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Overview

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Identifiers

Collect two identifiers from each business customer in Vanuatu and submit them as strings on the application body. Tax ID: TIN introduced 1 January 2020; replaces legacy CT numbers (all legacy CT numbers automatically converted to TINs at that date). Issued by DCIR on registration for any tax obligation (business licensing, VAT, rent tax) or on application for a motor vehicle driver’s licence. Businesses with annual taxable turnover exceeding VT 4,000,000 must also register for VAT and receive a VAT registration number derived from the TIN. Vanuatu has no corporate income tax, capital gains tax, or withholding tax — TIN is primarily relevant for VAT and business licence purposes. No fixed format publicly documented by DCIR; structure is system-generated by the Revenue Management System (RMS). TIN appears on Business Licence Certificates, VAT Certificates, Driver’s Licences, and Tax Clearance Certificates. Registration number: Assigned by VFSC at incorporation under the Companies Act No. 25 of 2012 (local companies) or International Companies Act [CAP. 222] (international companies). Appears on the Certificate of Incorporation and is the company’s unique identifier in the VFSC Electronic Registry (vfsc.vu/entity-search). No fixed public format documented; numeric sequences observed in registry searches.

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Sector regulators

Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC) · Reserve Bank of Vanuatu (RBV) · Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit (VFIU) · Department of Customs and Inland Revenue (DCIR)

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How documents combine

For each evidence area, this table shows whether the listed documents are alternatives (any one of) or a bundle (all required). The artifact-by-artifact lookup follows below.

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Documents to collect

The physical documents you’ll collect from your customer, with the evidence area each one proves. One document can prove multiple areas — for example, Brazil’s Cartão CNPJ covers both tax and business-registration proof, so it appears once with both areas listed.

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Collection notes

  • Legal Registration: Issued by the VFSC Registrar of Companies upon incorporation under the Companies Act No. 25 of 2012 (local companies) or the International Companies Act [CAP. 222] (international companies). For local companies post-transition to the new Companies Act, a Certificate of Registration may be issued instead of — or in addition to — a Certificate of Incorporation. Both certificates are freely downloadable from the VFSC Electronic Registry (vfsc.vu/entity-search). For overseas companies, a Certificate of Registration as an Overseas Company is issued. VFSC has confirmed that the Registrar of Companies will no longer issue Certificates of Good Standing for local companies — status (‘Active’ or ‘Removed’) is verified directly on the electronic registry.
  • Constitutive Documents: For local companies under the Companies Act No. 25 of 2012, the constitutive document is the Memorandum and Articles of Association, which must specify the company name, registered office address, registered agent details, objects/purposes, and share structure. For International Companies under the IC Act [CAP. 222], the North American nomenclature is used: ‘Constitution’ replaces ‘Memorandum’ and ‘Regulations’ replaces ‘Articles’; collect whichever form corresponds to the company’s governing act. Company constitution is a certified copy available from VFSC.
  • Tax Registration: Vanuatu has no corporate income tax, capital gains tax, or personal income tax. The primary fiscal identifier is the TIN (introduced 1 January 2020 by DCIR). A Business Licence is required for all businesses operating in Vanuatu (including international companies conducting local activities) under the Business Licence Act [CAP. 249]; issued annually by DCIR in Port Vila municipal area, or by provincial governments elsewhere. VAT registration applies to businesses with annual taxable turnover exceeding VT 4,000,000; a separate VAT Registration Certificate is issued. For purely offshore International Companies with no local activity, no business licence or VAT is required, but TIN may still be needed for banking purposes.
  • Operating Permit: A Business Licence under the Business Licence Act [CAP. 249] is required for any person or entity carrying on business within Vanuatu territory. Issued annually by DCIR for businesses in the Port Vila municipality; provincial governments issue licences outside Port Vila. Renewal deadline: 31 January each year (valid 1 January – 31 December). International Companies that conduct no activities within Vanuatu are exempt. The Business Licence also satisfies the tax_certificate slot for entities that are not VAT-registered.
  • Sector-Specific License: The VFSC issues Financial Dealers Licences (FDL) under the Financial Dealers Licensing Act [CAP. 70] in four classes (as amended January 2019): Class A (forex and debt securities), Class B (derivatives / futures / options), Class C (equities / commodities / precious metals), and Class D (digital assets as financial instruments). The Virtual Asset Services Providers Act No. 3 of 2025 creates a separate VASP licence issued by VFSC on top of the FDL — VASP licences require the holder to already hold all four FDL classes (A, B, C, and D). Mutual funds regulated under the Mutual Funds Act No. 38 of 2005. Offshore banking and international banking licences issued under the International Banking Act No. 4 of 2002. The Reserve Bank of Vanuatu (RBV) issues licences for domestic banking and financial institutions under the Financial Institutions Act No. 2 of 1999. Vanuatu is a significant offshore financial centre — the FDL licence is commonly held by forex brokers and CFD platforms. Insurance regulated under relevant insurance legislation administered by VFSC.
  • Governance Records: Local companies must maintain a Register of Directors and notify the VFSC of director appointments and changes; director information is publicly accessible via the VFSC Electronic Registry (vfsc.vu/entity-search). International Companies are not required to place director information on the public file under the IC Act; the registered agent holds an internal register of directors. For IC-type entities, collect the internal register from the registered agent or request an official VFSC company extract confirming directors.
  • Signing Authority: Board resolution passed by the board of directors authorising a specific signatory; no statutory prescribed form — company letterhead resolution is standard practice. Power of Attorney for external signatories should be executed as a deed and notarised. Vanuatu is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention; apostille is available via the VFSC for cross-border use.
  • Address: Conduit universal policy: lease (no time bound) OR utility bill OR bank statement, with utility/bank documents dated within 90 days. Main utility providers in Vanuatu include UNELCO/ENGIE (electricity in Port Vila), UNELCO-VANUATU (outer islands), and Vanuatu Water (water authority). Bank statements from VFSC-licensed banks (ANZ Vanuatu, Westpac Vanuatu, Bred Bank, National Bank of Vanuatu) are accepted.
  • Good Standing: VFSC has confirmed that it will no longer issue Certificates of Good Standing for local companies registered under the Companies Act No. 25 of 2012. Local company status is verified by checking ‘Active’ or ‘Removed’ directly on the VFSC Electronic Registry (vfsc.vu/entity-search); a printout of the registry search result or a VFSC company extract may substitute. For International Companies under the IC Act [CAP. 222], the VFSC continues to issue Certificates of Good Standing confirming annual fees are current and the entity is duly incorporated and in existence. Processing: 1–3 business days; fee approximately USD 75–150.

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Person roles

When you submit a person on the application body, set their role to one of Conduit’s canonical BusinessPersonRole values. Use this table to map a local corporate-governance title onto the right canonical role.

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Notes

  • Vanuatu remains on the EU list of high-risk third countries for AML/CFT purposes as of 29 January 2026 (EU Delegated Regulations (EU) 2026/46 and 2026/83, in force 29 January 2026). Apply enhanced customer due diligence for all Vanuatu-incorporated entities, including International Companies.
  • International Companies (ICs) under the IC Act [CAP. 222] are the most commonly encountered Vanuatu entity in offshore/cross-border contexts. ICs are tax-exempt for 20 years from incorporation, are not required to file annual returns with VFSC (unlike local companies), cannot conduct business within Vanuatu, and their shareholder/director registers are not public. Always verify IC status and agent details on the VFSC Electronic Registry.
  • VFSC has confirmed it will no longer issue Certificates of Good Standing for local companies — use the VFSC Electronic Registry (vfsc.vu/entity-search) to verify ‘Active’ status directly. Certificates of Good Standing remain available for International Companies.
  • The Company and Trust Services Providers Act No. 8 of 2010 (CTSP Act) requires all registered agents providing company formation and registered office services to be licensed by VFSC. Unlicensed agents is a red flag; verify agent licence status on VFSC’s website.
  • Vanuatu has no corporate income tax, personal income tax, capital gains tax, or inheritance tax. The TIN issued by DCIR is the primary tax identifier and is mainly relevant for VAT (threshold VT 4,000,000/year) and business licensing purposes. Do not expect a TIN certificate for purely offshore ICs with no local activity.
  • Vanuatu is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Board resolutions and powers of attorney for cross-border use can be apostilled via the VFSC.
  • The Virtual Asset Services Providers Act No. 3 of 2025 introduced a licensing regime for crypto and digital asset businesses; VFSC is the regulator. Vanuatu had previously been a popular jurisdiction for offshore crypto businesses due to low barriers; the 2025 Act formalises oversight under VFSC.