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Add note: CBI passport inquiry
Vanuatu CBI is the 2017-launched Pacific citizenship-by-investment program: $130K minimum, 4-6 month processing, three-generation coverage, fully remote. But as of May 13, 2026, both its headline visa-free corridors have been killed — the UK reinstated visa requirements in July 2023, and the EU formally terminated the Schengen waiver on December 12, 2024. So what residual value does the Vanuatu passport carry for 50+ HNW clients positioning emergency backup? Real ledger today.
I have done this work for 11 years and seen 300+ approvals through the door, including the first Chinese-applicant São Tomé approval in January 2026. Vanuatu is one of the programs I treat with caution — not because it is non-compliant, but because the gap between marketing and actual usability is the widest in the 8-program set. Clients who buy on the marketing usually end up disappointed.
As of May 13, 2026, the real Vanuatu visa-free list and the marketing list look very different:
What is dead:
Still active (real incremental coverage roughly 40-50 destinations):
Many agents still market "Vanuatu passport, 90+ visa-free destinations" — technically the count is right, but roughly 30-40 of those are countries a Chinese mainland passport reaches anyway. The real incremental access is about 40-50 destinations.
| Item | Data |
|---|---|
| Investment | $130,000 (DSP, single applicant) |
| Processing | 4-6 months (fully remote) |
| Visa-free (marketed) | ~95 destinations |
| Visa-free (real incremental) | ~40-50 destinations |
| Schengen | ✗ (fully terminated 2024-12-12) |
| UK | ✗ (revoked July 2023) |
| U.S. E-2 | ✗ |
| China | ✗ |
| Family coverage | Main + spouse + children + parents 50+ (conditional) |
| Residency requirement | None |
This is the question I get 3-5 times a week. My real answer comes in three layers:
First, the "second identity document" utility is still intact. HNW clients whose original-country credentials hit trouble — expired passport, refused visa, bank KYC reviews requiring an alternative identity proof — can use the Vanuatu passport as a backup credential. This value line is independent of Schengen access.
Second, the "fast plus remote plus low entry" channel still works. 4-6 months, fully remote, $130K. Among the 8 active CBI programs, this is one of the fastest plus cheapest plus zero-offshore-travel combinations. For clients who need any second identity quickly, it is a tool-grade option.
Third, the "primary mobility passport" value is essentially zero. Schengen ✗ plus UK ✗ plus U.S. ✗ plus China ✗ — the four most important corridors for HNW clients are all closed. You cannot use a Vanuatu passport as a substitute for mainstream-mobility travel.
Client case (anonymized, 2025)
A 50+ retiree. Primary need: a second-country identity document quickly for emergency backup, budget under $150K. The client originally looked at Nauru, but Nauru's DD has tightened severely and we have seen clients pay the DD fee and still get refused — we do not recommend Nauru anymore. Vanuatu at $130K, 4-6 months remote, was the alternative. The client accepted that all mainstream visa-free corridors were dead and positioned this purely as an emergency backup credential. Filed in late 2025. Approved in early 2026. The client did not buy the "Schengen plus UK" illusion. Real-world usage has matched expectations.
Ken's call: Vanuatu is not unbuyable. It just requires buying the right expectation — treat it as an emergency backup document, not a primary mobility passport. Our principle does not change: not the most expensive, not the cheapest — only the most appropriate. For this client, Vanuatu was the right tool. For a different client profile, the answer would be different.
Vanuatu $130K / 4-6 months / Schengen ✗ + UK ✗ + China ✗. São Tomé $95K / 6-8 months / Schengen ✗ + UK ✗ + China ✗. Neither carries mainstream Western mobility. The differences:
Vanuatu — 4-6 months is faster, but the 2024-12 Schengen termination plus the 2023-7 UK revocation have damaged the brand in HNW circles. Some bank KYC processes ask more questions on Vanuatu passports.
São Tomé — new 2026 program with the first Chinese-applicant batch landing through our channel. Brand is fresh. Process is optimizing. $35K cheaper than Vanuatu. Fits clients willing to be early-window players.
Still circling the 8 active CBI passports? Normal. I have built a 26-page decision map PDF. WhatsApp +15595666666, send "map", I will deliver it personally. Free, no email required.
For a specific situation: WhatsApp +15595666666 (note: "decision map"). 15 minutes, I tell you whether Vanuatu, São Tomé, or "solve something else first" is the right call. No fee. I say no when no is the answer.
Full archive plus 70+ real approvals: WWW.USA60.COM · Vanuatu page: WWW.USA60.COM/vanuatu-passport/ · Decision map: WWW.USA60.COM/decision-map/
A: No. The EU formally terminated the Vanuatu waiver on December 12, 2024. Vanuatu passport holders must apply for a Schengen visa and cannot use ETIAS.
A: No. The UK Home Office reinstated visa requirements for Vanuatu citizens in July 2023. UK trips require a UK visa.
A: Tool-grade utility remains — quick second-country identity document, emergency backup, alternative credential when the original-country document has issues. Mainstream Western mobility value is essentially zero. For European travel, look at Dominica or Saint Kitts instead.
A: Both sub-$150K, both no Schengen. Vanuatu $130K / 4-6 months but carries dual-revocation brand damage. São Tomé $95K / 6-8 months, fresh 2026 program. Budget-sensitive plus willing to be an early-window player São Tomé. Faster turnaround critical Vanuatu.
A: Cautious recommendation, not banned. If the client clearly understands this is an emergency backup tool and accepts all four mainstream corridors are dead, the program is still a reasonable choice. If the client arrives on the "95 visa-free countries" marketing line, I walk them through the real usage boundary first — most reroute.
Info card · Vanuatu CBI (as of May 13, 2026)
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