Citizenship by investment · Updated 23 October 2026
Which programmes accept your nationality
There is no single list that every citizenship-by-investment programme uses. For the two files on this project, the position on 23 October 2026 is below. It comes from programme reporting and from agents, not from a gazette we hold. It can change next week. We re-check it before anyone pays.
Pakistan, Bangladesh and Egypt
These nationalities were not on the Vanuatu restricted list as agents described it in October 2026. São Tomé has not published a ban naming them. Expect a full source-of-funds and police check anyway. Egypt’s own citizenship-by-investment programme is a different product and is not offered here.
Iran and Afghanistan
Both are widely reported on Vanuatu’s restricted list, with a possible exception for people who have lived outside that country for years. Sources disagree on five years or ten. São Tomé’s first-year figures included Iranian applicants. That shows files were taken in, not that a new file will pass. Afghanistan was not in those headline numbers. Sanctions and source of funds are checked person by person.
Russia
A Vanuatu memo of 9 March 2026 that added Russia was withdrawn two days later as issued in error. Later commentary still conflicts, so the safe sentence is: confirm with the programme in the same week you file. São Tomé’s first-year report listed Russian nationals among its largest groups of applicants. Again, that is history, not your result.
People who already hold several passports
Since 10 April 2026, São Tomé has held new applications from people who already have three or more foreign nationalities, under a limit the unit ties to Law No. 07/2022. If that is you, say so at the start.
What this table is not
It is not a promise that your nationality will be accepted. It is not legal advice. Caribbean, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan programmes are not ours to describe as open or closed. Use their own authorised-agent lists, and the date on this page, before you trust anyone else’s table.
This is not legal advice and not a promise of approval. 09 Life Residences sells homes. The citizenship file is a separate government process. We are not the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission and not the São Tomé Citizenship by Investment Unit. Nationality rules change. Confirm them before you pay.