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How to apply for citizenship through VRP

Apply for a Vanuatu Citizenship through VRP-MENA

When your country suffers  the consequences of a devastating cyclone swoop, what does your government do  to recover from the adverse effects? Does it let its citizens rise and build  back their homes or does it invite investors to help? The Vanuatu Government  faced such a problem after cyclone PAM had unleashed its wrath on the island in  the South Pacific Ocean. The government settled on the latter alternative and  set up an Economic Rehabilitation Program in exchange for citizenship. This led to the launch of  VRP-MENA as the only coordinator of the Vanuatu Economic Rehabilitation Program  (VERP) back in 2015. This initiative was then mandated to process citizenship  applications in exchange for investments in the Vanuatu economy. After the termination of  the Vanuatu Economic Rehabilitation Program in March 2016, the Citizenship  Commission then mandated VRP-MENA to be their worldwide agent. They would still  proceed with the “Contribution Program” to the Development Support Program. Are  you wondering how to apply for citizenship through VRP-MENA? Don’t you worry.  We have put together all the useful and relevant information about this noble  campaign aimed at achieving economic prosperity for Vanuatu. Who Can Apply for Vanuatu Citizenship through VRP-MENA? The Government of Vanuatu  doesn’t place any restrictions on people of other nationalities when it comes  to specifying of their citizenship. All applicants have an equal chance and are  examined independently by their affiliations. In order to try your luck  at becoming a citizen of Vanuatu, you need to know where to apply for  dual citizenship. Even those  who have no nationality can make an application to the program, provided they  can give a proof of birth through birth certificates. There is no discrimination  against anyone even though the opportunities available may be limited. What If I have family Members Who’d Like to Apply? Family members are your  greatest source of inspiration, and you definitely don’t want to leave them  behind when moving to a land of abundant opportunities. The following family  members can obtain citizenship if they meet the set criteria.

Parents (either), provided they are aged 50 years and above

Your children aged below 25 years, and not married. The children should also be studying at either a school, college or university. The children can be adopted, natural or born from previous marriages.

For a woman applicant, her husband and children will be allowed citizenship.

Application Process

    Applying for dual  citizenship is a pretty simple and straightforward process, provided you follow  thespelled-out steps. Here is the mechanism that will let you expect to be  taken through.

Step 1

First, you need to submit a  copy of your curriculum vitae and your passport, together with that of your  family members. Each person aged over 18 years also has to submit a copy of  their judicial records (if available). These documents should be sent via email to  vrp@vrp-mena.com.

Step 2

The submitted documents are  then used by the National and security authorities to conduct a due diligence  inquiry. An approval or denial is given within a week from the date the  documents were received. This approval is free.

Step 3

If your documents pass due  diligence and you have no criminal record, we’ll start preparing your contract.  You’ll be required to submit a host of other documents to facilitate the  process. These include:

A copy of the birth certificates of all family members

Copies of national identity cards if available

A copy of judicial records for the members aged over  18 years

A copy of the marriage contract for those who are  married

A copy of certificate of achievement for those who  have it

The delivery of these  documents can be done in person by visiting VRP-MENA offices or using courier  services.

Application Costs

    The application does come at a price. This is always true for any good  opportunities. The following are the minimum fees and expenses that you will take.

  Category                                                                             Amount ($)

One (1) person                                                                         150,000

Husband and wife                                                                    170,000

3-member family                                                                       185,000

4-member family                                                                       200,000

5-member family                                                                       220,000

6-member family                                                                       240,000

Any extra person under 18 years                                            20,000

Additional person between 18 and 25 years                          20, 000

Each Parent                                                                                20,000

When to Make the Payment

When making an application  together with family members, you are required to make the payment after you  have been issued the FIU clearance from the State Law Office. You are expected  to pay 50% of the contract at this point.

The remaining 50% is paid  after the National Authority has approved your application. For individual  applications, the amount is paid in full after being issued with the FIU  clearance.

How Long Does It Take to Apply for Citizenship?

Acquiring a Republic of  Vanuatu Nationality is one of the fastest available programs. After your first  application has been approved, the whole process can be completed in three  months under normal circumstances. If you are in some kind of  emergency, you can pay a fee of $5,000 so that your application is processed  faster, in about 45 days.

Step 4 (Collection)

After the successful  processing of an applicant’s citizenship request, an applicant is required to  take an oath of allegiance to the Republic of Vanuatu. When the process is  completed, you can choose between three methods of collection, namely:

Collect the documents personally at the Government  Commissioner office for the oath and documents

Invite the Government Commissioner to your country of  residence at your own expense.

Receive the citizenship at the Beirut office

Branches of VRP-MENA

If you are looking for  where to apply for Vanuatu citizenship, you can contact our offices in the  following locations:

Port Vila, in the Republic of Vanuatu

Beirut, Lebanon

Portoviejo, Ecuador

It is not a question of  where to apply for dual citizenship anymore, but when to. Just book a date, and  you’ll be served.

Conclusion

VRP-MENA is a symbol of credibility,  efficiency, and integrity when it comes to citizenship application to the  Republic of Vanuatu. It is the best service provider and gives every applicant  an equal chance of getting into the VRP program. This is as long as your  documents and records are unquestionable. No one is discriminated against race,  color, nationality or religion.

Apply for a Vanuatu Citizenship Now.

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Why you need a Second Citizenship and Passport

How to Acquire a Second Passport and Citizenship

In today’s world, the need for an extra passport and citizenship can never be overemphasized. It gives you a Plan B in case Plan A goes haywire. You then have the freedom of working, traveling, doing business and living all over the world.

The feeling of not being beheld to one nation is quite refreshing too if you come to think of it. It is just the same way you feel when you put your assets in different banks. This is called feeling secure.

Many people are unaware of the reasons why you need a second passport and citizenship as well as the various citizenship programs that are currently available. Now we will discuss these amazing opportunities and the reasons why you need the second citizenship.

Second Citizenship and Passport Programs

Acquiring a citizenship with another country means that the particular state is providing you with certain rights as its citizen such as being able to work, own property and vote. In return, you accept to be responsible and uphold the laws and customary practices in that country.

There are simpler and faster ways of acquiring second citizenships than the traditional methods such as naturalization. You will need to single out a particular second citizenship program that will work for you and utilize it.

More and more people are using these easy methods to expand their options just in case things go thick in their motherland. Various companies are now offering these programs in various packages as the easiest ways of having a dual citizenship.

These packages involve citizenships in various jurisdictions whichever you prefer. Better still, you can choose the package of your choice, ranging from citizenship by investment, or by residence among several other options.

1. Citizenship by Investment

This is a way to get a second passport legally by investing in the economy of another country. It provides faster means of getting a second passport than the traditional naturalization methods.

These programs offer you a chance to contribute to the society, economy, culture and any other sector that the state may be interested in. They are meant to attract foreign investors in exchange for a second valid passport.

Many investors are then able to escape the high taxes which give them very little income returns.

To get the best deal for your investment citizenship, you need to consult the companies which will provide you with the best services. These two factors are correlated. If you use the best service provider, you will be able to get the best deal out of your application.

When it comes to offering these dual citizenship programs, no company does it quite like VRP-MENA. It leads, others follow. It provides you with a chance to get Vanuatu citizenship by investment, provided you satisfy the following requirements:

Good health: During your application, you need to prove that you don’t suffer from any infectious disease. Besides, you shouldn’t carry a disease that may impose a burden on the Vanuatu Healthcare System.

Make contributions to the National Development and Social Fund: The applicant must contribute USD$130,000 to the government of Vanuatu. The total cost of citizenship includes additional charges and fees for background checks, and VIPA, passport, processing and handling fees.

Pass a Fit and Purpose Test: Vanuatu Government carries out a thorough due diligence test to make sure that those who want to acquire a citizenship of the island nation are in good standing and are reputable. You must demonstrate a clean criminal record.

2. Citizenship by Residence

This is another available option in case you want to acquire a second citizenship. The requirements for being a resident in a particular country are not as stringent as those for citizenship by investment.

If you are a resident of a country, you do not possess the same rights as a person who is a citizen by either investment or traditional means. As a legal resident, you are able to:

Live, travel, study and work within that country without any restrictions. These conditions may vary depending on the conditions and category of your resident visa.

Hold international documents for traveling from the country you are residing in while still retaining the foreign passport.

Leave and re-enter the country of residence. However, you may be denied to re-enter at some point if you fail to fulfill some of the residence requirements.

Who Qualifies to Apply for a Second Passport Legally?

There are various categories of people who are qualified to apply for a second passport. It depends on the type of program you are interested in. If you are one of the people listed below, you can easily apply for a second passport.

A person without any criminal record can apply for a second passport.

An investor or a businessman

A person with no allegiance to any state (stateless)

A person who travels a lot

Someone who is renouncing their citizenship (you need to make an application first before renouncing your current citizenship)

Countries That Don’t Require a Visa When You Are a Second Passport Holder

Your second passport can take you through certain countries, while others may not recognize it. The countries that accept second passports are generally termed as visa-free second passport countries.

Here are a few of the popular locations that you can visit with your second passport.

EU Countries

Malta

Guatemala

Panama

Denmark

Norway

Maldives

Singapore

Philippines

Malaysia

Russia

Hong Kong

This list is not only limited to these countries. While making the application, ask VRP-MENA to indicate the countries that accept your passport or check the list of countries here.

Conclusion

When you obtain a second passport legally, you free yourself from dependence on one country. You’ll be able to make wiser choices as you’ll have abundant options at your disposal.

If you want to seek a second passport, you have multiple options to choose from. You could choose the investment way or go through the residence way. Either way, always insist on the option that suits your needs.

Apply for Vanuatu Citizenship

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How to Apply for Vanuatu Citizenship - Complete Guide | VRPMENA

A Complete Guide on How to Apply for Vanuatu Citizenship Online

Whether it becomes your sole citizenship, or you retain dual citizenship with your current country, fast-track citizenship with Vanuatu is the quickest path to a new passport. In addition to the ability to travel to and reside in an amazing and beautiful country, there other benefits of citizenship.

Financial: Vanuatu’s taxes continue to be nearly non-existent. A Value Added Tax (VAT) of 15% on imports means that Vanuatu’s cost of living isn’t lower than most large countries, however there are no other personal or business taxes. The offshore financial center offers international banking, long established financial services, and a low regulation business environment.

Travel: A Vanuatu passport allows easy travel (visa-free or visa on arrival) to more than 114 countries. It is the only low cost and fast citizenship program that offers a passport with visa-free travel to Russia without restriction on business and work travel.

Convenience: You could have a new Vanuatu passport in your hand in as little as one month, and the investment required is among the lowest in the world. Partner with VRP Mena by following the step by step guide below, and your goal of second citizenship is only weeks away.

How to Apply: A Step by Step Guide to Vanuatu Citizenship with VRP MENA

1. View requirements: See the link below for specifics on fees and documents you’ll need.

2. First Documents: Once you’ve made your decision, email these two documents to VRP Mena.

Passport: Scan the page of your passport that has your passport number, photo and biographical data on it.

Curriculum Vitae: Only for the primary applicant.

3. FIU Screening: We will work with the Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to begin the first screening process. This screening costs USD$2,000.

4. Document Collection: While the FIU screening takes place, gather the rest of your documents.

Birth certificates

Marriage certificates (if married)

Copy of National IDs (for all individuals who have them)

Police Clearances

Other documents which are listed in the required documents link below.

5. FIU Clearance: The FIU Clearance is the biggest hurdle to clear in the citizenship process. Next, several things are needed for the Citizenship Commission Confirmation.

Service Agreement: VRP MENA will send a service agreement to be signed by the primary applicant and VRP MENA.

Document Packet: Send the original documents you collected to VRP MENA by DHL.

Half payment: 50% of the total citizenship fees are due at this time.

6. Citizenship Commission approval:The Citizenship Commission will issue their approval within one month. At this time:

The second 50% of your citizenship fees are due

Complete and send passport applications (with photos) for each new citizen.

7. Document copies: VRP MENA will send you copies of your citizenship Certificate and Vanuatu passport.

8.Oath and Original documents: The only in-person requirement of the citizenship process is the citizenship oath. You will receive your original citizenship papers and passport at the oath ceremony. There are three options for the location of the ceremony:

Vanuatu: Travel to the country and take the Oath of Allegiance Ceremony in Vanuatu.

Your Residence: At your invitation, and at your expense, VRP MENA can arrange to bring the Commissioner of Oath and a Passport officer to your country

VRP-MENA offices: VRP MENA will arrange for the ceremony in its own offices.

Fast-track citizenship with Vanuatu is the quickest path to a new passport and citizenship. To begin, please review the documents and fee requirements link below, and send us your first documents!

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VANUATU DUAL CITIZENSHIP

A short history of Vanuatu citizenship sales

As Vanuatu introduces dual citizenship, it does no harm to review where we have gone wrong – most voters would agree – with citizenship for sale in the past.

This excerpt concerning Vanuatu from an article from 2007 reviews the situation back then …

Commonwealth and Comparative

Politics (2007) Volume 45, Number 2,

Pages 138-163.

Citizenship For Sale: Passports of

Convenience From Pacific Island Tax

Havens1

Pacific Island tax havens have apparently collected $153,450,000 from (mostly ethnic Chinese) purchasers of passports. This paper considers the evolution of passport sales in Tonga, Samoa, the Marshall Islands, Vanuatu and Nauru and internal and international opposition to them. Tension exists between different conceptions of citizenship within the world-system. Sales reflect classical liberal, individualistic, free market conceptions of citizenship. Opponents invoke both conservative and democratic conceptions of citizenship. The paper favours democratic solutions to many problems sales create.

Sales schemes involve secrecy, corruption, and facilitate crime—which attenuates following exposure by media, opposition politicians, watchdogs and crusaders against international terrorism. Pacific Island havens currently have no legal, official passport sales schemes, but the paper demonstrates that they probably continue.

In 1995 and 1996 it appears that at least 2,000 Marshall Islands passports sold for at least $11,000 each—produced revenues of $22m (about 11% of GDP per year).

VANUATU

Attempts to establish schemes in Vanuatu OFC have required state co-operation to waive its ten-year residency requirement for citizenship and lift its dual citizenship prohibition.

Many failed when fraudulent connections were publicised. In 1994 John Avram, former CEO of failed Australian tourism property developer Interwest (who had breached Australian corporations law), and Melbourne associates proposed a A$400m five star tourism complex on Moso Island, with a bank, a casino, its own companies register, financial markets, and a business migration programme (involving Vanuatu citizenship, passports and residence) for investors (Armstrong and Gross 1995:76, 232, 297-8, Vanuatu Weekly 24/2/96, 14/9/96). Although the government approved the scheme it never eventuated. In July 1994 he Olilian Group proposed a new bank, OFC and export processing free trade zone (FTZ), with government approval, to entice about 3,000 wealthy Asian passport purchasers to settle in Luganville on Espiritu Santo. It included residential, hotel, commercial and medical developments. It failed when promoters were charged with fraud in July 199516.

On 20 June 1997 Vanuatu’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vidal Soksok, advised by Prime Minister Serge Vohor, gave the Resort Las Vegas Group (a.k.a. the South Pacific Immigration Authority) exclusive rights to sell Vanuatu citizenships. Jai Yong (Richard) Jung (a.k.a. Sung Ho Jung), the principal of Resorts Las Vegas, was granted citizenship and an official passport (as trade commissioner to South Korea) despite only fifteen months’ Vanuatu residence and his retention of South Korean citizenship. He had a criminal conviction and had fled South Korean securities fraud charges. Jung claimed he would build a $100m hotel and casino at Tukutuku in western Efate. His citizenship programme for 60,000 to 80,000 people (a tax haven refuge for Asians) was supposed to bring the government over $350,000,000 and probably more to Jung and other middlemen, based on $17,000 to $25,000 per passport. This would increase Vanuatu’s citizens by 50% and change its ethnic and class character drastically. The country’s ombudsman Marie-Noëlle Ferrieux Patterson exposed the scheme’s fraudulent elements (Patterson 1997), attracting considerable media attention, and it failed to attract the necessary two-thirds legislative majority.

In October 1997 Interim Prime Minister Vohor’s government approved the plan of Volani International (a Gibraltar OFC registered Italian firm) to establish a ‘state within a state’ on Espiritu Santo. Volani promised an OFC, FTZ, upgraded airport, luxury and low-income housing, and a large casino-hotel complex for Asian visitors. Volani was to transfer the international airport to the Vanuatu government after twenty-five years (Patterson 1998a; Vanuatu Trading Post, 11/7/98, 22/2/99; Vanuatu Weekly, 5/11/97, 21/2/98).

On 22 July 1999 Vanuatu’s Deputy Prime Minister, Willie Jimmy, and Lord Keyes, representing the Mondragon Group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in London’s House of Lords. Mondragon’s associate, Nevada real estate developer Michael Oliver, had sponsored tax haven-oriented secessionism in the New Hebrides-Vanuatu since the mid-1970s. He attempted to create a new (libertarian-based) country and sell citizenship to thousands of settlers. His ‘Republic of Vemerana’ briefly controlled

Espiritu Santo in 1980 until Papua New Guinean troops defeated it and restored the island to Vanuatu (van Fossen 2001). Mondragon proposed to develop a FTZ on 80,000 hectares of land in Big Bay, Espiritu Santo; to operate Vanuatu’s consular offices around the world (beginning with Israel, Belgium and Michigan); and to engage in exclusive Internet activities, air services and fishing.

The FTZ would have its own currency, postal service and OFC. On 17 December 1999 Vanuatu’s Council of Ministers approved the project and on 28 January 2000 it appointed Israel’s Major General Daniel Rothschild, Mondragon’s choice, as Vanuatu’s Honorary Consul in Tel Aviv. Vanuatu’s Foreign Investment Review Board approved Mondragon’s FTZ in principle on 26 July 2000.

Obstacles developed in August 2000 when the Vanuatu Trading Post newspaper exposed the dubious past of Oliver’s colleague Stefan Mandel (Mondragon’s man The scandal deepened in June and July 2001, with the revelation of Mandel bankruptcy in Australia in 1995. Oliver severed connections with Mandel and his projects on 11 October 1999; an Israeli court ordered Mondragon to stop offering its shares there without a prospectus; and investors in a betting syndicate run by Mandel (which won $27m on the Virginia lottery) complained that they were not paid. Finally, the new Ombudsman Hannington Alatoa concluded that Mandel had financially assisted Willy Jimmy and three other government officials improperly (Alatoa 2001). From 1997 media scandals concerning Vanuatu’s passport sales continued. Deposed cabinet minister Jimmy accused senior officials at Prime Minister Vohor’s office illegally selling passports to unqualified Asian businessmen–between fifty (Jimmy’s figure) and three hundred (anonymous government estimates) were sold, reputedly costing $8,000 to $25,000. Honorary Consul positions in Macau and Hong Kong allegedly cost about $90,000 each. Vanuatu’s government apparently received no proceeds. The media scandal continued until several civil servants resigned17.

In March 1998 the Ombudsman reported the illegal issue of numerous ordinary, diplomatic and official passports since 1993 under instruction from high government officials—particularly Korman, Jimmy, Vohor and Soksok. Recipients included people with criminal, or dubious, histories, or no recorded address. It was impossible to determine how many ordinary passports were issued to foreigners; at least 29 diplomatic and 42 official passports were granted (only six of these being formally accepted by a receiving country)18. The Ombudsman was concerned about possible abuses of exemptions granted with diplomatic and official passport–to carry drugs, ‘dirty’ money, or weapons. The Ombudsman detailed direct or indirect improper payments to Vohor, Jimmy, and Soksok. Scandals continued with the suspension of Citizenship Commission Secretary General, Kepouwe Manwo, accused of illegally issuing passports, in March 2003. Ironically, all powers concerning citizenship were transferred from Manwo to Jean Sese–previously suspended for unlawfully issuing a passport to Richard Jung of Resorts Las Vegas and issuing 64 passports to ineligible foreigners (Patterson 1998b, Vanuatu Trading Post 6/3/03).

In one year (probably its most active one 1996-1997) Vanuatu received about $3.3m for three hundred passports; approximately 1!% of its gross national product. Suggestions (with alarm in 2001) continue of significant illegal sales (Far Eastern Economic Review 5/4/01).

Vanuatu’s international reputation was damaged and some countries (e.g.,Canada) dropped visa waivers for Vanuatu’s nationals (Ottawa Citizen 5/12/01,Vancouver Sun 7/12/01).

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