Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs have always been a niche but stable tool for globally minded investors. Among them, Vanuatu’s program stood out for its unprecedented speed. However, 2024 and 2025 have brought shifts to the industry. Geopolitical pressure and stricter due diligence requirements are drastically changing the rules of the game. For Russian citizens who viewed a Vanuatu passport as a “backup plan” or a tool for international transactions, a decisive moment has arrived. News about a potential ban is not just rumors but a direct consequence of global trends.
What is the Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment Program?
The Development Support Program (DSP) of Vanuatu is an official government mechanism that allows foreign investors and their families to obtain citizenship of the country in exchange for a non-refundable contribution (donation) to the state fund. It is one of the fastest routes to a second passport in the world. The entire process, from application submission to receiving the naturalization certificate and passport, has historically taken from 1.5 to 3 months.
Investments go directly into the economy of Vanuatu, funding infrastructure projects, disaster recovery, and supporting the country’s budget. In return, the investor receives full citizenship. This passport allowed visa-free travel to many countries, although it suffered a significant blow—losing visa-free access to the Schengen zone of the EU and the United Kingdom several years ago. Nevertheless, it has remained attractive for access to Asian countries (Hong Kong, Singapore) and as a reliable document for opening bank accounts outside of Russia.
Dual citizenship in Russia
For Russians considering any CBI program, the first question arises: is dual citizenship allowed in Russia? Here, there is a fundamental legal confusion that needs to be clarified. Russian legislation strictly distinguishes between the concepts of “dual citizenship” and “second citizenship.”
- Dual Citizenship: This is a status in which a person has passports of two countries, and both countries recognize their rights and obligations towards each other. Such a regime is possible only with the presence of a special interstate agreement. At the moment, Russia has such an agreement only with Tajikistan.
- Second (multiple) citizenship (Second Citizenship): This is a situation where a Russian citizen has a passport (or passports) of other states with which the Russian Federation does not have a corresponding agreement.
The Federal Law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation” (FZ No. 62) does not prohibit Russians from having dual citizenship. Is there dual citizenship in Russia? In a legally strict sense — almost no. Does Russia allow having a second passport? Yes, absolutely.
However, the possession of a second passport imposes one important obligation on a Russian citizen: notification. A citizen of the Russian Federation who has obtained a second citizenship or a residence permit in another country is required to submit a written notification to the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at their place of residence (or to a consular institution if they reside abroad) within 60 days.
Failure to comply with this requirement entails initially administrative liability (fine), and in case of repeated violation or intentional concealment — criminal liability under Article 330.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
Thus, obtaining a Vanuatu passport is absolutely legal from the perspective of Russian law. It does not require you to renounce your Russian Federation passport. Russia will simply continue to regard you exclusively as its citizen within its territory. Rumors about the possible abolition of dual citizenship (or more precisely, the prohibition of a second one) periodically arise, but as of 2025, no actual legislative proposals for a complete ban for all citizens have been adopted. The restrictions mainly apply to civil servants, military personnel, and individuals with access to state secrets.
The attractiveness of Vanuatu for Russian citizens
Historically, Russians have constituted a significant share of applicants for Caribbean and Pacific programs. Interest in Vanuatu was driven by several factors.
Speed and simplicity. Vanuatu offered the fastest regulated process on the market. In situations where a passport was urgently needed (for business relocation, financial operations), there were virtually no alternatives.
“Backup airfield.” The possession of a second passport in a neutral jurisdiction has always been considered insurance against economic and political instability. Vanuatu, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, not involved in major geopolitical conflicts, seemed like an attractive option.
Financial flexibility. Since 2022, Russians have faced unprecedented difficulties in opening bank accounts, registering companies, and conducting international payments. A Vanuatu passport (like any other “non-Russian” passport) was used as the main document for KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures in banks in the UAE, Asia, and Europe, which imposed restrictions on working with Russian clients.
Tax optimization. Vanuatu offers one of the most attractive tax systems in the world: complete absence of taxes on personal income, wealth, inheritance, capital gains, and gifts. This created ideal conditions for structuring personal assets.
Threat 2025: Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment Russians Eligibility Ban
The Achilles’ heel of Vanuatu’s program has always been its reputation in the EU and the USA. Due to allegedly weak due diligence checks, the European Union, followed by the United Kingdom, suspended the visa-free regime for all citizens of Vanuatu. This was a serious blow.
Vanuatu remained one of the few “open windows” until the very last moment. However, this time seems to be coming to an end. The topic of Vanuatu citizenship by investment Russians eligibility 2025 has become a subject of discussion in the industry. The government of Vanuatu is under immense international pressure. To restore the program’s reputation (and, in the long term, visa freedom), it is forced to tighten the rules. Recently, the Parliament of Vanuatu has already adopted amendments strengthening due diligence checks and the role of the Citizenship Commission to filter out applicants with criminal records or connections to Interpol.
The next logical step expected by the market is the introduction of official restrictions or a complete ban (ban) for applicants from “sanctioned” jurisdictions. This means that vanuatu citizenship by investment russians 2025 eligibility ban could become a reality at any moment.
Choose a reliable path with us.
The situation surrounding Vanuatu citizenship by investment Russians eligibility requires not deliberation, but swift and precise actions. The “window of opportunity,” which remained open longer than others, is now closing. Attempts at self-processing or working with unqualified agents in such a situation are equivalent to wasting time and money. The process demands impeccable preparation of the dossier, as any mistake or inaccuracy in the documents will lead to delays, which in 2025 could become fatal for the entire application.
Our company specializes in complex cases and works under tight deadlines. We provide full support at all stages, starting from a detailed preliminary check (pre-check), which eliminates 99% of refusal risks, to preparing responses to FIU (Financial Intelligence Unit) inquiries in Vanuatu. We also offer comprehensive consultations on Russian legislation regarding dual citizenship and the correct procedure for notifying the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD).
Contact us today to assess your chances and submit your application before the rules change forever.
