Andrew Tate’s Vanuatu Citizenship: No Grounds for Immediate Revocation

The Vanuatu government has found no immediate grounds to revoke Andrew Tate’s citizenship, a decision reached after a review of his original application. This means the influencer will continue to hold his Vanuatu passport, a development that stands in contrast to the ongoing legal challenges he faces elsewhere. The government’s focus was on the legality of the initial grant, not subsequent events.
Kiery Manassah, government spokesperson, elaborated that the review by the citizenship office confirmed that Tate had obtained necessary clearances from Interpol and the UK at the time his citizenship was approved. This adherence to existing protocols, he stated, precludes an immediate reversal based on any procedural faults in the application process.
While acknowledging that the government would have rejected Tate’s application had they been aware of the current allegations, Manassah stated that citizenship cannot be revoked based on information that came to light later. This legal constraint impacts the government’s current stance, preventing arbitrary revocation based on newly discovered facts.
The controversy has underscored concerns about Vanuatu’s “golden passport” scheme. In response, the government is committed to strengthening its due diligence framework to prevent future cases where individuals with questionable backgrounds might acquire citizenship, aiming to restore the program’s reputation and ensure a more robust vetting process.