Where It Takes You
Where the passport gets you in without applying for a visa first, grouped by region, and the story behind Schengen and the UK leaving the list.
Reviewed by Tarek Muhammad, Associate Partner
A Vanuatu passport once opened doors. Today, it grants access to 88 countries and territories without a prior visa. That number tells a story of diminished power. The passport's value was fundamentally redefined after the European Union suspended its visa-waiver agreement in February 2023, followed swiftly by the UK in July 2023. For investors weighing Vanuatu's citizenship programme, this changes the entire calculation. Our legal specialists are here to provide the clear, data-driven analysis you need to navigate this new reality.
The Critical Challenge: Navigating the EU and UK Visa-Free Access Changes for Vanuatu Citizens
The single greatest risk for anyone holding a Vanuatu passport issued after May 25, 2015, is the total loss of visa-free entry to Europe's Schengen Area and the United Kingdom. This isn't a temporary hiccup. It is a formal, legally grounded suspension driven by serious concerns over Vanuatu's citizenship by investment (CBI) programmes.
At the heart of the European Union's action is Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, which dictates which non-EU nationals get visa-free access. The EU first targeted passports issued after May 2015, but this escalated to a full suspension for all Vanuatu nationals, effective from 4 February 2023 to 3 February 2025. The practical result? Vanuatu citizens must now secure a standard Schengen visa for any trip to the 29 member states. This means consular appointments, mountains of paperwork, and unpredictable processing delays that can derail your plans.
The United Kingdom followed suit, amending its immigration rules on 19 July 2023 and striking Vanuatu from its list of visa-free countries. Now, all Vanuatu passport holders must get a Standard Visitor Visa before traveling to the UK for business, tourism, or to see family. These two decisions vaporized visa-free access to over 30 of the world's most critical economic and travel hubs, directly gutting the passport's value proposition for global mobility.
Vanuatu Passport Power in 2024: A Data-Driven Analysis
So where does that leave us in late 2024? The Vanuatu passport offers access to 88 countries and territories globally without a visa in advance. That number is the key metric for judging the passport's real-world utility today.
Here’s what that figure really means:
- Visa-Free Entry: You can walk right into approximately 48 countries and territories.
- Visa on Arrival (VoA): For about 32 countries, you'll get your visa stamped upon landing, usually after paying a small fee.
- Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA): Roughly 3 countries require a simple online pre-registration before you fly.
This is a major downgrade from its pre-2022 strength. Before the EU and UK suspensions, the passport commanded access to nearly 130 destinations and ranked much higher on indices like the Henley Passport Index. Losing the Schengen Area alone cost it 27 countries. While the passport still offers a solid advantage for travel within Asia, Africa, and parts of the Americas, its power for anyone needing frequent access to Europe has been crippled.
Vanuatu Passport Visa-Free Countries: A Full List Sorted by Region
Despite the high-profile exclusions, the Vanuatu passport still unlocks key regions. The lists below detail the major destinations available, but remember: entry rules can change overnight. Always double-check with the destination country’s embassy or consulate before you book a flight.
Asia & The Middle East
Vanuatu passport holders retain strong access across Asia—a critical benefit for anyone doing business or traveling for leisure in the region.
- Hong Kong: 90 days
- Singapore: 30 days
- Malaysia: 30 days
- Philippines: 30 days
- Israel: 90 days (though you'll need a pre-travel eTA)
- Jordan: Visa on Arrival
- Cambodia: Visa on Arrival
- Nepal: Visa on Arrival
- Indonesia: An e-Visa is available
Americas & The Caribbean
In the Americas, access is strongest in Central and South America. You also get extensive freedom of movement within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
- Panama: 180 days
- Peru: 180 days
- Ecuador: 90 days
- Bolivia: Visa on Arrival
- Barbados: 180 days
- Dominica: 180 days
- Grenada: 90 days
- St. Lucia: 42 days
- Antigua & Barbuda: 180 days
Be aware: A standard visitor visa is mandatory for any travel to the United States and Canada.
Africa
The African continent presents a welcoming mix of visa-free entry and a high number of countries offering a visa on arrival, which makes travel relatively painless.
- Botswana: 90 days
- Tanzania: 90 days
- Zambia: 90 days
- Mauritius: 90 days
- Egypt: Visa on Arrival
- Ethiopia: Visa on Arrival / e-Visa
- Madagascar: Visa on Arrival
- Rwanda: 30 days
- Uganda: 90 days
Oceania / Pacific
Vanuatu's regional ties are strong, giving its citizens easy passage to neighboring Pacific island nations.
- Fiji: 120 days
- Micronesia: 30 days
- Samoa: Visa on Arrival
- Solomon Islands: Visa on Arrival
For Australia and New Zealand, the situation requires a bit more planning. A Vanuatu passport holder doesn't get visa-free access but can apply for streamlined electronic permits: an eVisitor (subclass 651) for Australia and an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) for New Zealand. While not true visa-free travel, these online applications are far less demanding than a full visa process.
Full List of Accessible Destinations
Here is the complete set of destinations a Vanuatu passport opens without a visa arranged in advance, divided by how entry is granted. The 88 used in passport rankings is 55 visa-free destinations plus 26 offering a visa on arrival plus 7 partially recognised territories, set out separately. Stay periods are those published and are determined by each destination.
Visa-free entry
Admission on the passport itself. Nothing submitted in advance, nothing paid, no permission sought before departure.
Africa (11)
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Angola | 30 days |
| Botswana | 90 days |
| Eswatini | 30 days |
| Gambia | 90 days |
| Lesotho | 90 days |
| Mauritius | 90 days |
| Rwanda | 30 days |
| Tanzania | 90 days |
| Uganda | 90 days |
| Zambia | 90 days |
| Zimbabwe | 90 days |
The Americas and the Caribbean (17)
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda | 180 days |
| Bahamas | 90 days |
| Barbados | 180 days |
| Belize | — |
| Costa Rica | 30 days |
| Dominican Republic | 30 days |
| Ecuador | 90 days |
| El Salvador | 90 days |
| Grenada | 90 days |
| Guatemala | 90 days |
| Haiti | 90 days |
| Honduras | 90 days |
| Jamaica | — |
| Nicaragua | 90 days |
| Panama | 90 days |
| Peru | 180 days |
| Trinidad and Tobago | — |
Asia and the Pacific (7)
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Fiji | 120 days |
| Hong Kong | 90 days |
| Kiribati | 90 days |
| Malaysia | 30 days |
| Micronesia | 30 days |
| Philippines | 30 days |
| Singapore | 30 days |
Europe (5)
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Belarus | 30 days |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 90 days |
| Moldova | 90 days / 180 |
| Montenegro | 90 days |
| Russia | 90 days per calendar year |
Territories (15)
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Anguilla | 3 months |
| Bermuda | — |
| British Virgin Islands | — |
| Cayman Islands | — |
| Cook Islands | 31 days |
| French Guiana | — |
| French Polynesia | — |
| Gibraltar | — |
| Montserrat | — |
| New Caledonia | — |
| Niue | 30 days |
| Pitcairn Islands | 14 days, landing fee |
| Réunion | — |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | — |
| Wallis and Futuna | 3 months |
Visa on arrival
A visa is issued at the point of entry against the passport. There is generally a charge, and some destinations require evidence of onward travel or a booking. It is a real convenience, but the decision still sits with an officer at the border.
Africa (6)
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Burundi | 30 days |
| Cape Verde | 30 days |
| Comoros | 45 days |
| Egypt | 30 days |
| Senegal | 30 days |
| Seychelles | 3 months |
Asia and the Pacific (10)
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Macau | — |
| Maldives | 30 days |
| Marshall Islands | 90 days |
| Nauru | 90 days |
| Palau | 30 days |
| Samoa | 60 days |
| Solomon Islands | 45 days |
| Timor-Leste | 30 days |
| Tonga | 31 days |
| Tuvalu | 30 days |
Both eVisa and visa on arrival (10)
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Bolivia | 90 days |
| Cambodia | 30 days |
| Guinea-Bissau | 90 days |
| Laos | 30 days |
| Madagascar | 90 days |
| Malawi | 30 days |
| Mozambique | 30 days |
| Nepal | 90 days |
| Sierra Leone | 30 days |
| Thailand | 15–30 days |
Partially recognised territories
Counted within the ranking total and therefore set out here. Conditions attached to several of them make the access far narrower in practice than the total suggests.
| Territory | Access and conditions |
|---|---|
| Kosovo | visa free, 90 days |
| Northern Cyprus | visa free |
| Palestine | visa free |
| Akrotiri and Dhekelia | visa-free; beyond a 28-day total in any 12 months, get a permit |
| South Ossetia | free of its own visa; a Russian multiple-entry visa and a three-day notice period apply |
| Transnistria | visa free; registration required after 24 hours |
| Somaliland | visa on arrival, 30 days, US$30 |
Electronic visa — not visa-free
A further 40 destinations issue an electronic visa to Vanuatu citizens. An eVisa is an application, a fee and a decision handled over the internet, which is why it does not belong in the 88. Counting eVisas is the usual explanation for totals elsewhere that run past a hundred.
Africa (16)
Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Benin, Mauritania, Libya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Togo, Gabon, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, Namibia, Liberia, Djibouti, Nigeria, Cameroon
.Asia (20)
Qatar, Armenia, Vietnam, Syria, Kazakhstan, India, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Israel, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Iran, Bhutan, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan
.Europe and the Americas (4)
Albania, Colombia, Cuba, Ukraine
.Destinations Where a Visa Is Needed
The list of absences carries more weight for most applicants than the list of destinations, and two of the absences are recent.
The Schengen Area. Visa required for Vanuatu passport holders. The EU suspended the full waiver on 4 February 2023 and later made the move permanent with Regulation (EU) 2025/11 (dated 19 December 2024), which shifted Vanuatu into Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 from 3 February 2025.
The United Kingdom. No visa-free entry since 19 July 2023. On that date the Immigration Rules were changed so that Appendix Visitor names Vanuatu on its visa national list.
The United States, plus Canada, Japan, China, New Zealand and Australia. A visa is mandatory for all six. Vanuatu passport holders have never been admitted to the United States, or to any of the others, on a visa-free basis.
Rules of entry are set by each destination and change without warning. Everything above was accurate when written; confirm with the immigration authority of your destination before you travel.
FAQ
Where It Takes You: FAQs
A Vanuatu passport opens doors, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to around 83 countries. But its power has taken a hit. The recent suspension of visa-free access to the EU Schengen Area and the UK significantly impacts its ranking. While it's less powerful than it once was, the passport still provides notable global mobility, especially for travel throughout Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
No. For tourist visits, U.S. citizens can stay in Vanuatu for up to 30 days without a visa. You'll simply receive an entry permit when you land. This article, however, focuses on the travel rights of Vanuatu citizens leaving the country, not visitors arriving.
Passport strength is all about one thing: the number of destinations you can enter without getting a visa beforehand. The weakest passports, not surprisingly, belong to nations facing deep political instability or conflict. While the list shifts, as of 2024, it consistently includes countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Nepal, Palestinian Territory, and North Korea.
For most foreign investors, the path to citizenship is Vanuatu's Development Support Program (DSP). This isn't just about paperwork. It requires a significant financial contribution to the country's development fund—starting at $130,000 for one person—and you must pass an exhaustive due diligence check. The entire process has to be managed through a government-authorized agent, as you cannot apply directly.
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