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Vanuatu Suspends CIIP Until Further Notice Amid Regulatory Overhaul · IMI Podcasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Vanuatu's Citizenship Commission halted all new applications under the Capital Investment Immigration Plan, also known as CIIP, for 2025, effective immediately.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: The suspension, announced March 17, will remain in place until further notice, according to an official memo issued to agents.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: The CIIP is a citizenship by investment program that requires investment into government-designated funds, such as the CIIP Cocoa Fund, Mellicule Cocoa Farming, and CIIP CNO Future Fund.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: Unlike the Development Support Program, referred to as DSP, which is purely donation-based, the CIIP aims to channel foreign investments into key sectors of Vanuatu's economy.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: The Commission made this decision during its first meeting on March 12, following direct instructions from the Prime Minister's office through Cabinet of Ministers, Decision No.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: 012 of 2025.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: According to the official notice, all CIIP agents should prepare for, quote, a new CIIP regulation that will be finalized by the Office of the Attorney General and for the signature of the Honorable Prime Minister on its official regulation, end quote.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Quote, this suspension was well anticipated, as the review of the CIIP was identified among the top ten priorities in the new government's 100-day plan.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: End quote, explains Glenn Craig, managing partner of Pacific Advisory.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: The primary objective is to strengthen the program and enhance compliance measures.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Manpreet Kataria, managing director at Alpha Immigration Associates, told IMI that, in the past few days, the government, quote, in the past few days, the government has revoked a few fraudulently obtained passports to tackle negative publicity around the program.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: And now with this step, the government aims to prevent the illegal discounting in CIIP and ensure accountability of investments received by agents under CIIP.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: End quote.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: Quote, the restructuring of CIIP is a necessary step to protect the program's long-term credibility and ensure it delivers on its intended economic benefits.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: End quote, explains Daniel Agias, Director of VIMB Services Limited.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: We welcome these reforms as they will create a more transparent and sustainable investment framework.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: Craig reveals that recently processed applications remain unaffected by the suspension.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: Quote, in our discussions with the Citizenship Commission, we understand they have recently processed a substantial number of outstanding applications this week.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: There may be approximately a two-three-week delay for the next sitting, whilst the new draft regulations undergo consultation with several key designated agents of the program.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: End quote.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: The Citizenship Commission assured agents they will receive information about the appropriate date as to when the commencement of the new regulation and the contracts to be signed.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: According to Kataria, many agents were underselling and blatantly making false advertising claims.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's good that they're being fixed.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: He adds he's happy that the government is trying to ensure a level playing field.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: The suspension applies only to the CIIP program, while Vanuatu's other citizenship by investment options, the DSP and VCP, Chinese applicants only, remain active and available to eligible applicants.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: The suspension comes after President Nikanike Vurobaravu appointed Charlie Maniel as the new chairman of the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission for a five-year term on March 8, 2025.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: According to Craig, the upcoming regulations will likely drastically reduce the number of designated agents, establish specific guidelines around investment requirements, provide clear parameters regarding government investment sector priorities, and implement stronger accountability measures for fund allocation.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: He also anticipates a potential price increase to align with EU suggested requirements and follow similar adjustments observed in Caribbean program.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: Kataria suggests, we are also expecting changes in normal processing procedures, which are being implemented to strengthen due diligence.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: The Commission acknowledged the inconvenience we may cause, but emphasized the need to adhere to such directions from COM and the Office of the Prime Minister.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: Craig notes that, over the past two years the government has already implemented more rigorous due diligence requirements, which have proven highly effective.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: We have observed a significant increase in application rejections by the Financial Intelligence Unit, effectively preventing potentially unsuitable applicants from proceeding to the Citizenship Commission stage.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: The EU voted to permanently suspend Vanuatu's visa-free access in 2024, and now the country has appeared on a reported U.S.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: travel ban list, compounding the current situation.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: This episode first appeared as an article by Ahmad Abbas on IMIDaily.com.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: Subscribe for free to the IMI newsletter for breaking news and updates from the investment migration industry, and upgrade your membership to IMI Pro to get access to our exclusive professional community, citizenship catalog, investment migration company Rolodex, private briefings, and more members only content.