Citizenship of Vanuatu through investment has become popular due to the fast processing procedure and visa-free access to dozens of countries. However, along with the growing interest from investors, cases of issuing fake or improperly processed passports have increased. Some applicants find out about the problem too late: when trying to open a bank account, obtain a visa, or pass an airport check. To avoid a situation where your second passport is deemed invalid, it is important to ensure its legality and authenticity in advance. Our lawyers will help verify the authenticity of the issued passport through databases and government channels, ensure that your application has been processed through an authorized agent, eliminate the risk of citizenship cancellation due to procedural violations, and prepare supporting documents for banks, visa, and immigration services.
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Citizenship by investment programs offer a fast and simplified path to obtaining a second passport. However, these very features sometimes raise doubts about the authenticity of the issued document. Increasingly, clients seek legal verification after facing visa refusals, account blocks, and problems at the border.
1. Unusually fast process of obtaining
If the passport was issued in less than 2–3 weeks without undergoing the full due diligence procedure, this is already a cause for concern. Officially, the timeframe for obtaining Vanuatu citizenship through the investment program is about 4–8 weeks, provided all requirements are met.
Suspicion may be caused by the absence of a stage for verifying the source of funds, skipping the pre-approval letter, the lack of an interview, or a request for additional documents.
2. Processing through unofficial channels
One of the main risks is obtaining a passport through unauthorized agents or firms not accredited by the government of Vanuatu. In such cases, the document may be issued on a counterfeit form, registered outside the official registry, or contain elements that do not comply with state standards. Citizenship obtained through “grey schemes” may be revoked by the authorities if procedural violations are discovered.
3. Poor document quality
The physical passport carrier can also raise doubts. Counterfeits often reveal the following signs: poor-quality printing, blurred elements of the emblem or barcodes, errors in the spelling of the name, date of birth, citizenship, absence of microprinting, protective layers, and holograms. Even a small typo can be a reason for entry denial.
4. Denial of entry into the country or crossing the border
If you were denied entry to a country that was supposed to be visa-free according to your passport, this may indicate issues with document verification. Border services regularly check international databases and may detect the absence of the passport in the active citizens’ database, the use of an outdated model, or data overlap with sanctioned or suspicious individuals.
5. Absence of accompanying documents
Confirmation of the legality of obtaining citizenship is provided by a naturalization certificate, a copy of the decision of the authorized body, and payment documents for the investment contribution. If after receiving the passport none of these documents were provided to you, there is a risk that your procedure is not officially registered.
The desire to save time and bypass bureaucracy often leads to turning to unofficial intermediaries, which ultimately results in the use of a fake passport. And although such documents may outwardly appear genuine, the consequences of their use are as severe as possible both legally and professionally.
In most countries around the world, the use of a fake passport is considered a criminal offense, even if the owner was unaware of its invalidity. If the fact of using a forged document is discovered at the border or in any government institution, the person may be charged with fraud, document forgery, attempted illegal border crossing, which entails arrest, detention, initiation of a criminal case, a ban on entering the country, and actual prison sentences.
The use of a fake passport almost always leads to immediate deportation with a ban on re-entry. In addition, information about the violation may be transmitted to international databases: the Schengen Information System (SIS), Interpol databases, and national immigration control databases. Future visas and travel, even with legal documents, will be at risk, and repeated border crossings will involve lengthy checks.
If a fake passport was obtained under the “citizenship by investment” scheme through fraudulent or unofficial channels, there is a high likelihood that even formally issued citizenship will be revoked. Countries offering citizenship by investment reserve the right to withdraw the passport if it is discovered that the applicant obtained it illegally.
Investors who purchased a fake passport have no rights to a refund. Moreover, attempting to contest the situation without proof of legal processing may lead to additional problems.
To avoid such consequences, it is important from the very beginning to go through the citizenship acquisition process only through official channels and with legal support. Our team will help verify the authenticity of an already obtained passport, challenge questionable actions of intermediaries, and safely arrange citizenship through legal programs.
To avoid the consequences of using an invalid or fake passport, it is important to conduct an authenticity check in a timely manner. There are several ways to perform such a check: from visual analysis to official inquiries to government authorities.
As of today, Vanuatu does not provide open online databases for independent passport verification. Therefore, citizenship cannot be confirmed digitally via the internet using a passport number or identification code in an online registry.
The first step you can take on your own is to carefully examine the passport. A genuine Vanuatu passport has a number of visual and tactile authenticity features that are worth paying attention to.
First, evaluate the quality of printing and materials. Original passports are printed on thick paper with high-security elements. The personal page (which contains the photo and personal data) is laminated, does not peel off, and cannot be easily forged. Inside the document, there must be a machine-readable zone (MRZ) at the bottom of the page, as well as a barcode or digital code used when scanning passports at the border.
Also, pay attention to the presence of holograms embedded in lamination, microtext and ultraviolet marks, two-level image protection (for example, the photo is duplicated as laser engraving), the logo of the Republic of Vanuatu printed with high precision.
Compare the layout, color schemes, and fonts with official samples available in open sources. If you find spelling errors, blurred elements, or missing standard symbols — this is a serious reason for further verification.
If the visual analysis did not provide a clear result, the next step is an official request to the authorities of Vanuatu, which maintain records of issued passports. The main structures responsible for citizenship are:
An official request can be submitted directly. However, in most cases, a response is available only with the written consent of the passport holder and the completion of all formal procedures. It is much more effective to contact a legal representative or a licensed agent who is already accredited to interact with government authorities.
When submitting a request, it is necessary to provide a scanned copy of the passport (personal page), the naturalization certificate number, copies of supporting documents (payment, application, certificates). The response may take from several days to 2–3 weeks, but this method allows obtaining official confirmation or refutation of the passport’s authenticity. In case of violations, lawyers may initiate the restoration procedure and file a complaint against an unscrupulous intermediary.
The passport cover is a rich dark green color with gold embossing. On the front side, there is the coat of arms of the Republic of Vanuatu (a warrior with a spear), at the top — the inscription “Republic of Vanuatu” and “République de Vanuatu” (in English and French), and at the bottom — the word “Passport / Passeport.” The passport meets biometric standards: the e-passport icon indicates the presence of a microchip.
On the first page, there is an embedded RFID microchip with biometric data: photo, fingerprints, signature, digital signature. The personal page contains:
On the next page – “Passport note” on behalf of the President in two languages.
The personal page is always laminated to prevent forgery and damage. Holograms, microtext, ultraviolet marks, encrypted chip data, and a digital signature are used for protection. Machine-readable zones (MRZ) are mandatory — two lines at the bottom of the page, ICAO standard.
1. Check the license and accreditation
You can apply for a Vanuatu passport only through officially licensed agents approved by the government. The register of such agents is published on the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission website.
If the intermediary cannot provide a valid license or refuses to show it, this is a warning sign. A genuine license contains a number, the company name, the validity period, and the signature of a representative of the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission. You can request confirmation of the document’s legality through a government channel or our lawyers.
2. Beware of fake websites and “doppelgangers”
Fraudsters often create fake websites, copying the design of official government resources or well-known legal companies. Such websites provide false information, fake client reviews, and even photos from other people’s events. Verify:
3. Make sure there is an office and real contacts.
Official representatives always have a registered legal address, a team of specialists, and open communication channels. If you are offered “everything online, without signatures and documents,” asked to transfer money to a private account, or they hide who you are working with — this is a clear sign of risk.
Before making a payment, check the company’s address and the presence of an office, ask for a call with a lawyer or representative, not just a “manager,” research the company through external sources: legal registries, customer reviews, government databases.
4. Check connections with government structures
Reliable intermediaries interact directly with the Citizenship Commission, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and passport issuance authority. They can provide a confirmation letter from the government, templates of official forms, a license number, and the date of the last document submission. If the intermediary does not provide any confirmations, this may mean that your documents will not be officially submitted, and the passport may be fake or subject to cancellation in the future.
5. Don’t fall for overly advantageous offers
Phrases like “get a passport in 7 days without checks,” “we don’t require sources of income,” or “cheaper than others” are often signs of fraud. The legitimate Vanuatu citizenship program requires due diligence checks, an official application, confirmation of investments in the established amount, and payment of a government fee. If someone tries to convince you that “everything can be bypassed,” you risk losing not only your money but also your future legal status.
The first thing you need to do is immediately seek legal assistance. Only an experienced lawyer can assess how serious the consequences are, in which countries you have already used the passport, and how to properly build a defense strategy. The second step is to document all the circumstances of obtaining the passport: correspondence with the intermediary, payment receipts, copies of applications and contracts. These materials may serve as a basis for filing a fraud claim.
It is also necessary to report the incident to official authorities, including the police of your country of citizenship and immigration services. If the passport was used for application to a bank, visa, or immigration, it is important to inform these institutions to eliminate the risk of being accused of intentional fraud.
In some cases, it is possible to legalize your status through reapplying for citizenship, but only on the condition that you were unaware of the forgery and acted in good faith. Such a procedure may include contacting an officially licensed agent, undergoing a renewed reliability check, and making new investments.
A licensed agent works directly with the Citizenship Commission, has access to government application submission channels, and can track the status of the application at all stages. You will receive a transparent and traceable procedure, confirmed by official documents and payments to the state account.
An appeal to an authorized representative also ensures that you undergo a reliability check in accordance with the country’s requirements: without forgeries, fake certificates, or other risks. In case of inquiries from banks, visa centers, or immigration services, you will always be able to confirm the legality of your passport or status. Working through a licensed agent also reduces the risks of fraud, loss of investments, denial of citizenship, and subsequent passport annulment.
Our legal team has significant experience working with Vanuatu CBI programs, assisting clients in verifying the authenticity of their passports and confirming the legality of obtaining citizenship.
If you have any doubts regarding the issued passport, we can initiate a verification by its number and personal data through the official authorities of the Republic of Vanuatu. We cooperate with the Citizenship Commission and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, using accredited legal channels, and receive official confirmation of the document’s validity.
If necessary, we act as an intermediary in official requests on behalf of the client, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with all legal procedures. We also assist in preparing explanatory letters for banks, visa centers, or immigration services in case the authenticity of the document is questioned.
Our goal is to protect clients from the consequences of using fake documents and to restore legal clarity if errors were made during the processing procedure.
If you doubt the authenticity of a Vanuatu passport or want to ensure that it was issued through an official channel, our lawyers are ready to help. We work directly with Vanuatu citizenship programs and can initiate an official request to the authorized bodies, verify the document’s registration, and confirm its legality.
Do not risk your citizenship and safety. Contact us, and we will conduct a full legal check of your passport.
Unlock your path to Vanuatu citizenship by investment with us. We’ll show you how to get citizenship quickly and hassle-free. Your journey starts here!
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