Buying an apartment in Vanuatu in 2026
Nobody can buy land in Vanuatu outright: it all belongs to customary owners. A foreigner gets a lease of up to 75 years and the house on it, pays about 7% in duties and no income tax.
In short
- No freehold land: a foreigner gets a registered lease of up to 75 years and owns the house on it.
- Costs: stamp duty and registration together about 7% of the lease value.
- Taxes: no personal income, capital gains or inheritance tax.
- A passport comes from a $130,000 government fund donation, not from buying a home.
- The main risk: disputes among customary owners block lease renewal.
In detail
You cannot buy a flat in Vanuatu in the usual sense: under the Constitution all land belongs to customary owners, and neither foreigners nor most locals hold freehold. A foreigner gets a registered land lease of up to 75 years and owns the house on it. Such a lease is a real asset: it can be sold, inherited and mortgaged. A detailed look at the market and transaction support is on the page property in Vanuatu; here are short answers to the main questions.
How a 75-year land lease works
| Question | How it works |
|---|---|
| Term | up to 75 years; the price depends heavily on the remaining term |
| Renewal | only by agreement with the owners, with no automatic right |
| Registration | with the Department of Lands; only a registered lease protects the buyer |
| Owners' consent | a new lease needs the consent of the whole customary owner group |
| Ground rent | paid yearly, with review terms set in the lease |
The market is small: most deals are on Efate, home to the capital Port Vila, and Espiritu Santo. A property is valued not only by the house but by the years left on the lease: a house with 20 years remaining and the same house with 70 years are two different products.
What the paperwork and taxes cost
- Stamp duty and lease transfer registration together - about 7% of the lease value.
- Separately you pay for title checks, surveying if needed and legal support.
- No personal income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax.
- Value added tax - 15%.
- Renting out as a business requires approval from the Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority.
About 7% in duties is clear; an owners' dispute costs more
The law does not stop you from buying property in Vanuatu on your own. But mistakes cost more than the duties: a lease not registered with the Department of Lands, a customary owners' dispute the seller kept quiet about, a short remaining lease term with no right to renew and a house damaged by an earthquake. We check the title and lease history, establish the owners' position, inspect the building and handle the agreement and registration with locally licensed partners. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first application.
The cost of support depends on the island, the property and the lease term; our manager in the chat will calculate it.
How the purchase works
- Goal: a home for yourself, a resort property for rental or part of a citizenship plan.
- Title check at the Department of Lands: who the lessee is, how many years remain, any mortgages or disputes with owners.
- Property check: building permits, the house's condition, water and power supply.
- A lease transfer agreement and owners' approval if the lease requires it.
- Registration of the transfer at the Department of Lands and payment of duties.
Does buying give Vanuatu citizenship
The main route to a Vanuatu passport is a government fund donation from $130,000 for a single applicant, not a home purchase. An approved real estate option was launched in 2021, but there is no fresh official data on such applications in 2026. Since 3 February 2025 Vanuatu citizens need a visa for the Schengen area, and in 2026 the passport gives visa-free entry to 86 destinations.
The programme accepts Russian citizens on general due diligence terms: in March 2026 a memo adding Russia to the restricted list was withdrawn as erroneous two days later. More on the page Vanuatu citizenship and in our article on what a Vanuatu passport gives.
Risks when buying
- Disputes among customary owners can block renewal or a new lease.
- An unregistered lease does not protect the buyer.
- Low liquidity: buyers are few, and selling can take a long time.
- Cyclones and earthquakes: in December 2024 a strong earthquake damaged buildings in Port Vila, so the building's condition and insurance matter.
Time moves slower on the islands, and a boundary dispute can outlive both seller and buyer - so the owners are checked before anything else.
How we help
The law does not stop you from filing on your own. But mistakes cost more than the duties: an unregistered lease, an owners' dispute the seller kept quiet about, a house that will not survive the next cyclone. We check the title and lease history at the Department of Lands, establish the owners' position, inspect the building and handle the agreement and registration with locally licensed partners.
Property in Vanuatu
Lease and owner checks, transaction and registration support.
Learn more →Vanuatu citizenship
A donation from $130,000, timelines, checks and what the passport gives in 2026.
Learn more →Company in Vanuatu
A company to hold the property and rent it out.
Learn more →All programmes are in the overview Vanuatu, and family citizenship costs in our breakdown of what Vanuatu citizenship costs.
FAQ
Can a foreigner buy property in Vanuatu?
What does buying property in Vanuatu cost in fees?
Are there property taxes in Vanuatu?
Does buying property give Vanuatu citizenship?
Can a land lease in Vanuatu be renewed?
Can a Russian citizen buy property in Vanuatu?
Don’t want to figure this out alone?
We handle the whole process end to end: we check your documents, match a program to your situation and give you honest timelines and costs. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.
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