The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced that the overseas enrolment system for Vanuatu passports will be stopped, beginning in the first week of November 2025.

Minister of Internal Affairs, Andrew Solomon Napuat, made the announcement while on an official visit to Hong Kong, where he also opened a new Immigration Enrolment System Office within Vanuatu’s consulate.

Napuat explained that the move is part of the government’s efforts to restore the integrity and reputation of Vanuatu’s passport and ensure that both citizens and international partners can continue to trust the travel document.

“From the first week of November, we will put a stop to the passport enrolment system that was being followed overseas, where people filled out forms and applications that were sent over. This has caused a lot of criticism,” Minister Napuat said.

New Consulate and Enrolment Office in Hong Kong

Vanuatu’s consulate office in Hong Kong was relocated earlier this year to a new area and officially opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Mark Ati, in mid-2025.

As part of the government’s commitment to fully resource the office, yesterday Minister Napuat and the Minister of Lands, Hon. Rick Tchmako Mahe, officially opened the new Immigration Enrolment System Office within the consulate.

During the ceremony, Minister Napuat was joined by the Minister of Lands, the Ambassador of Vanuatu to Beijing Mr. Dennis Nai, the Director of Immigration Mr. Jeffrey Markson, Passport Manager Mr. Fred Kalwat, and other invited guests.

He reminded those in attendance that more than 10 years ago, Vanuatu’s leaders recognized Hong Kong as a strategic hub for investment, business, trade, and diplomacy, which led to the decision to establish a permanent presence there.

Over the years, the Hong Kong office has facilitated direct government revenue, foreign investments, PR and citizenship programs, as well as bilateral meetings between Vanuatu leaders and international partners.

Strengthening Immigration Services Abroad

The PR and citizenship programs have become a major contributor to Vanuatu’s national budget. The government acknowledged the need for an Immigration Officer to be based at the Hong Kong consulate to oversee immigration matters and the new passport system.
Mr. Fred Kalwat will take up this position.

The Council of Ministers last year approved for the Passport Enrolment System to operate out of Vanuatu’s consulates in Hong Kong, Dubai, Brussels, and New Caledonia, where most citizens abroad reside and where clients under the DSP programs access consular and immigration services.

Minister Napuat expressed appreciation to Vanuatu’s diplomatic partners for their support, particularly the Ambassador to Beijing and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He urged that the consulate office continue to represent the government well, provide fair services to citizens, and ensure transparency in the passport enrolment process.

Transition to Electronic Passports

The Minister also announced that the deadline for all old passports issued under the old system in Port Vila will be the first week of November 2025.

From the second week of November onwards, the Immigration Department and Passport Office will only issue Electronic Passports, an upgrade introduced to meet international standards and further strengthen the credibility of Vanuatu’s travel documents.

On the same day, Minister Napuat signed the orders for passport-related fees, part of wider reforms being rolled out by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to address existing challenges.

Next Steps

Napuat further announced that preparations are already underway to launch the new enrolment system in Dubai in the coming weeks.

He concluded by thanking the Immigration Department, Foreign Affairs staff, the Chinese Ambassador, and supporting teams in Hong Kong for helping to establish the new system.

The Minister noted that despite Vanuatu’s small economy and growing population, the government is working hard to raise revenue and improve service delivery across the provinces and islands. He added that the Ministry of Internal Affairs is on track to exceed its revenue target this year, just as it did in 2024.

“This marks a successful official visit to Asia,” Napuat said, “with significant benefits for our government and our people.”