Where It Takes You
Every destination the passport reaches without a visa in advance, by region — and why Schengen and the UK are not among them.
The biggest risk for Vanuatu passport holders today is simple. Travel has gotten harder. The old visa-waiver agreements with the European Union and the United Kingdom are gone. Since early 2023, getting into the Schengen Area has meant applying for a visa. This became permanent EU law in late 2024. The UK had already shut its doors to visa-free travel in mid-2023. These aren't small tweaks; they fundamentally change the passport's power.
This guide cuts through the noise. It gives you a clear, factual overview of your current travel rights, the legal reasons for the changes, and an updated list of where you can still go. Government websites and agents can be ambiguous.
Visa-Waiver Suspension - A temporary or permanent revocation of a prior agreement that allowed citizens of a specific country to enter another country or region without a visa for short stays. In Vanuatu's case, this was actioned by the EU under Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, citing security concerns related to its citizenship by investment programme.
The Current Status: EU & UK Visa-Free Travel Suspension Explained
Losing visa-free access to Europe wasn't a sudden shock. It was a multi-year process grounded in specific EU security assessments. For any passport holder, understanding the legal timeline is key to planning travel and avoiding surprises at the border.
The bottom line? The European Union has fully suspended visa-free travel for all Vanuatu citizens. This process was finalized when the European Parliament and Council passed Regulation (EU) 2025/11 in late 2024. This action officially moved Vanuatu from Annex II (visa-exempt countries) to Annex I (countries whose nationals must have a visa) under the EU's main visa law, Regulation (EU) 2018/1806. The requirement became fully applicable from 3 February 2025.
But the timeline started much earlier. On 4 May 2022, the European Commission issued Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/693, which temporarily suspended the visa waiver for ordinary Vanuatu passports issued on or after 25 May 2015. This was a direct response to concerns about the due diligence standards of Vanuatu's citizenship by investment (CBI) programs. It was then expanded to a full suspension for all passport holders, regardless of issue date, starting 4 February 2023.
The United Kingdom government followed suit, citing similar worries about border integrity. It withdrew visa-free access for all Vanuatu nationals on 19 July 2023. Now, if you're a Vanuatu citizen wanting to visit the UK for tourism, business, or even just to change planes, you need a Standard Visitor Visa. That means an application, biometrics, and a lot of paperwork. Expect the process to take several weeks, so last-minute trips are no longer an option.
How Strong is a Vanuatu Passport Today? A Realistic Assessment
With the EU and UK off the visa-free list, we need a realistic look at the Vanuatu passport's current strength. It's not useless. Far from it. But its value now depends entirely on where you need to go.
According to the Henley Passport Index, the Vanuatu passport allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 88 countries and territories. This puts it 50th in the global ranking. That number includes key hubs in Asia, the Americas, and Africa, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Russia. If your life and business are centered in these regions, the passport still holds considerable power.
The limitations become stark, however, for anyone prioritizing European or North American travel. The passport now ranks below all Caribbean CBI options, which have kept their Schengen Area visa-waiver agreements. Since March 2024, the five OECS Caribbean nations with CBI programs (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia) have all set a minimum investment of US$200,000. Vanuatu’s US$130,000 entry point is cheaper. The choice is now clear: a lower cost with limited mobility (Vanuatu) or a higher cost for greater global access (Caribbean).
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.
The Full List of Destinations
Below is every destination a Vanuatu passport reaches without applying for a visa in advance, split by how you are admitted. The headline figure of 88 that appears in passport rankings combines the 55 visa-free entries, the 26 that grant a visa on arrival and 7 partially recognised territories listed separately at the end. Permitted stays are those published at the time of writing and are set by each destination, not by Vanuatu.
Visa-free entry
You present the passport and are admitted. No application, no fee, no form filed in advance.
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 border on presentation of the passport, usually for a fee and sometimes with proof of onward travel or accommodation. Convenient, but not the same thing as visa-free: an officer at the counter still decides.
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 appear in the ranking total and are listed here for completeness. Several carry conditions that make the access more theoretical than useful.
| 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
Around 40 further destinations issue an electronic visa to Vanuatu citizens. That is an application with a fee and a decision, made online instead of at an embassy, and it is excluded from the figure above. Some published totals for this passport quietly include these, which is one reason the numbers you see elsewhere run higher.
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 a Visa Is Required
The omissions matter more than the list for most applicants, and two of them changed recently.
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 each destination and change without notice. Everything above reflects the position when this page was written; before booking, confirm with the immigration authority of the country you intend to enter.
FAQ
Where It Takes You: FAQs
A Vanuatu passport holds moderate strength. It provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to 88 countries and territories, with solid access across Asia (including hubs like Hong Kong and Singapore), the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. Still, its power has taken a significant hit. The 2023 suspension of visa-free travel to the EU Schengen Area and the UK now places it in a lower tier than its Caribbean CBI competitors, a critical factor for anyone whose primary goal is European mobility.
While specific rankings shift, the world's weakest passports consistently belong to nations embroiled in conflict or facing deep political instability. This list almost always includes Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Pakistan. You'll also find Yemen, Somalia, Nepal, the Palestinian Territory, and North Korea, all offering their citizens visa-free entry to fewer than 40 destinations.
No. US citizens can visit Vanuatu for tourism without a visa for up to 30 days. You receive an entry permit when you arrive. But be careful with that 30-day limit. This arrangement is strictly for tourism and brief business meetings; attempting to work or simply overstaying can lead to fines and complications when you try to leave. For anything longer, you must secure the proper permit ahead of time.
For most foreign nationals, the path is the Vanuatu Development Support Program (DSP). This is a citizenship by investment program. It requires a non-refundable contribution to the government, which starts at US$130,000 for a single applicant, on top of a US$5,000 due diligence fee and other administrative costs. Every applicant, including their family members, must undergo and pass a thorough background check. Any undisclosed criminal history or misrepresentation on the application is grounds for immediate rejection.
No, you cannot travel to these regions without first securing a visa. The UK mandated visas for Vanuatu citizens starting 19 July 2023. Shortly after, the European Union's temporary suspension of visa-free access was made permanent, taking full effect from 3 February 2025. This means Vanuatu passport holders must apply for a Standard Visitor Visa for the UK or a Schengen visa well in advance of any planned travel.
Yes, its speed is one of its biggest draws. While no government offers a guarantee on timing, authorized agents usually see applications processed in an average of two to four months from submission to passport in hand. This is a clear advantage over most Caribbean CBI programmes, where applicants often wait six months or even longer for a decision.
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