Vanuatu vs Turkey: which passport to choose in 2026

7 min read · Published 7 October 2026

A Vanuatu passport costs from $130,000 and is ready in 1-3 months, but Schengen needs a visa. A Turkish one takes $400,000 in property that stays yours. We compare price, timing, travel and taxes.

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Key facts	Verdict
Cheaper passport	Vanuatu: from $130,000 versus $400,000
Faster	Vanuatu: 1-3 months
Money comes back	Turkey: the property can be sold after 3 years
Schengen visa-free	with neither passport
Country to live in	Turkey: residence, cities and the sea
Current passport	can be kept in both countries

Data checked: 07.10.2026

In short: who each country suits

Vanuatu - for those who need a backup passport fast and cheaply and do not care about Schengen and the UK.
Turkey - for those who want to put money into property, keep it and get the passport of a country you can live in.
If banks and long-term passport value matter, Turkey is more practical despite the price.

Vanuatu and Turkey are the two citizenship-by-investment programmes most often compared on price. Vanuatu wins on speed and a low entry, Turkey on keeping the money in property and offering a big country to live in. Neither passport helps with Schengen.

Below is a 15-row table and five key differences: residence, the path to citizenship, taxes, cost of living and everyday life with the new passport.

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Key facts in one table

Parameter	Vanuatu	Turkey
What the programme gives	a passport without residence	a passport for property, or residence
Minimum amount	from $130,000, a non-refundable contribution	from $400,000 in property
Family of 4	from $180,000	the same property; spouse and children under 18 join the application
Time to a passport	usually 1-3 months to the certificate	several months
Money comes back	no, the contribution is non-refundable	the property can be sold after 3 years
Visit to the country	only for biometrics	to buy and file documents
Current passport	can be kept	can be kept
Who is a tax resident	no personal income tax	more than 6 months in a row within a calendar year; short trips do not break the count
Income tax	none	15-40% on a scale, new residents pay no tax on foreign income for 20 years
Country's passport: visa-free travel	53 countries visa-free and 27 with visa on arrival	73 countries visa-free and 33 with visa on arrival
Schengen	a visa is required: the visa waiver is suspended	a visa is required
United Kingdom	a visa is required	a visa is required
Living in the country	few people move: islands in the Pacific	residence for property from $200,000, big cities and the sea
Single budget with rent	no need to live in the country	$1,800-2,800 a month in Istanbul
Currency	vatu	Turkish lira, high inflation

Vanuatu and Turkey are chosen by what the passport must do, not by price

Vanuatu is cheaper and faster, but its passport does not open Schengen and raises questions at banks. Turkey costs more, but the money stays in property and the country is fit to live in. The usual mistakes: choosing a passport by price without checking it against your travel routes, buying a Turkish property that fails the citizenship valuation, and not preparing source-of-funds documents. We match the passport to your goals, check the property and documents and handle the application up to the passport. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first filing.

The cost of support depends on the programme and your family; a manager will calculate it in the chat.

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Residence: where it is easier to get

Vanuatu sells only a passport: you do not need to live on the islands, and almost nobody who gets citizenship moves there. Residence as a separate goal does not exist here.

Turkey, by contrast, is a country to live in: residence for property from $200,000 in big cities and from $75,000 elsewhere, or through work or your own company. It is renewed every 1-2 years, and citizenship by investment gives the right to live in the country with no renewals at all.

Citizenship: where it is faster

A Vanuatu passport is granted for a non-refundable contribution from $130,000 for one and from $180,000 for a family of 4, plus $5,000 for due diligence. The citizenship certificate is usually issued within 1-3 months, and you visit only for biometrics.

A Turkish passport is granted for property from $400,000 held for 3 years, after which it can be sold. It takes several months and the family joins the application. Both countries let you keep your current passport.

Taxes: where they are lower

Vanuatu has no income tax, but for most passport holders it does not matter: taxes are paid where you live, and only a handful live on the islands.

Turkey taxes residents at 15-40% on a scale, but the law gives new residents 20 years without tax on foreign income. You become a tax resident after 6 months in a row in the country in a calendar year.

Cost of living: where it is cheaper

Vanuatu is not about cost of living: the passport is processed remotely and people visit the islands only for biometrics. The money goes on the contribution, due diligence and document translations.

In Turkey one person in Istanbul needs about $1,800-2,800 a month with rent, and a Turkish passport by investment costs almost three times a Vanuatu one, but the money stays in property.

Everyday life: banks, climate, schools

A Vanuatu passport opens 53 countries visa-free and 27 with visa on arrival, but Schengen and the UK require a visa because the EU suspended the visa waiver. For banks, a passport from a little-known island state is an extra reason for questions.

A Turkish passport opens more countries without a visa, gives the right to live in a big country by the sea, and Turkish citizens can obtain a US investor visa for their own business, though those who got the passport by investment qualify only after 3 years of living in Turkey. For living and banking it is far more practical.

This topic in other countries

Other country comparisons:

FAQ

Which is better: a Vanuatu or a Turkish passport?

Vanuatu for a fast and cheap backup passport; Turkey for an investment in property that stays yours and a country you can live in.

How much do Vanuatu and Turkish passports cost?

Vanuatu from $130,000 for one and from $180,000 for a family of 4, non-refundable. Turkey: property from $400,000 held for 3 years.

Where is a passport faster?

In Vanuatu the citizenship certificate usually comes in 1-3 months. In Turkey it takes several months.

Can you enter Schengen visa-free with a Vanuatu or Turkish passport?

No. The EU suspended visa-free travel for Vanuatu, and Turkish citizens always need a Schengen visa.

Do you need to live in Vanuatu or Turkey?

No. You visit Vanuatu only for biometrics, and Turkey to buy property and file documents.

Can you keep your current passport?

Yes, Vanuatu and Turkey both allow dual citizenship.

Can you get the money back?

Not in Vanuatu: the contribution is non-refundable. In Turkey the property can be sold 3 years after purchase.

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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