Short answer: a Vanuatu passport currently gives visa-free entry to 46 destinations, visa on arrival in 41 more and an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) in another 5, according to the Passport Index dashboard on 26 October 2026. That adds up to 92 places you can visit without arranging a visa at an embassy first. Most of them are in the Pacific, the Caribbean, Latin America and parts of Africa and Asia. Europe is no longer on the list: the Schengen countries and the United Kingdom both require a visa, and so do Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Japan and China.

The topic is back in the news. Vanuatu's citizenship programmes earned the government about VT11.4 billion (roughly US$95.5 million) in the first six months of 2026, close to 39% of its domestic revenue, and the European Union has given five Caribbean citizenship-by-investment countries until 12 November to suspend their programmes or risk the same loss of visa-free travel that Vanuatu went through. This guide explains where a Vanuatu passport works today, what changed and why, and how to check before you book.

The numbers at a glance

Passport rankings count destinations in slightly different ways, so treat any single number as a snapshot rather than a legal guarantee. On the Passport Index dashboard (checked 26 October 2026), the Vanuatu passport shows:

• Visa-free: 46 destinations
• Visa on arrival: 41 destinations
• eTA (online pre-approval): 5 destinations
• Visa required: 106 destinations

Visa-free plus visa on arrival plus eTA gives the "mobility score" of 92. Other rankings, including the Henley Passport Index, use their own counting rules, so you may see a different total elsewhere. The destinations that matter most for ni-Vanuatu travellers are covered below.

Where a Vanuatu passport works without a visa

The Pacific

For ni-Vanuatu, the most useful entries are close to home. Fiji allows visa-free stays of up to 120 days, which matters because Nadi is a main connecting hub for flights out of Port Vila (our guide to flights to Vanuatu covers the routes). Kiribati (90 days) and the Federated States of Micronesia (30 days) are also visa-free.

Several neighbours issue a visa or entry permit on arrival rather than waiving it entirely: the Marshall Islands and Nauru (up to 90 days), Palau (30 days), Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Samoa. Papua New Guinea offers an eVisa or a visa on arrival for up to 60 days. "On arrival" still means meeting the entry conditions, typically a passport valid for six months, an onward or return ticket and proof of accommodation, so carry the paperwork.

Asia

Hong Kong allows visa-free visits of up to 90 days and the Philippines up to 30 days. Malaysia allows 30-day visits, but you must complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card online before you land. Macao and the Maldives grant 30 days on arrival, Cambodia and Nepal offer a visa on arrival or eVisa, and India, Indonesia and Laos run eVisa systems that you apply for online before travelling.

The Caribbean and Latin America

This is where the passport is strongest. Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Dominica allow stays of up to 180 days, the Bahamas and Grenada allow 90 days, and Jamaica is also visa-free. In Latin America, Peru allows up to 180 days, Ecuador and Panama 90 days, and Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are visa-free as well. Costa Rica allows 30 days.

Africa, Europe's fringe and elsewhere

Visa-free entries also include Botswana, Mauritius, Lesotho, Malawi and the Gambia (up to 90 days), plus Angola and Eswatini (30 days). On the edge of Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Moldova allow 90 days and Belarus 30 days; these countries are outside the Schengen area and set their own visa rules. Egypt and Jordan offer visas on arrival, and Israel uses an eTA.

Where you need a visa

The list of major destinations that require a visa in advance is long, and it is where most travel plans run into trouble:

• The Schengen area and the rest of the EU, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries.
• The United Kingdom and Ireland.
• Australia and New Zealand. Both require a visa before travel, even for a short holiday or a family visit.
• The United States and Canada.
• Japan, China and South Korea.

Holding a visa or residence permit for one country can sometimes change the rules for another, for example short visits or transit for holders of a valid US or UK visa. Those exceptions are narrow and change often, so check them directly rather than relying on a summary.

Why Europe and the UK closed the door

Ni-Vanuatu could visit the Schengen area without a visa from 28 May 2015 under a visa waiver agreement with the EU. From 25 May 2015, Vanuatu had also been running investor citizenship schemes, which let people from countries that normally need an EU visa buy Vanuatu citizenship and, with it, visa-free travel to Europe.

The EU's concerns built up over the following years. It partly suspended the waiver in 2022 for passports issued since May 2015, then suspended it for all Vanuatu passports from February 2023. On 12 December 2024 the Council of the EU went further and formally removed Vanuatu from the visa-exempt list, saying the investor citizenship scheme had "resulted in security and migration risks for the EU". Ni-Vanuatu now apply for a Schengen visa like other visa nationals.

The United Kingdom acted first. On 19 July 2023 it imposed a visa requirement on all ni-Vanuatu with immediate effect, citing concerns about the citizenship-by-investment scheme, with a four-week transition for people who had already booked travel. Visitors now apply online and give biometrics before travelling.

The important point for ordinary travellers is that these rules apply to every Vanuatu passport. A ni-Vanuatu student, seasonal worker or business traveller faces the same visa requirement as someone who bought citizenship through the programme.

Why the issue is in the news now

Vanuatu's experience is being watched closely in the Caribbean. According to IMI Daily, Antigua and Barbuda's prime minister said on 24 October 2026 that his Cabinet is leaning towards suspending its citizenship programme. EU officials have given Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia until 12 November to commit to suspending their programmes or risk losing Schengen visa-free access.

Vanuatu went down a different path. It kept selling citizenship after losing Europe, and the revenue has kept growing. A mid-year statement from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, reported by the Vanuatu Daily Post in July, showed citizenship receipts of VT11.4 billion in January to June 2026, more than value-added tax and about 39% of the VT29 billion collected excluding donor funds. The share was 21.8% in the first nine months of 2024 and 30.4% in the same period of 2025.

That money helps fund government services and the rebuild after the December 2024 earthquake, but it also ties the national budget to a product that other countries can restrict at any time. It is one reason passport policy keeps coming up in debates about Vanuatu's politics and about what independence means more than four decades after 30 July 1980.

How to check the rules before you book

Visa lists change with little notice, and a ranking site is a starting point, not an authority. Before you buy a ticket:

1. Ask your airline. Airlines check documents against IATA's Timatic database before you board, so its answer decides whether you fly.
2. Read the destination's official immigration website or contact its embassy or high commission: the Department of Home Affairs for Australia, GOV.UK for the United Kingdom, and for Schengen states the consulate of the country you will enter first or stay in longest.
3. Check passport validity. Many countries want at least six months left on your passport and a blank page.
4. Check transit rules. A connection through some airports can need a transit visa even if you never leave the terminal.
5. Carry proof. Visa-free and on-arrival entry still depend on a return ticket, accommodation details and enough money for the stay.

Travelling the other way? Visitors to Vanuatu have their own entry rules, and our guides to money in Vanuatu and staying safe in Port Vila cover the practical side of a trip.

Frequently asked questions

How many countries can a Vanuatu passport holder visit without a visa?

On 26 October 2026 the Passport Index listed 46 visa-free destinations, plus 41 with visa on arrival and 5 with an eTA: 92 in total without a visa arranged in advance. Other indexes count differently, so totals vary slightly.

Can a Vanuatu passport holder travel to Europe without a visa?

Not to the Schengen area. Visa-free travel was suspended in 2022 and 2023, and the EU removed Vanuatu from its visa-exempt list on 12 December 2024. A few non-EU countries in Europe, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Moldova, still allow visa-free visits.

Do ni-Vanuatu need a visa for Australia and New Zealand?

Yes. Both countries require a visa for Vanuatu passport holders, including for short visits. Seasonal and labour mobility schemes have their own visa routes.

Do ni-Vanuatu need a visa for the UK?

Yes, since 19 July 2023. Applications are made online, followed by a biometrics appointment.

Is a Vanuatu passport obtained through citizenship by investment treated differently?

No. Destination countries apply the same rules to every Vanuatu passport, however it was obtained.

Sources

• Passport Index: Vanuatu passport dashboard (checked 26 October 2026)
• Council of the EU: Vanuatu, Council ends visa exemption (12 December 2024)
• GOV.UK: Visa requirement for ni-Vanuatu nationals visiting UK (20 July 2023)
• IMI Daily: Antigua leans toward suspending CIP ahead of EU deadline on November 12 (25 October 2026)
• IMI Daily: Vanuatu CBI revenue higher than ever despite loss of visa-free Europe (28 July 2026)
• Vanuatu Immigration and Passport Services: EU halts Vanuatu visa-free access

Visa rules change often. This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice; confirm your own case with your airline and the destination's official immigration authority before you travel.