Starting a business in Vanuatu: foreigner's guide (2026)

Foreign investors must first register with VFIPA for a Foreign Investment Registration Certificate (FIRC), then incorporate the company with the VFSC and obtain a business licence from the Department of Customs and Inland Revenue or the relevant Provincial Council.

Vanuatu broadly allows 100% foreign ownership; there is no general requirement to take on a Ni-Vanuatu partner except where the activity is reserved or restricted.

The framework keeps 15 'reserved' activities (e.g., kava bars, second-hand clothing) exclusively for Ni-Vanuatu citizens — joint ventures are prohibited in these — and around 26 'restricted' activities open to foreigners only subject to threshold conditions. The Act requires the lists to be reviewed every two years.

FIRC registration via the VFIPA online registry portal takes about 1–7 working days, with a 15-working-day target for an investment certificate when all documents are complete; company name reservation and incorporation are handled through the VFSC.

The VFIPA new-application fee (Form 1) is VT 120,000. There is no general minimum paid-up capital to incorporate, but a Provisional Investor visa requires proof of funds of at least VT 10,000,000 (≈ USD 80,000+).

Applicants must submit a completed form and statutory declaration, name-reservation copy, VFIPA-template business plan, passport IDs and police clearance certificates, and pass KYC/source-of-funds checks; FIRC holders must file an annual survey and apply for a variation to change activity, name or investors.