Commission proposes partial suspension of visa waiver agreement with Vanuatu to address risks linked to golden passport schemes

The Commission is proposing a partial suspension of the application of the agreement with the Republic of Vanuatu allowing citizens of Vanuatu to travel to the EU without a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-period. This is necessary to mitigate the risks posed by Vanuatu's investor citizenship (or “golden passports”) schemes on the security of the EU and its member states. Today's proposal follows extensive exchanges with the authorities of Vanuatu, including prior warnings of the possibility of suspension. The schemes allow citizens of third countries to obtain Vanuatu citizenship - and thus also visa-free access to the EU - in exchange for a minimum investment of 130,000 USD. Based on careful monitoring of the schemes and information received from Vanuatu, the Commission has concluded that Vanuatu's investor citizenship schemes present serious deficiencies and security failures, with for instance the granting of citizenship to applicants listed in Interpol's databases, an average application processing time too short to allow for thorough screening and a very low rejection rate. The Commission is proposing a partial and proportionate suspension of the visa waiver agreement. The suspension would be applicable to all holders of ordinary passports issued as of 25 May 2015, when Vanuatu started issuing a substantial number of passports in exchange for investment. These holders would therefore no longer be allowed to travel to the EU without a visa. It is now for the Council to examine this proposal and decide whether to partially suspend the visa waiver agreement. More information is available in the press release and Q&A.

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