By Doddy Morris
“The Minister of Internal Affairs has confirmed that proposed amendments to Vanuatu’s laws will ensure that the issuing of diplomatic passports aligns with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The announcement follows years of public concern and international scrutiny over the alleged misuse of diplomatic passports in the country. Earlier this year, the Minister, Andrew Napuat, also signed an order to revoke the issuance of diplomatic passports for Trade Commissioners.
Speaking to the media, Minister Napuat said there is a provision in an upcoming amendment to include the schedule in the list of positions aligned with the Vienna Convention.
“We will include a clause in the Act to ensure that if, at any time, we want to make changes to the schedule or to who is eligible for a diplomatic passport, it must comply with the Vienna Convention,” he said.
The Vienna Convention, which Vanuatu has ratified, sets the framework for diplomatic relations between states and defines the privileges and immunities granted to diplomats and their missions. However, it does not explicitly mention diplomatic passports. Instead, it focuses on the legal protections provided through accreditation by host countries. As such, while a diplomatic passport may indicate official status, it does not in itself grant immunity under the Convention.
The Minister’s statement comes amid efforts to restore integrity in the passport system after several high-profile cases of abuse.
According to Radio New Zealand (RNZ), in 2008 the Speaker of Parliament at that time, Sam Dan Avock, acquired nine diplomatic passports, which were subsequently issued to foreigners. In another case reported by RNZ in December 2011, 33 diplomatic passports were allegedly issued to a former official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The same report noted that passports were sometimes granted to foreigners claiming to be 'adopted' by ni-Vanuatu families — a loophole that raised concerns about manipulation of traditional practices for personal gain.
In response to mounting criticism, then-Foreign Minister Joe Natuman at that time reportedly took action in 2009, revoking diplomatic passports issued to over 40 foreign nationals. He also declared that only Vanuatu citizens would be eligible for diplomatic and official passports moving forward (RNZ, August 2009).
Further efforts to clean up the system were made in 2013. According to another RNZ report, then Foreign Minister Edward Natapei revoked several diplomatic passports and dismissed about ten overseas representatives. The report also noted that more than two-thirds of Vanuatu's overseas appointments were potentially at risk due to questions surrounding their legitimacy.
International consequences followed. In December 2024, Reuters reported that the European Union (EU) revoked Vanuatu’s visa-free travel agreement due to concerns over its "golden passport" scheme — a program that allowed foreigners to acquire Vanuatu citizenship through investment. The EU cited security risks and the lack of stringent background checks as the basis for its decision.
In early 2025, diplomatic passports again came under public scrutiny when opposition leader Ishmael Kalsakau called for an investigation into fresh allegations of improper issuance. While the government denied any wrongdoing and dismissed the claims as politically motivated, it agreed to conduct a review of the processes involved.
In March 2025, the Vanuatu Citizenship Office publicly clarified that it does not issue any type of passport, including diplomatic ones. According to Best-Citizenships.com, the office stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for issuing diplomatic and official passports, while the Department of Immigration and Passport Services — under the Ministry of Internal Affairs — handles ordinary passports.
The latest amendment announced by the Minister of Internal Affairs is intended to close existing loopholes by legally requiring that any changes to the list of positions eligible for diplomatic passports comply with the Vienna Convention.
This legislative step is being viewed as an attempt to rebuild both domestic trust and international credibility following years of reputational damage.”
#LivingInVanuatu
Source: Vanuatu Daily Post
