What is the difference between Vanuatu and Caribbean CIPs?

Passport and Visa

The Citizenship by Investment Programs (CIP) in the Caribbean and Vanuatu are quite different with prices and fees.  They also work different.

The biggest difference between the Caribbean CIP’s and the Vanuatu DSP/VCP schemes is the contribution fees. Unlike other Caribbean programs, Vanuatu citizenship program has Lawyer/Agent fees already included in the contribution. For Caribbean CIPs agent fee is extra

Vanuatu DSP: US$ 130,000 for one person ($80K goes to Govt and $50K goes to Lawyer and agent) plus $5000 due diligence fee. This is the minimum price set by Vanuatu citizenship commission. It cant be cheaper than this, it goes against govt rules. Application forms can be downloaded for free. New rules simplify Oaths now can also be taken through video conferencing

Caribbean CIP: Take for example Saint Lucia: $100K donation, plus $7500 due diligence fee plus Lawyer/Agent fee( $10K to $15K) one person

We tell client to understand the fee structure property. Don’t pay extra to agents!

The other important difference is speed in processing applications. Vanuatu is the fastest in the world with citizenship approvals possible in 1 month, if all documents in order. All caribbean programs take 3-4 months.

Here are some of the important differences between Vanuatu CBI and Caribbean CIP

Vanuatu Caribbean CIP
Geo Location Pacific Caribbean
Govt Contribution USD 130,000 USD 100,000
Lawyer / Agent fe Included in the contribution (US$50,000 fixed by Govt) Additional ($10,000 to $15,000 depending on dependents)
Real Estate Investment not available $200,00 onwards
Due diligence fee $5000 per application Applies to all family members above certain age. $7,500 (main, half for children)
Processing times 1 month 3-4 months
Application process Easy Medium
Visa free to Schengen / UK  yes yes
USA and Canada visa required visa required
Passport time 30-50 days 90-120 days
Passport validity 10 years 5-10 years
E-2 visa option not possible Possible with Grenada
Commonwealth yes yes
Right to vote  not possible possible
Passport power (visa free) 129 countries 140+ countries
Who cannot apply? depends depends
Personal visit not required not required
Oath yes yes

We hope this tip will help you deeper understanding with the pricing structure of the programs. We believe these small tips will save lot of money for families during these tough times of Covid pandemic.

 

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