Vanuatu removed from the EU visa waiver programme

• The European Council has partially suspended the EU visa waiver agreement with Vanuatu.
• Vanuatu passport holders will not be able to apply for ETIAS and will instead need a visa for the Schengen Area.

The EU Council has suspended the EU visa waiver agreement with Vanuatu in part. This implies that Vanuatu nationals who obtained a passport after May 25, 2015, are no longer eligible for visa-free travel to Europe.

As a result, Vanuatu nationals will be ineligible for ETIAS for Europe, a new visa waiver programme set to begin in November 2023.

The European Union is worried about the security dangers linked with Vanuatu’s investor citizenship (gold passport) initiatives.

Vanuatu passport holders will no longer be allowed to visit Schengen countries without a visa, even for short periods of time.

WHY VANUATU WAS REMOVED FROM THE EU VISA-EXEMPT LIST

Vanuatu launched two Citizenship by Investment programmes in 2016, the Vanuatu Development Support Programme (VDSP) and the Vanuatu Contribution Programme (VCP) (VCP).

These ‘golden passport’ programmes let international nationals to get Vanuatu citizenship for a minimum expenditure of $130,000 USD. In consequence, the Vanuatu passport grants visa-free entry to the EU.

The scheme was initially scrutinised by the EU in 2019 for failing to implement mandatory due diligence requirements to guarantee that participants were not engaging in fraudulent or illegal activities.

Because Vanuatu’s government failed to make the necessary reforms to the citizenship investment programmes, the EU Commission suggested suspending visa-free entrance.

On January 12, 2022, the EU Commission issued a press statement announcing its proposal to discontinue the visa waiver agreement with Vanuatu.

The EU Council deliberated on the idea before making the ultimate decision to terminate the visa waiver accords with Vanuatu.

Vanuatu shall be given two months’ notice from the moment the resolution is published in the Official Journal.

EU SECURITY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH VANUATU’S CITIZENSHIP PROGRAMME

The EU commission has stated the grounds for the suspension of visa-free travel for Vanuatu nationals.

• Vanuatu citizenship has been granted to individuals on the Interpol database
• Average processing times are too short to allow for sufficient screening
• Very low application rejection rates, only one rejection up to 2020
• Successful applications include those from countries that require a visa for Europe

Because of these security flaws, anyone who would ordinarily require a visa for Europe might circumvent Schengen visa processing by travelling using a Vanuatu passport. The EU faced a security risk as a result of this.

Furthermore, the EU claims that visa-free travel to Europe was touted as one of the perks of Vanuatu citizenship and was used to recruit foreign investors to the golden passport programme.

WHO DOES THE EU VISA WAIVER AGREEMENT SUSPENSION FOR VANUATU APPLY TO?

Visa-free travel from Vanuatu to the EU has been suspended for regular passports issued after May 25, 2015. Vanuatu began granting a substantial number of passports to foreign investors about this period.

To travel EU member states, anybody having a Vanuatu passport issued on or after this date must apply for a visa.

HOW LONG WILL THE EU VISA WAIVER AGREEMENT WITH VANUATU BE SUSPENDED?

The suspension will stay in effect until the security concerns are addressed.

The EU will keep an eye on the situation and, if required, will remove the suspension. If changes are not achieved, Vanuatu may be permanently added to the list of visa-required nations for Europe.

NEW VISA REQUIREMENTS TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE FROM VANUATU

This suspension will result in new visa requirements for Vanuatu passport holders travelling to Europe. All 27 EU states will be removed off the list of Vanuatu passport visa-free countries.

Even for brief trips to Europe, Vanuatu passport holders will need to get a visa.

VANUATU PASSPORT WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE ETIAS VISA WAIVER

Vanuatu citizens were set to become eligible for ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System). In November 2023, the electronic visa waiver system will be implemented for visa-free travel to the Schengen Area.

The ETIAS application will enable qualifying passport holders to receive European travel authorization online. Travellers will not be required to apply in person at an embassy or consulate.

Because the visa waiver agreement has been discontinued, Vanuatu passport holders will be unable to use ETIAS. Instead, Vanuatu nationals will need to get a visa before visiting a Schengen country. This applies to all lengths of stay and purposes of stay.

Vanuatu nationals will need to attend an appointment at the relevant embassy or consulate to present the application form and several supporting documents in order to receive a Schengen visa.

THE HISTORY OF EU-VANUATU RELATIONS

Since attaining independence from France and the United Kingdom in 1980, the Republic of Vanuatu has been a member of both the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations, which is mostly made up of former British possessions.

The European Union and the Republic of Vanuatu initially inked a visa waiver agreement in April 2015, allowing Vanuatu nationals to travel to Schengen nations for short visits without the requirement for a valid visa.

However, Vanuatu was added to an EU list of non-cooperative tax countries accused of money laundering, supporting terrorism, or facilitating tax evasion in December 2017.

While the list was ultimately rejected by the European Parliament, it was the first indication that Vanuatu would lose its EU visa waiver status.