Where the Passport Is Accepted
Every destination reached without a prior visa, by region, with the countries that now require one named plainly.
The travel freedom you get with a Vanuatu passport has been cut back. Recent suspensions by the European Union and the United Kingdom mean that as of 2026, the passport gives you visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only around 88 destinations. This is a sharp drop. It's critical for any current or prospective citizen to understand what's left and what's gone. Our legal team navigates these complex global mobility rules daily, offering clear advice based on the latest regulations.
Visa-Waiver Suspension - A temporary or permanent revocation of a bilateral agreement that allows citizens of one country to enter another without a visa. The EU's action against Vanuatu, based on Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, is a prime example, requiring citizens to obtain a Schengen visa for short stays.
The Urgent Reality: How EU and UK Suspensions Reshaped Travel Freedom
The biggest challenge for Vanuatu passport holders is the complete loss of visa-free travel to two major hubs: the EU's Schengen Area and the United Kingdom. This wasn't a slow erosion. It was a direct response to specific regulatory actions aimed at the country's Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes.
Originally, the EU's visa waiver had been in place since May 2015. But concerns over security risks in Vanuatu's CBI screening process prompted the European Commission to act. Using Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/693, it first imposed a temporary suspension on 4 May 2022. This initial move only targeted passports issued after 25 May 2015.
That partial measure escalated into a full suspension for all Vanuatu nationals, effective from 4 February 2023. The EU Council cemented this decision by moving Vanuatu to the visa-required list in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806. The critical date to know is 3 February 2025—that's when the visa requirement becomes permanent. This affects all short stays, which are defined as up to 90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen zone.
Separately, the United Kingdom cancelled visa-free access for all Vanuatu citizens in July 2023. They cited similar worries about the CBI programme's integrity. Now, any travel to the UK, for any reason, requires getting a Standard Visitor Visa in advance. These two moves are why the Vanuatu passport's ranking on indices like Henley's plummeted, slashing its visa-free count from a high near 140 to the current 88.
Comparing Your Passport Options: Vanuatu vs. Caribbean
Many investors find themselves choosing between Vanuatu and one of the five Caribbean CBI programmes (Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Lucia). Vanuatu is faster and cheaper. But the Caribbean offers far better mobility, especially for trips to Europe.
| Feature | Vanuatu Passport | Caribbean Passports (Average) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Donation (Single Applicant) | US$130,000 | US$200,000 |
| Processing Time (Industry Average) | 2–4 months | 6–9 months |
| Visa-Free Access to Schengen Area | No (Visa required since Feb 2023) | Yes (ETIAS authorisation required) |
| Visa-Free Access to UK | No (Visa required since July 2023) | Yes (up to 6 months) |
| Visa-Free Destinations (Approx.) | 88 | 140–155+ |
| Taxation | No income, wealth, or inheritance tax | No income, wealth, or inheritance tax |
Takeaway: If speed and a lower upfront cost are your priorities, and your travel is mainly in Asia and non-EU regions, Vanuatu can still work. But for investors needing frequent, easy access to Europe and the UK, a Caribbean passport provides hugely superior travel freedom that justifies the higher price. Your own travel patterns must drive the decision.
This article is published by an independent law firm for informational purposes only and does not represent or claim affiliation with any government body, international organization, or official authority.
Every Destination, Listed
What follows is the whole of it: each place a Vanuatu passport reaches without an application filed beforehand, arranged by how you are actually let in. The 88 that carries the ranking is 55 visa-free entries plus 26 that issue a visa at the border plus 7 partially recognised territories, which are set out separately below. Lengths of stay are the ones published now, and they are decided by the country you arrive in rather than by Vanuatu.
Visa-free entry
Passport out, stamp in. Nothing filed in advance, nothing paid, no form to complete before you travel.
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
The visa is issued at the counter when you land. It normally costs something, and some of these destinations want to see a return ticket or a booking before they issue it. Useful, but an officer is still making a decision about you while you stand there.
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
These count towards the ranking total, so they are listed here rather than quietly dropped. Several come with conditions that make the access far less usable than the number suggests.
| Territory | Access and conditions |
|---|---|
| Kosovo | visa free, 90 days |
| Northern Cyprus | visa free |
| Palestine | visa free |
| Akrotiri and Dhekelia | visa free; a permit is needed beyond 28 days in any 12 months |
| South Ossetia | visa free, but entry requires a Russian multiple-entry visa and three days' notice |
| 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 will issue Vanuatu citizens an electronic visa. That is still an application, still a fee and still a decision — taken online rather than at a consulate — so it sits outside the 88. Fold these in and the total climbs into three figures, which is precisely how some published counts get there.
Africa (16)
Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Togo
.Asia (20)
Afghanistan, Armenia, Bahrain, Bhutan, Georgia, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam
.Europe and the Americas (4)
Albania, Colombia, Cuba, Ukraine
.Where You Will Need a Visa
For most people the absences decide more than the list does, and two of them are recent.
The Schengen Area. Visa required. The waiver was suspended in full on 4 February 2023 and made permanent by Regulation (EU) 2025/11 of 19 December 2024, which moved Vanuatu to Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 with effect from 3 February 2025.
The United Kingdom. Visa required since 19 July 2023, when Vanuatu was added to the visa national list in Appendix Visitor of the Immigration Rules.
The United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China and Japan. Visa required. None of these has ever been open to Vanuatu passport holders without one.
Entry rules belong to the destination and change without warning. This reflects the position when the page was written; check with the immigration authority of the country you are flying to before you book.
FAQ
Where the Passport Is Accepted: FAQs
The world's weakest passports typically grant visa-free entry to fewer than 40 countries. Rankings change slightly each year, but the list consistently includes nations facing major geopolitical challenges. Think Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia. A passport's strength is a direct mirror of a country's international relationships and internal stability.
No. U.S. citizens can visit Vanuatu for tourism or business for up to 30 days without a visa. When you land, you'll be granted a visitor permit. The key requirement is that your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure date and you need proof of a return or onward ticket. If you lack these, you could be denied entry at the airport.
For most foreign nationals, the direct path is through a Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program like the Development Support Programme (DSP). This requires a substantial, non-refundable donation to a government fund, which starts at US$130,000 for a single applicant. It's not just about the money. Every applicant must also pass a strict due diligence and background check run by Vanuatu's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
No. Critically, you cannot travel to the EU's Schengen Area without a visa using a Vanuatu passport. The previous visa-waiver agreement was fully suspended. This requirement became permanent in February 2025. Now, Vanuatu citizens must apply for a full Schengen visa from the relevant consulate well in advance of any trip to member countries.
It's possible, but don't count on it happening anytime soon. Restoring visa-free access would hinge on Vanuatu implementing massive, long-term reforms to its CBI programme's security and due diligence processes to address the European Commission's concerns. Any reversal of the suspension would only come after a very lengthy and thorough review by EU authorities.
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