Vanuatu Permanent Residency
Why Apply for Permanent Residence in Vanuatu?
Almost anybody who visits Vanuatu becomes enthralled
in its splendor. It is an 83-island tropical
paradise in the southern Pacific Ocean to the
northeast of Australia. You will believe you have
gone to Heaven when you arrive here, even if it is
your first time. Its crystal-clean, sandy beaches
and sparkling aqua blue waters are a sight to
behold. Top that off with a magnificent climate and
plenty of sunny days and you too will likely never
want to leave.
We would be remiss if we
didn’t mention the people. They are friendly,
happy and financially well-off. The government is
stable and secure with no ridiculous in-fighting and
governs over some reasonable laws and regulations,
which are kept to a minimum. The economy is doing
well. These traits are important if you are
contemplating the setup of a business. All these
facts are reasons you could want permanent resident
status in Vanuatu. Now we are going to explain how
to go about getting that.
Guidance Notes for Permanent Residence Applications
It is
easier than you might think, especially if you
utilize the services of a Vanuatu authorized firm to
represent you. They understand each step of the
process. Your chosen firm will have you begin by
enrolling in the program specifically designed for
an applicant and his or her immediate family to gain
the approval to become a permanent resident of
Vanuatu.
The actual approval process for
permanent residency in Vanuatu is handled by the
duty office with the Immigration Department. He or
she is stationed within the Vanuatu Trade Commission
and will also answer all questions. They also handle
the certification by overseas governmental
departments.
What Documentation Will You Need?
Of
course, there are some documents you will be
required to have. Here is a list of them:
•
A passport that has been valid for at least one year
•
A No Criminal Records certificate from your place of
domicile
• 2 color photos of yourself and of
each family member
• A letter of undertaking to
the government of Vanuatu, certified by the Vanuatu
Trade Commission
• Proof of assets and income,
must be certified by the Financial Services
Commission of Vanuatu
How to Apply for Vanuatu Permanent Residency?
The
first thing you must do is begin a Residence Visa
Program. Next, fill out and sign an application
form. You must furnish proof of your financial
status including all income and assets. This gets
done courtesy of an authorized officer of the
Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC.) If you
are rejected at any point during these first three
steps, your representative will investigate the
matter and inform you of their findings.
Once
you are accepted after those three steps, you move
forward to the next two procedures. You need to
receive a certified letter from an officer of the
VFSC. Then give all documentation you have
accumulated thus far to the Immigration Officer. At
this point he or she will begin a preliminary
assessment. As with the first three steps, if you
are rejected at this stage of the process, the firm
you hire will follow up with the authorities and get
back to you.
After approval by the Immigration
Officer, you follow these procedures:
•
Undertaking letter and filing fee information will
be presented to you in the form of written
notice.
• Your agent will present your filing
fee to the Immigration Department.
• Your agent
gives all documents to the Immigration Officer. He
or she will examine all documentation and make an
approval decision.
• At this time your
certificate of approval, proof of non-criminal
activity document, and your non-citizen ID card will
be needed.
• Bring all the above-listed
documents to the company you have chosen and they
will take care of the rest for you.
Additional Information on the Visa Program for Vanuatu Permanent Residence
Back
in early September of 2011, an Immigration
Regulation Order known as No. 180 of 2011, was
enacted. It was made public a few days later in the
official gazette. Amongst the things it said was a
list of criteria for applying for permanent
residency in Vanuatu to begin with. If these
criteria are met and all required documents and fees
are presented, there should not be problems with
your acceptance. What are these criteria? Keep
reading:
• Registration of the applicant’s
business with VFSC.
• Certificate of
Registration of that same company issued by
VFSC.
• Must provide VFSC with proof of assets
and income.
• Payment of all fees is needed at
this time.
• Certified letter of undertakings of
the applicant’s business from the appropriate
Vanuatu Trade Commission Office must be handed over.