Compare programs · 3 selected

Three programs, side by side.

Compare up to three programs across the factors that actually decide it. A table shows rules, not fit — the fit question is what a specialist call is for. Figures are indicative and subject to verification.

Program 1
Citizenship
Program 2
Citizenship
Program 3
Citizenship

You can compare up to three programs. Replace one to compare a different program.

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Outcome

Legal outcome: Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
Direct citizenship
São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship
Direct citizenship
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship
Direct citizenship

Investment and cost

Minimum: Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
$130,000
São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship
$90,000
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship
From $250,000 · 4 routes

Qualifying routes

Government contribution

Government contribution
Real estate

Known cost categories

Qualifying investment
Other costs

Qualifying investment
Government fees

Qualifying investment
Government fees

Timeline

Estimated timeline: Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
1 to 2 months
São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship
5 to 6 months
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship
4 months or more

Presence and renewal

Physical presence: Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
None
São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship
None
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship
None

Minimum stay: Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
No residence period in Vanuatu is required. Confirm with the Citizenship Office where the oath of allegiance and the passport biometrics are completed.
São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship
No residence is required, and the application is filed through a licensed agent. The unit may still require an interview, in person or by video, and the oath is taken in São Tomé or before a São Tomé diplomatic or consular agent abroad.
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship
None stated

Renewal: Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
Citizenship does not expire. The Citizenship Commission may revoke citizenship that was granted fraudulently or contrary to the Citizenship Act or the Constitution, or where the holder does not comply with the restrictions in the Citizenship Act.
São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship
Not applicable — citizenship is permanent
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship
Not applicable — citizenship is permanent

Family

Who is included: Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
Spouse, minor children, adult dependent children, parents
São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship
Spouse, minor children
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship
Spouse, minor children, adult dependent children, parents

Conditions

Adult dependent children: Children aged 18 to 25 who live with or depend on the applicant or spouse and are in full-time education.
Parents: Parents of the applicant or spouse who are over 50 and live with and depend on the applicant or spouse.

Not specified

Adult dependent children: Unmarried children aged 18 to 29 who are substantially supported by the main applicant or the spouse; children of any age with a qualifying mental or physical disability.
Parents: Parents of the main applicant or the spouse, aged 55 and over, who live with and are fully supported by the main applicant.

Main restrictions

Applicant

Not specified

Principal applicant must be at least 18 years old.
Attend a virtual interview and submit biometric information.

Nationality: Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
Not specified
São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship
Hold no more than two foreign nationalities.
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship
Not specified

Background: Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
Complete background verification: criminal record checks, international sanctions screening and reputation analysis. Due diligence is carried out by Vanuatu government bodies, including the Financial Intelligence Unit, the police (including Interpol checks) and the Immigration Services.
São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship
Complete background and sanctions screening.
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship
Hold no criminal record; the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) performs strict background checks and due diligence.

Qualification

Document the lawful source of funds: bank references and wealth verification for anti-money-laundering compliance.
Pay the contribution to Vanuatu's national development fund through a government-approved DSP agent: 25% before the Commission considers the application (not refunded if it is refused) and 75% before the citizenship certificate is issued.

Document the lawful source of qualifying funds.
Take the oath or affirmation of loyalty to the Constitution and the laws of São Tomé and Príncipe.

Possess sufficient financial resources to make the required contribution or investment, and document its lawful source.

Risks and trade-offs

Material risks

No visa-free Schengen access: the EU fully suspended Vanuatu's visa waiver from 4 February 2023, and Regulation (EU) 2025/11 moved Vanuatu to the EU visa-required list from 3 February 2025.
Citizenship can be revoked if it was granted fraudulently or contrary to the Citizenship Act or the Constitution, or if the holder does not comply with the restrictions in the Citizenship Act.
Requirements, fees and processing estimates can change.

Requirements, fees and processing estimates can change.
The legal framework is recent — Decreto-Lei n.º 07/2025 has only been in force since 1 August 2025 — so the programme does not yet have a multi-year track record.
Processing times are typical, not guaranteed: the programme unit gives about 2 months to approval and about 3 to 4 months more to the passport.

Requirements, fees and processing estimates can change.
The Public Benefit Option's contribution is paid after approval in principle, and the official texts state no refund terms for it; the regulations call the SISC non-refundable.
Citizens of, and persons ordinarily resident in, Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Iraq, North Korea and Russia are excluded from applying under the current Exclusion Order.
A property bought on a real estate route cannot be resold for seven years, a sale to another citizenship applicant needs a further approval (for a developer unit, Approved Private Real Estate status; for private real estate, the Federal Cabinet satisfied that substantial further investment was made in the property), and a holder who breaks these rules is liable to have citizenship revoked.

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