An IMGW News Report
The Pacific microstate of Vanuatu is reassessing its controversial citizenship-by-investment programme following revelations that Andrew Tate – self-styled misogynist, influencer, and criminal suspect – was granted citizenship in 2022. Authorities now say they are “definitely looking into” stripping him of the passport acquired under the country’s Golden Visa programme, which offers nationality in exchange for a $130,000 investment.
“Those who are wanted or investigated by overseas authorities are not welcome.”
Tate received Vanuatu citizenship in December 2022, the same month he and his brother Tristan were arrested in Romania on charges of rape and human trafficking. Although Romania imposed travel restrictions, no formal extradition treaty exists between the two nations, complicating cross-border legal cooperation. It remains unclear whether Tristan was also granted Vanuatu citizenship.
The programme, promoted as a revenue stream for Vanuatu’s cash-strapped economy, has long drawn criticism from security analysts and governments. In 2024, the European Union revoked Vanuatu’s visa-free travel access over concerns that the programme was facilitating identity laundering and harbouring bad actors.
“The scandal may prove a tipping point for Vanuatu, where national sovereignty and international scrutiny are increasingly at odds”
“The government does not want to encourage people of questionable backgrounds to be granted citizenship,” said government spokesman Kiery Manassah. “Those who are wanted or investigated by overseas authorities are not welcome.”
According to BBC News, investigators from the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) confirmed that Tate obtained his Vanuatu passport through the fast-track route. OCCRP editor Aubrey Belford noted the scheme’s appeal to organised crime suspects and intelligence operatives alike, describing it as a “loophole” for those seeking to evade justice or assume new identities.
Despite their US birth, the Tate brothers were raised in the UK. Both deny wrongdoing, though the UK is seeking their extradition over separate charges including rape and actual bodily harm. A Romanian court has ruled that such an extradition could proceed—pending conclusion of any trial on Romanian soil.
The scandal may prove a tipping point for Vanuatu, where national sovereignty and international scrutiny are increasingly at odds.
