Laws Reinforced in Vanuatu Immigration Policy

Hi Ex-pats.

I wrote this on our travel blog site when looking into migrating to Vanuatu... I hope it helps some of you in your decisions to move to the islands.

After many months of planning and recently purchasing land in Espiritu Santo Vanuatu we've discovered that our initial plans have had to be drastically changed due to an Immigration policy that is now being enforced.

Our original plan was to gradually move to the Island and still commute to Australia for work as Elena's job would give her the flexibility to work month long projects.

But after revisiting some old websites that we had frequented in our initial exploring of our new life in Vanuatu I noticed some small paragraphs about income.

I discovered a Residence visa allows applicants to stay in Vanuatu for 12 or more months. There are 6 different categories for which a Residence visa may be granted. The main applicant must satisfy the criteria of one of the categories outlined below to be eligible for a Residence visa.

Citizens of All Commonwealth Countries are exempt from the necessity of having visas in their passports when landing in Vanuatu.

Our problem was going to be the Land Owner Category and the almost $3000 per month per person income.

At this rate we may as well stay in Australia. But we discovered the Foreign Investor Category and are now looking into establishing a business in Vanuatu. Yes exciting time ahead!!!

So listed below are all the rules and regulations that I've managed to find so far.
Residence Visa Categories

Partner

You are married to or living in a genuine, de-facto relationship with a Vanuatu citizen, or
You were married to or living in a genuine de-facto relationship with a Vanuatu citizen at the time of his or her death and either have children that are citizens of Vanuatu, or where in that marriage or de-facto relationship for at least 5 years.
Child

You are the dependent child of a Vanuatu citizen
Employee

You have accepted employment, from a business operating in Vanuatu for a period of at least 12 months.
Self-funded Resident

You have an income certified by a bank operating in Vanuatu of at least 250,000 vatu per month, or 500,000 vatu per month if you are including your spouse or de-facto partner in your application, or
If you were the holder of a residence permit on the basis of being a self-funded retiree prior to 7th February 2011 and have an income certified by a bank operating in Vanuatu of at least 150,000v vatu per month, or 300,000 vatu per month if you are including your spouse or de-facto partner in your application.
Foreign Investor

You have been issued with an approval certificate by the Vanuatu Investment and Promotion Authority (VIPA) as a ‘Foreign Investor', and
If the foreign investor certificate issued by VIPA indicates that you will be operating a business in Vanuatu, a business license issued by the relevant official body.
Land Owner

You have leasehold ownership of a property in Vanuatu with a value of 10 million vatu or more, and
You have an income certified by a bank operating in Vanuatu of at least 250,000 vatu per person included in the application.
How to Apply

Complete the online Residence visa form.

All evidence required by the application must be provided.

Spouses (married or de-facto) may also be included in your application.

Dependent children can be included in your application if you are not applying as a Self-Funded Resident.

The exact visa application charge must be paid before the form is submitted for processing.
Visa Conditions

the visa holder must comply with all laws of Vanuatu

the visa holder must not behave in a manner that is prejudicial to peace, good order, good government or public morality in Vanuatu, and

the visa holder must inform Vanuatu Immigration of any significant changes in his or her personal or financial circumstances

And the following specific visa conditions:
Partner Residence Visa: the main applicant must continue to be legally married to, or in a defacto relationship, with the same citizen of Vanuatu on which basis the visa was granted, unless the citizen of Vanuatu is deceased

Child Residence Visa: the main applicant must continue to be a dependent child of a citizen of Vanuatu

Employee Residence Visa: the main applicant must continue to be an employee of the business operating in Vanuatu on which basis the visa was granted an d the visa holder has been given permission to commence or continue working Vanuatu under the Labour (Work Permits Act) [CAP 187]

Self Funded Residence Visa: the main applicant continues to receive the monthly required income

Foreign Investor Residence Visa: the main applicant continues to hold valid foreign investor approval certificate issued by VIPA and a valid business licence issued by the relevant official body if conditional on issue of VIPA approval certificate

Land Owner Residence Visa: the main applicant continues to receive the monthly required income and continues to have leasehold ownership of the property concerned.

Applicant Checklist – Residence Visa
1. Online Residence Application Form – completed and signed by you and each person included in your application aged 18 years and over.

2. Visa application charge paid (per applicant):

If you or a person included in your application seeks to be granted a visa for 1 year & is aged 18 years or over – 103,680 Vatu
If you or a person included in your application seeks to be granted a visa for 3 years & is aged 18 years or over – 284,400 Vatu
If you or a person included in your application seeks to be granted a visa for 5 years & is aged 18 years or over – 466,560 Vatu
If you or a person included in your application seeks to be granted a visa for 10 years & is aged 18 years or over – 920,160 Vatu
If you or a person included in your application is aged less than 18 years,  for each year they seek to be granted a visa – 11,520 Vatu
3. If the applicant is in Vanuatu a valid passport is required; or If the applicant is outside of Vanuatu, a certified copy of bio-data page and all used passport pages should be provided.

Note: Passport must be the one you will use on entry to Vanuatu.

4. Two recent passport sized photographs of you and each applicant included in your application. Name each photograph by the name of the applicant.

5. Deposit of a security – equivalent to the cost of an air ticket from Vanuatu to your country of nationality or another country that you are permitted to reside in, including airport taxes. A security is required for each person included in the application.

6. If a person included in your application is aged under 18 years, a certified copy of his/her birth certificate is required.

7. If you or a person included in your application is married, a certified copy of his/her marriage certificate is required.

8. If you or a person included in your application has been widowed, a certified copy of death certificate is required.

9. If you or a person included in your application has been divorced, a certified copy of divorce certificate is required.

10. Partner

If you are applying for a residence visa on the basis of being married to, or living in a married like (de-facto) relationship with a person of the opposite sex who is a citizen of Vanuatu:

If married, a certified copy of marriage certificate is required
If in a de-facto relationship:
statutory declaration by you and your partner indicating when the partnership commenced and where, the relationship is ongoing and to the exclusion of all others; and
evidence that you and your partner have been living together such as a lease agreement, rent receipts, utility and phone bills, bank statements etc.
11. Child

If you are applying for a residence visa on the basis of being a dependent child of a citizen of Vanuatu:

certified copy of birth certificate
certified copy of your Vanuatu citizen's brith certificate or citizenship certificate
12. Employee

If you are applying for a residence visa on the basis of being an emplyee of a business operating in Vanuatu;

a letter from your Vanuatu employer indicating that they will employ you, subject to you being granted a visa or a copy of your employment contract
13. Self funded Resident

If you are applying for a residence visa on the basis of being self funded:

evidence of income of at least 250,000 Vatu per month or 500,000 Vatu per month if you have included your partner in the application, certified by a bank operating in Vanuatu; or
if you were the holder of a residence permit on this basis of being a self funded retiree when teh Regulations comenced: income of at least 150,000 Vatu per month or 300,000 Vatu per month if you have included your partner in the application, certified by a bank operating in Vanuatu.
14. Foreign Investor

If you are applying for a residence visa on the basis of being a foreign investor:

the original or certified copy of your approval certificate as a foreign investor issued by VIPA; and
the original or certified copy of your busines licence issued by the relevant official body if VIPA certificate indicates a business licence is required
15. Land Owner

If you are applying for a residence visa on the basis of being the owner of property in Vanuatu:

a land lease and title transfer document indicating that you have leasehold ownership of a property/properties in Vanuatu; and
a valuation by a local bank chartered accountant, indicating that the property/properties are valued at a minimum of 10 million Vatu; and
an income of at least 250,000 Vatu per month per person included in the application, up to a maximum of 1 million Vatu per month certified by a bank operating in Vanuatu
16. Medical check form for each applicant over 18 years of age completed and signed by the applicant and the registered medical practitioner who undertook the health examination.

17. Police clearance certificate(s) for each applicant over 18 years of age. A police clearance certificate must be provided for each country the applicant has lived in for 12 months or more in the past 5 years.