It is reported that the European Council passed a proposal on January 12, 2022, to suspend the "short-term visa exemption agreement" with Vanuatu, which originally allowed vanuatu's citizens to visit the EU visa-free and could stay in any country for up to 90 days in 180 days, which is also a highlight of vanuatu's passport program.
Recently, however, the European Commission decided to suspend the agreement and said that investors who obtained citizenship through the Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment Scheme after 25 May 2015 will no longer enjoy visa-free access to the EU and will be implemented from 4 May 2022. At that time, Vanuatu passport holders who have obtained citizenship through the Citizenship by Investment Program will need to apply for a visa to enter the Schengen countries. Based on careful monitoring and evaluation of the Vanuatu Investor Citizenship Scheme, the EU concludes that the scheme is seriously flawed and may pose a risk to the EU, mainly due to:
1. Extremely low refusal rate, making people doubt the reliability of safety and due diligence;
2. There is no actual existence or residence letter requirements, the processing time is short, and there is a lack of information exchange with the applicant's original nationality or country of residence;
3. Grant citizenship to applicants listed in the Interpol database;
4. The country of origin of the successful applicant, including several countries whose nationals require a visa to enter the European Union.
Following the European Commission's proposal to abolish visa-free Schengen treatment for Vanuatu passports, the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission issued a notice announcing that it would make several column changes to the Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment Program policy, including the appointment of new due diligence partners and a comprehensive retrospective review of investors who have acquired citizenship since 2015.
"The Vanuatu government has finalized the selection of UK organisation FACT UK as its first international due diligence service provider. The company, as the first international due diligence service to be appointed, will provide a robust due diligence service. The Vanuatu Citizenship Commission's notice reads that the due diligence standards brought by these companies will ensure that "only creditworthy investors can obtain citizenship, and due diligence will spare no effort to ensure the reputation and safety of Vanuatu and the international community." ”