100
Passport Rank
#50
Visa-Free
78
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Vanuatu passport has visa-free access to 78 destinations. See the full Vanuatu passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Vanuatu without a prior visa (118)
Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.
Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.
Immigrating to Canada from Vanuatu
Current IRCC processing times for Vanuatu nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | No processing time available |
| Super visa | No processing time available |
| Study permit | No processing time available |
| Work permit | No processing time available |
| Sponsor a dependent child | No processing time available |
| Adopted child (citizenship) | Not enough data |
| Government-assisted refugees | Not enough data |
| Privately sponsored refugees | sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data |
Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.
As of 2026-10-07 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.
Sources & last verified
Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)
Country Details
- Capital
- Port Vila
- Currency
- Vanuatu Vatu (VUV)
- Languages
- Bislama, English, French
- Population
- 320,000
- Tax System
- No Income Tax
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Tropical
- GDP per capita
- $4,039
- Life expectancy
- 71.65 yrs
- Population growth
- 2.23%/yr
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
62
Safety
62
Healthcare
42
Quality of Life
125
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- No Income Tax
- Territorial Taxation
- No — worldwide income taxed for residents
- Naturalisation
- 10 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
Cost of Living by City
← scroll the table →
| City | Rent 1BR centre | Rent outside | Groceries | Utilities | Transit pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Vila | $700 | $430 | $320 | $120 | $30 |
| Luganville | $420 | $280 | $280 | $100 | $20 |
Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.
Climate
Port Vila
Rainfall range: 70–310 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13h (summer)
Luganville
Rainfall range: 100–340 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13h (summer)
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Visitor
- Work Permit
- Investor
- CBI (Development Support Program)
- Student
- Family
- Permanent Residence
- Authority
- Department of Immigration & Passport Services
- Official Portal
- www.immigration.gov.vu
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- 10
- Language Test
- No
- Civic Test
- No
- Oath Required
- Yes
- Dual Allowed
- Yes
- Fee
- $800
- Processing
- ~6 months
Real Estate
- Avg price/sqm (capital)
- $2,100
- Transaction taxes
- 2%
Foreign buyers: All land in Vanuatu is owned by indigenous Melanesians in perpetuity; foreigners may only hold leasehold titles (typically 75 years, renewable). No freehold for foreign buyers. Port Vila leasehold apartments VUV 150,000-350,000/sqm (~$1,300-3,000). Stamp duty ~2% on lease transfers. Annual ground rent payable to custom landowners. Cyclone risk (Cat 5 Pam 2015, Lola 2023) is a significant consideration for property investors.
International Schools
← scroll the table →
| School | City | Curriculum | Tuition (USD/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vila North School (Australian curriculum) | Port Vila | Australian curriculum | $4,000–$9,000 |
Daily Life Logistics
Internet
20 Mbps median
12% fibre coverage
eSIM: Vodafone Vanuatu, Digicel Vanuatu
Driving
IDP required
Local licence required after 3 months
Exchange eligible: Drives on the RIGHT. IDP accepted for tourists; visitors staying long-term must obtain Vanuatu driving licence within 3 months. No widely publicised bilateral exchange agreements — local test generally required.
Pet Relocation
Quarantine: 30 days
Rabies titre required
EU pet passport: not accepted
Safety
GPI Rank
#52
Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)
Common Risks
- ⚠overpriced "local handicraft" tours arranged by hotels on commission
- ⚠informal land deal scams targeting foreign investors without proper lease verification
- ⚠inflated taxi fares for tourists without pre-agreed prices
- ⚠unregistered kava bars with dubious hygiene standards
Examples of areas to avoid: Informal settlements on Port Vila outskirts after dark, Luganville docks area late at night
LGBTQ+ Legal Status
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not legal
- Civil Partnerships
- Not recognised
- Anti-Discrimination Law
- No
- ILGA Rank
- #115
Religious Life
- Halal Food
- Limited
- Kosher Food
- Limited
- Prayer Facilities
- Limited
Sample Citizenship Test Questions
Q1. What is the name of the local creole language spoken across Vanuatu?
Answer: Bislama
Source: Vanuatu Citizenship Commission
Q2. In which year did Vanuatu gain independence from joint British and French administration?
Answer: 1980
Source: Vanuatu Citizenship Commission
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Vanuatu, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Vanuatu Law Society
VLSProfessional body of legal practitioners in Vanuatu. There is no dedicated immigration-adviser regulator; citizenship-by-investment is administered by the separate Citizenship Commission.
Related Guides
Zero and low-tax residencies: the real list
Countries with zero personal income tax, territorial-only taxation, or special expatriate regimes — and what each one actually requires from you to qualify as a resident.
Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave
Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Vanuatu, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Residence
Permanent Resident Visa
ResidenceVanuatu's longer-term residence status, for people of Ni-Vanuatu descent, people who have been residing in Vanuatu for the last 12 months, or serious investors intending to invest in Vanuatu. It is residence, not citizenship - the citizenship route is the separate Development Support Program.
Residence Visa (Leasehold Holder ground)
ResidenceFor people who hold a qualifying property leasehold in Vanuatu and can show a certified income. Land in Vanuatu is held by lease, so this route is built around leasehold ownership rather than freehold.
Residence Visa (Self-funded ground)
ResidenceFor people who can support themselves in Vanuatu from certified offshore income, without local employment. You show a regular income certified by a bank operating in Vanuatu.
Work (sponsored)
Residence Visa (Employee ground)
Work (sponsored)For people coming to work in Vanuatu for an employer, where the job runs for 12 months or more. The visa is granted on the employee ground and tied to that employment.
Family
Residence Visa (Partner / Child ground)
FamilyFor the partner or child of someone settled in Vanuatu - for example a Vanuatu citizen or a resident. The visa is granted on the family relationship and supported by the sponsoring family member.
Investor
Residence Visa (Foreign Investor ground)
InvestorFor people investing in a business in Vanuatu who hold a Foreign Investor approval certificate from VIPA. The visa is granted on the foreign-investor ground and tied to that investment.
Citizenship by investment
Development Support Program (citizenship by investment)
Citizenship by investmentVanuatu's citizenship-by-investment route: a non-refundable contribution to a government fund in exchange for citizenship, run by the Vanuatu Citizenship Office / Citizenship Commission. Important update: a Vanuatu passport no longer gives visa-free Schengen access.
Sources & last verified
Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-10-15. Each route links to its official government source.
Citizenship by Investment
Sources & last verified
- Last verified