Parents can be included in a Vanuatu citizenship application, and so can children aged 18-25 if they study full time, have no income and are unmarried. Children over 25 and other relatives are considered individually. Every extra person changes the price, and sometimes the choice between the contribution and the fund, so settle the family list before you sign.
Who can be included
An application is built around the main applicant. A spouse, children and parents can be added. Young children raise no special questions. Adults are treated more strictly: age, studies, income and marital status all count.
The table shows the general logic. It tells you where a relative is likely to fall, but the actual answer comes from the preliminary check.
| Who | Condition |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Included |
| Child under 18 | Included |
| Child aged 18-25 | Full-time study, no income, not married |
| Child over 25 | Individual decision |
| Parents | Included |
| Other relatives | Individual decision |
Children aged 18-25: three conditions at once
A child in this age group has to meet all three conditions together: full-time study, no income and no marriage. Two out of three is not enough. A full-time student who already earns a salary falls outside the general rule. So does a student with no income who has married.
Look at your child's actual situation before you apply. The form of study must be full time, and it is worth checking this against the university's papers rather than relying on how the family describes it. Mention any part-time work straight away. It can be discussed calmly at the preliminary check, while hidden income creates risk: deception in an application is one of the grounds for revoking citizenship.
If even one condition is not met, the general rule no longer applies, and we look at the situation separately during the preliminary check. Another route is a separate application with the adult child as main applicant. In that case they go through the FIU check themselves and prove their own source of funds.
Children over 25 and other relatives
There is no single formula for children over 25 or for other relatives. They are considered individually, so it would be dishonest to promise an outcome in advance. The right order is simple: name the person at the preliminary check and get an answer before you sign.
The check is free and takes 1-2 working days. It keeps your family plan from resting on an assumption. If a relative cannot be included, you find out before any payments or document gathering begin.
Parents: what they have to do in person
Parents can join the application, and for older people the process is easier than it sounds. Nobody has to fly to Vanuatu or live there. The oath is taken online by video call, at a convenient time and separately from biometrics.
Each participant gives biometrics in person, which takes 30-60 minutes. Sessions run in Moscow and St Petersburg at least once a month. In another city, a staff member will come to a home, office or hotel, even for one person. For parents who find travel hard, this is usually the main concern, and it is solved without a flight. Biometrics are also available in Port Vila, Dubai and Hong Kong.
One limit is worth knowing early: there is no power of attorney in this process. An adult parent signs their own documents. Neither the children nor the main applicant can sign for them. If your parents live in another city, allow time for their signatures.
Documents adult participants need
The FIU check covers the main applicant, not every family member. The largest document set also falls to the main applicant: passport, a second ID, police certificate, employment letter, 6 months of bank statements, proof of source of funds and other papers.
A police certificate is required from every participant aged 18 or over. This is where adult children and parents add work and time.
- The certificate comes from the country of citizenship and the country of residence.
- It is valid for 6 months, so ordering it too early is a mistake.
- If the person lived in another country for more than a year in the past 10 years, a certificate from there is needed too.
- Adult children who studied abroad and parents who lived in another country are the people this rule catches most often.
How relatives change the price
In the contribution program, the amount rises with each person. In the CIIP fund, one price covers a family of 1 to 4, and from the fifth person $26 500 is added per person. This means the same parents can add $30 000 in one program and nothing in the other.
An example: a couple in the contribution program pays $155 000 including the fee. Add two parents and the total becomes $185 000. In the fund, a couple and a family of four pay the same $165 000. Of that amount, $50 000 is a share in the fund for 5 years, and after 5 years the fund buys it back from its reserves under its own documents.
| People in application | Contribution with fee | Fund with fee | Fund after share returned |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $135 000 | $165 000 | $115 000 |
| 2 | $155 000 | $165 000 | $115 000 |
| 3 | $170 000 | $165 000 | $115 000 |
| 4 | $185 000 | $165 000 | $115 000 |
| 5 | $195 000 | $191 500 | $141 500 |
| 6 | $205 000 | $218 000 | $168 000 |
Choosing a program for a large family
For three to five people, the fund costs less from the start. For six to eight people, the fund works out cheaper after the share is returned, but it requires more money on day one. For 9-10 people, the contribution program stays cheaper even after the return.
Billed separately are translations and certification, Vanuatu citizen documents, biometrics and the passport, and bank fees. These lines depend on the number of people, so a large family should allow for them. There are no other payments, and our work is included in the cost of the program.
The timeline stays the same: usually 2 months, 3 at most. Documents take 1-2 weeks, and with several adults this stage needs more attention. A holiday in the middle of the process or a slow money transfer can stretch it.
What adult Russian citizens must do afterwards
Russian citizens are allowed a second citizenship, but they must notify the Interior Ministry (MVD) within 60 calendar days of receiving it, counted from the certificate date. If the person is abroad, the 60 days run from the day they enter Russia. Notice is given through Gosuslugi or in person.
Each Russian citizen files their own notice, and a parent files for children. So an adult child and elderly parents are each responsible for their own filing. Warn them in advance and keep the certificate date to hand.
To find out whether your family list works, send everyone you want to include to the preliminary check. Give the age, studies, income and marital status of adult children. You will get a clear answer and a calculation under both programs.
Common questions
Can I include a 22-year-old who studies full time and works part time?
The general rule requires no income, so mention the work straight away. We review such situations at the preliminary check, before any contract. If your child does not qualify, a separate application remains possible.
Do parents have to fly to Vanuatu?
No. The oath is online, and biometrics can be given in Moscow, St Petersburg, Port Vila, Dubai or Hong Kong. In another city, a staff member will come to a home, office or hotel, even for one person.
Can children sign documents for elderly parents?
No, there is no power of attorney in the process. Every adult signs personally. A parent signs only for children under 12, and from 12 children sign for themselves.
Do parents go through the FIU check?
The FIU check covers the main applicant. Parents still provide their own documents, including a police certificate, since it is required from every participant aged 18 or over.