Vanuatu Won’t Revoke Andrew Tate’s Citizenship, Citing Initial Clearances

Vanuatu will not be revoking Andrew Tate’s citizenship, a government spokesperson has confirmed, citing that the influencer had received the necessary clearances at the time of his application. This decision follows an internal review into how Tate obtained his “golden passport,” a process that has drawn significant international attention. The government’s rationale centers on the compliance of the initial vetting.
Kiery Manassah, the government spokesperson, explained that the citizenship office’s review found Tate was cleared by Interpol and the UK when his citizenship was granted. This initial clearance was the key factor in the decision, and therefore, no immediate action to revoke his citizenship will be taken as no procedural fault was found with the original grant.
Manassah acknowledged that if the government had been fully aware of the serious charges Tate now faces, his application would have been rejected. He expressed regret for this oversight, stating, “If the government had been aware of this at the start… we should have not allowed him in the first place.” However, he underscored the principle that citizenship cannot be retroactively revoked based on information that emerged after the fact.
The situation has brought renewed attention to Vanuatu’s citizenship-by-investment program. The government has pledged to introduce stricter due diligence regulations, aiming to prevent future controversies and to enhance the program’s reputation, which Manassah admitted was currently “very bad” and in need of urgent reform.