The Republic of Vanuatu
The Republic of Vanuatu (View the program) is an exquisite tropical island in the South Pacific where both French and English are official languages.
It also provides South Africans with an excellent prospect for obtaining citizenship with their Citizenship-by-Investment program, the only one in the Asia Pacific.
Is citizenship of Vanuatu a good choice for South Africans?
For South Africans, the Vanuatu program is a very appealing program for several reasons.
There is no travel requirement to apply for Vanuatu citizenship and there is no required residency period at any later date.
What is the cost of Vanuatu citizenship?
It is a two-step process. First, you must make a non-refundable payment of USD 6,000 for due diligence checks by the government to obtain their Due Diligence Clearance
Once your Due Diligence Clearance is granted, you will be invited to submit your application and make your financial contribution. This requires a one-time donation to the Vanuatu Government of not less than USD 130,000 for a single person application.
Vanuatu does not have real estate investment, general investment, or property ownership options for obtaining citizenship.
Who can be included in the application for Citizenship of Vanuatu?
The application can include a spouse, your parents, and dependent children of up to 25 years of age. For a married couple with one child, the contribution amount is USD 165,000. For a married couple with 2 children, the contribution amount is USD 180,000.
For additional dependents, it is an additional USD 25,000 per person. There are also other relatively small government processing fees
What are the benefits of Vanuatu citizenship?
There are several significant advantages to Vanuatuan citizenship for South Africans.
The processing time is usually only two to three months if all papers are in order.
Are there many restrictions?
First of all, there are no restrictions on your original nationality and no language requirement. Also, there is no educational or career/management experience required.
However, you do need a doctor’s certificate that you and other family members applying are in good health, but it is just a signed letter and there is no blood test.
Does Vanuatu citizenship make travel easier for a South African?
The second benefit is travel mobility. A Vanuatuan passport gives visa-free or visa-on arrival access to 125 countries or more at the time of writing, including all the Schengen area (most of Europe), Russia, and the UK. This makes a huge difference to the ease of travel for South Africans.
Holders of a Vanuatu passport can also apply for a visa online before travelling to some further countries or get a visa on arrival – notably Australia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
What about rights in the Commonwealth?
As a member of the Commonwealth (formerly the British Commonwealth of Nations), citizens of Vanuatu share the rights of other Commonwealth citizens – giving them additional rights in Great Britain and in other Commonwealth nations.
What are the levels of taxes in Vanuatu?
Once you receive your citizenship you will pay no income tax in Vanuatu. If you register a company in Vanuatu, it pays no corporate taxes there.
Is Vanuatu a tax haven?
Further, the are no wealth taxes in Vanuatu, no withholding taxes, no capital gains taxes, no inheritance tax, and no gift tax. There are very few more favourable tax regimes in the world.
Where can I get advice about the Citizenship of Vanuatu?
If you want to apply for the Vanuatu Citizenship-by-Investment program, or have questions and want additional advice, you can contact Harvey Law Group (HLG). It is an international law firm with 30 years’ experience in immigration law and offices worldwide, including South Africa.
How to contact HLG?
You can reach HLG through our website https://harveylawcorporation.com/vanuatu-citizenship-by-investment/, by phone to our South Africa office at 087 109 0725, or email us for an appointment at [email protected].
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