Click to Zoom 
Verified credential DSP
Master Agent — Development Support Programme
- License
- Master Agent — DSP
- Issuing authority
- Citizenship Commission of Vanuatu
- Issued
- 14 March 2025
Our Role
Our Role in Government
How Stanford Knight & Partners Helped Build Vanuatu’s Citizenship Programme
the founding story
In 2012, the Government of Vanuatu engaged Stanford Knight’s senior advisory team to help develop a citizenship by investment programme for the nation. Working directly with the Prime Minister’s office and the Citizenship Commission, our team contributed to the legislative framework that established the programme.
This was not a consulting engagement at arm’s length. Our team was present in Port Vila, working alongside government officials, contributing to policy design, due diligence frameworks, and operational structures.
The programme that exists today — the one that has issued thousands of citizenships and generated significant national revenue — is built on a foundation we helped create.
The designation
What “Government-Appointed Master Agent” Means
A Master Agent is not simply a licensed operator. It is a government-designated entity with specific responsibilities, access, and accountability.
It means:
-
Formal recognition by the Government of Vanuatu as an authorised programme partner. - Direct communication channels with the Citizenship Commission.
- Government remuneration (not client-funded) — SKP is paid by the Vanuatu government.
- Enhanced due diligence responsibilities — we are accountable for application quality.
- Ongoing participation in programme development and policy discussions.
It does not mean:
-
Guaranteed approval for every application (due diligence still applies). - Ability to bypass legal requirements (we operate within the legislation we helped write).
- Exclusive government access (other agents operate legally, though without our history).
Direct & ongoing
Our Government Relationships
Stanford Knight maintains direct, ongoing relationships with:
-
The Citizenship Commission of Vanuatu
The body responsible for processing and approving all citizenship applications
-
Senior government officials
Including the Chairman of the Citizenship Commission and senior advisers to the Prime Minister.
-
The legislative framework
Our team monitors and contributes to policy developments affecting the programme.
These relationships are not transactional. They are built on over a decade of collaboration, shared objectives, and mutual accountability.
Our credentials
Government-appointed. Verified. Reproduced here in full.
Stanford Knight & Partners is formally licensed by the Citizenship Commission of Vanuatu as a Master Agent for the Development Support Programme (DSP) and the Capital Investment Immigration Programme (CIIP). Both certificates are reproduced below.
Click to Zoom Verified credential 
Click to Zoom Verified credential CIIP
Master Agent — Capital Investment Immigration Programme
- License
- Master Agent — CIIP
- Issuing authority
- Citizenship Commission of Vanuatu
- Issued
- 13 March 2024
Licences are issued for a 5-year period and may be verified directly on the Vanuatu Government Citizenship Commission website. Most current version is listed here.
For you
Why Government Partnership Matters for You
-
Speed
When government has a question about your application, our team answers it same-day. We do not wait for email chains across time zones.
-
Quality
Government trusts our preparation. Applications submitted by Stanford Knight are complete, correctly formatted, and thoroughly vetted — which contributes to faster processing.
-
Insight
We understand how government evaluates applications because we helped design the evaluation framework. We know what matters, what raises questions, and how to present complex backgrounds clearly.
-
Accountability
Government holds us to a higher standard than independent agents. We maintain that standard because our reputation — and our programme role — depends on it.
