The Vanuatu government is defending its decision to grant Andrew Tate citizenship, asserting that the process followed proper protocols at the time. Consequently, there are no immediate plans to revoke the controversial influencer’s status as a Vanuatu national, a position that has generated considerable debate both domestically and internationally. The government’s defense rests on the adherence to past procedures.
According to government spokesperson Kiery Manassah, a review of Tate’s citizenship file confirmed that he had received necessary clearances from Interpol and the UK at the point of his application. This compliance with existing regulations formed the basis for the original approval, and therefore, from a procedural standpoint, no fault was found with the grant.
Manassah did express that the government would have acted differently if they had been privy to the allegations against Tate at the outset. He conceded that “If the government had been aware of this at the start, and our processes were working, we should have not allowed him in the first place.” However, he emphasized that retrospective revocation based on newly emerged information is not permissible under current legal frameworks.
This incident has amplified calls for reform within Vanuatu’s citizenship-by-investment program. The government has responded by committing to enhanced due diligence measures to prevent similar issues and to address the program’s perceived lack of integrity on the international stage, aiming to ensure more stringent vetting of future applicants.
