Vanuatu has announced plans to review and potentially revoke the citizenship of controversial influencer Andrew Tate after reports emerged that he allegedly obtained a Vanuatu passport around the time of his arrest in Romania on serious charges including rape, human trafficking, and operating a criminal gang exploiting women.
Tate reportedly acquired a fast-tracked Vanuatu passport through the country’s Development Support Program, which grants citizenship in exchange for a minimum investment of US$130,000 (about AUD 201,000).
According to an investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), Tate’s passport was issued in December 2022 — the same month he was arrested in Romania. There was no indication that his brother Tristan Tate, also arrested in 2022, obtained Vanuatu citizenship.
Vanuatu government spokesperson Kiery Manassah confirmed that the government is investigating the situation.
“We are definitely looking into it, and once the files are received, the process to revoke his citizenship will be initiated,” Manassah said.
He added the government does not want individuals with questionable backgrounds to obtain citizenship and that those wanted or under investigation internationally are unwelcome.
OCCRP’s Pacific lead editor Aubrey Belford explained that their investigation into Vanuatu’s golden passport scheme led them to Andrew Tate’s name, confirming it was the influencer himself.
“The golden passport program has been exploited by oligarchs, organized criminals, and intelligence agents, raising concerns as it allows some to obtain new passports or identities to evade law enforcement,” Belford told the ABC.
The Tate case is the latest controversy surrounding Vanuatu’s lucrative citizenship-by-investment program, which prompted the European Union and the UK to remove Vanuatu’s visa-free travel status.
In 2023, then-British Home Secretary Suella Braverman criticized the program for “clear and evident abuse,” including granting citizenship to people posing risks to the UK.
Last month, UK prosecutors charged Andrew and Tristan Tate with rape, bodily harm, and human trafficking related to alleged offenses between 2012 and 2015. Andrew Tate also faces charges of controlling prostitution for profit. Both brothers, who hold US and UK citizenship, deny the allegations.
Jane Iatika, president of the Port Vila Council of Women, said people with reputations like Tate’s should not be granted Vanuatu passports, warning it could set a harmful example locally.
Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Jotham Napat, appointed earlier this year, has pledged reforms to the economic citizenship scheme, a major government revenue source.
Earlier this year, it was revealed Vanuatu also granted a golden passport to fugitive Indian ex-cricket official Lalit Modi, who renounced Indian citizenship after acquiring Vanuatu citizenship.
Belford noted the program is a lucrative source of income for Vanuatu. “For a small nation, it’s tempting to accept the money, especially since many passport holders never actually visit Vanuatu,” he said.
International Monetary Fund data shows the citizenship program accounted for around 9% of Vanuatu’s government revenue in 2024, down from 33% in 2020.
Manassah described the Tate case as a “lapse” in the program and said the government plans to improve background checks and close loopholes used by some applicants.
“The government needs to tighten controls,” he said. “It will take time to restore confidence and credibility in our travel documents.”
