Vanuatu/European Union: European Council Fully Suspends Visa Waiver Agreement
November 9, 2022
Effective February 4, 2023, visa-free travel in the European Union will be fully suspended for Vanuatu citizens due to security and compliance risks posed by the country’s investor-citizenship (golden passport) schemes. The European Union and Vanuatu’s visa waiver agreement has been in force since 2015, allowing short-stay travel within the European Union without a visa for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. On March 3, 2022, the visa waiver agreement was partially suspended, making those with ordinary passports issued by Vanuatu as of May 25, 2015 subject to the visa requirement. Starting February 4, 2023, a Schengen visa will be required for all periods of stay for all Vanuatuan citizens, who will no longer be eligible for ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) once it comes into effect. Affected individuals should apply for a Schengen visa to avoid any sanctions once the suspension is in effect. Fragomen will revert with developments as they occur.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected] / [email protected].
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