How to Recognise and Protect Yourself from a Fake Vanuatu Passport: A Complete Guide

Why might a Vanuatu passport turn out to be fake?

Fraudsters aiming to profit from the popularity of Vanuatu’s citizenship program use several well-practised schemes. They exploit clients’ desire to save time and money by offering services that bypass official procedures. Understanding these tricks is the first and most important step towards ensuring your safety. Knowing what to look out for turns a potential victim into an informed and protected investor.

Unusually fast process of obtaining

The official processing time for a citizenship application for Vanuatu through the Development Support Program (DSP) is between 4 to 8 weeks. This period is necessary for conducting a comprehensive Due Diligence check, overseen by the Financial Intelligence Unit of Vanuatu (FIU). This stage cannot be skipped or expedited. Any promises to issue a passport within 2-3 weeks or “bypassing the check” are a direct indication of fraud.

Registration through unofficial channels

The government of Vanuatu strictly regulates the application process. Only accredited agents holding the appropriate licence from the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission are authorised to represent investors’ interests. Offers to “obtain citizenship directly through a government official” or through an unlicensed legal firm are illegal schemes. Always verify that your agent has a valid licence. This can be done by requesting a copy of their licence and cross-checking the details with the official list on the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission’s website.

Low quality of the document

A fake passport, even the highest quality one, can almost always be distinguished from the original upon close examination. This is the most obvious sign of deception that can be identified independently.

Here is a visual checklist for verifying the authenticity of a Vanuatu passport:

• Hologram: On the page with the photograph, there must be a high-quality, multi-layered hologram. When the angle of inclination changes, it shimmers and displays various images, rather than just shining. In counterfeits, the hologram often looks like an ordinary sticker.
• Microtext: In various parts of the passport, for example, around the photograph or in the background lines, microtext is applied. When viewed through a magnifying glass, it should be clear and legible. Fraudsters cannot reproduce such detail, and their microtext appears as a solid or dotted line.
• UV elements: A genuine passport contains hidden images and fibres that become visible only under ultraviolet light. These may include national symbols, patterns, or text. Their absence is a clear sign of forgery.
• Machine-readable zone (MRZ): Two lines of characters at the bottom of the personal data page must be printed in a special font (OCR-B). The font must be perfectly aligned, and the ink should not rub off when friction is applied. Check whether the code is readable by a scanner (for example, through special smartphone applications). Errors in the code or its unreadability indicate forgery.
• Overall quality: The original passport is made from high-quality materials. The paper is dense, the pages are securely stitched, the print is clear, without smudges or typos in your personal data.

Lack of accompanying documents

The legal procedure for obtaining citizenship concludes with the issuance of not only the passport itself. The investor receives a whole package of official documents confirming the legality of their new status. The absence of these documents is a verdict for any proposal. Without them, the passport is nothing more than a useless booklet. The key document is the Certificate of Naturalisation, signed by the President of Vanuatu.

Consequences of using a fake passport

An attempt to save money on the official procedure and the use of a fake document lead to catastrophic consequences. It is important to understand that responsibility lies not only with the manufacturer but also with the owner of the forgery.

The consequences may be as follows:

1. Criminal liability: The use of a forged document is a criminal offence in most countries around the world. This can lead to imprisonment for several years.
2. Deportation and lifetime entry ban: If forgery is detected at the border, you will be immediately detained, deported, and added to the list of persons who are permanently banned from entering the country. This often extends to entire unions, such as the Schengen Area, as well as the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada, and other countries.
3. Inclusion in Interpol’s “blacklists”: Your data may be entered into Interpol’s database of lost and stolen travel documents (SLTD). This means that any attempt to cross the border will result in you being identified as a person posing a security threat.
4. Confiscation of the passport and loss of money: The counterfeit document will be seized, and all money spent on its acquisition will be irretrievably lost.
5. Receiving visa refusals in the future: Even after serving your sentence, information about your offence will remain in databases, which practically guarantees refusals in obtaining any visas in the future.

How to protect yourself from a fake Vanuatu passport?

To guarantee obtaining legal citizenship and a genuine passport, it is necessary to follow a clear plan of action. Your vigilance is the best protection against fraudsters.

How much does a Vanuatu passport cost?

The cost of Vanuatu citizenship is clearly defined by legislation. The minimum amount of the non-refundable contribution under the DSP program depends on the number of applicants.

Category of applicants

Minimum contribution (USD)

One applicant

$130,000

Married couple

$150,000

A family of 3 people (spouses + 1 child)

$165,000

A family of 4 people (spouses + 2 children)

$180,000

Learn more

Protect yourself from a fake passport with our team!

Choosing a reliable partner is the key to successfully and safely obtaining second citizenship. Our team consists of government-accredited Vanuatu agents with many years of experience and an impeccable reputation. We guarantee complete transparency at all stages of the process, from document preparation, including Vanuatu Police Clearance Certificate, until you are handed the genuine passport and all accompanying documents. Contact us for a consultation to make your path to new opportunities, such as  Vanuatu visa-free countries, safe and predictable.