Vanuatu offers two routes to citizenship. Both lead to the same passport, the same hereditary citizenship, the same 45-day timeline and the same remote process. The difference is what you pay, whether any of it comes back, and how family members are priced.
For most applicants the decision takes about five minutes once the numbers are laid out. This article lays them out.
The two programmes in one paragraph each
The Development Support Programme (DSP) is a single, non-refundable contribution to the Government of Vanuatu. $135,000 for a single applicant, all-inclusive, with family members added at published rates. No investment vehicle, no market exposure, no ongoing obligation. It is the simplest possible structure.
The Capital Investment Immigration Programme (CIIP) is $165,000 for anyone from a single applicant to a family of four, of which $50,000 is invested in the Vanuatu Impact Fund and returned after four years with any investment returns. The effective cost is $115,000. It requires you to leave $50,000 committed for four years.
The full cost table
Beyond a family of four on the CIIP: additional child under 18 $20,000; child 18–25 in full-time education $25,000; dependent parent aged 50 or over $25,000. On the DSP: spouse $20,000; child under 18 $15,000; children 18–25 in education and dependent parents aged 55 or over on assessment.
All figures are the complete cost. Stanford Knight charges no agent fee.
How to decide
Three questions settle it.
How many of you are applying? A single applicant pays $30,000 more upfront on the CIIP than the DSP and gets $50,000 back, so is $20,000 better off after four years. A couple pays $10,000 more upfront and is $40,000 better off. A family of three or four pays less upfront on the CIIP and is $55,000–70,000 better off. The larger the family, the more decisively the CIIP wins.
Can you leave $50,000 committed for four years? The Impact Fund investment cannot be redeemed early. If there is any chance you will need that capital within the term, the DSP is the right answer regardless of family size.
Do you want the lowest upfront cost or the lowest net cost? Single applicants who want the smallest cheque and the simplest structure choose the DSP. Everyone optimising for total cost over time chooses the CIIP.
What else the CIIP gives you
Beyond the arithmetic, the CIIP gives you a stake in something. Your $50,000 is deployed across coffee, cacao, vanilla and kava on smallholder farms throughout Vanuatu’s 83 islands, supporting more than 300 farmers and 3,000 farming families. You receive independent annual impact reports. For applicants who care where their money goes, or who need to explain a six-figure outlay to family, partners or a board, that matters. Read the Impact Fund article for the detail.
Three misunderstandings to avoid
“I can redeem early if I need to.” You cannot. Four years, fixed.
“The $50,000 is guaranteed.” It is redeemable under a capital preservation policy, targeting 5–6% per annum. Standard investment risk disclosures apply and do not contradict your redemption rights.
“I can add family later at no cost.” You can add family later, but at the published rates. It is always cheaper to include everyone at the outset, especially on the CIIP where the base price already covers four.
Worked examples
Single entrepreneur, 34, wants the passport fast and the cheque small. DSP. $135,000, done.
Single investor, 41, cash-rich, optimising net cost. CIIP. $165,000 now, $50,000 back in year four, effective $115,000, plus an impact investment he can talk about.
Couple, 50s, no dependants. CIIP. $10,000 more upfront than the DSP, $40,000 better off after four years.
Family of four, children 9 and 14. CIIP, without hesitation. $20,000 cheaper upfront than the DSP and $70,000 cheaper after redemption.
Family of four plus a parent aged 62. CIIP. $165,000 plus $25,000 for the parent; the DSP alternative would be $185,000 plus the parent fee on assessment.
Everything that is the same
Both programmes deliver full, permanent, hereditary Vanuatu citizenship and a ten-year biometric passport. Both take as little as 45 days from application to passport. Both are entirely remote, with biometric attendance for passport issuance only. Both carry no residency requirement and no agent fees through Stanford Knight. Both have the same eligibility rules, the same due diligence, the same document list and the same seven-step process.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, DSP or CIIP?The DSP is cheaper upfront for a single applicant or couple. The CIIP is cheaper for a family of three or more, and cheaper for everyone after the $50,000 is returned.
Can I switch programmes after applying?Not once lodged. Decide before engagement; we will help.
Is the CIIP slower?No. Same 45-day timeline.
Does the CIIP require me to do anything during the four years?No. You receive reports. The fund manager contacts you at redemption.
Is the DSP refundable?No. It is a contribution.
Next step
The cost calculator gives you both figures for your exact family in under a minute. If you want a recommendation rather than a number, book a consultation.
