Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit

21/12/2025

🚨 Important Update: Understanding Financial Sanctions in Vanuatu 🚨

If you handle money, property, or financial services in Vanuatu, you need to know this.

✅ What are Targeted Financial Sanctions?
When a person or entity is officially “designated,” it becomes illegal to:

- Deal with their property (transfer, sell, use, etc.)
- Provide them with property or financial services (like banking or insurance)

⚠️ This applies even if you’re unsure or acting recklessly is also an offence.

💰 Penalties Can Be Severe:

- For individuals: Fines up to 50 million Vatu or 25 years in prison for knowingly breaking the rules.
- For companies: Fines up to 250 million Vatu.
- Lower penalties apply for reckless behaviour but still serious.

📄 You Must Report:

If you hold or control property of a designated person/entity, you must report it to the Sanctions Secretariat within 5 working days.

- Failure to report is also an offence, with fines and possible imprisonment.

🔍 Other Offences Include:

- Not providing information when requested
- Providing false information
- Unlawfully sharing confidential information

🔄 What Should You Do?

- Always check if your clients or transactions involve designated persons.
- Report suspicious holdings immediately.
- Cooperate fully with authorities.

The Sanctions Secretariat monitors compliance and refers suspected offences to the Police Commissioner for investigation.

Let’s work together to keep Vanuatu’s financial system safe and compliant. 💼🔐

04/12/2025

Public Information Notice: Understanding How Financial Sanctions Are Announced in Vanuatu

You may have heard about “financial sanctions” but aren’t sure what that means or how it works here in Vanuatu. Here’s a simple breakdown based on our official procedures:

🔹 What are financial sanctions?
These are legal restrictions placed on individuals or businesses to prevent certain financial activities usually to support international peace and security.

🔹 How are people or businesses notified?
The process happens in a careful order to make sure everyone has time to follow the rules and no funds are moved unfairly:

1️⃣ First, banks and other financial institutions are informed privately.
2️⃣ Then, an official notice is published in the Vanuatu Official Gazette (for local sanctions).
3️⃣ Finally, the person or business being sanctioned is personally notified this happens last so assets can be safely frozen first.

🔹 Why the delay in notifying the person/entity?
This is to prevent funds from being moved or withdrawn before the freeze takes effect.

🔹 What’s in the notice they receive?
It explains:
- Why the sanction was applied
- How long it lasts
- What they cannot do
- Their right to appeal in court
- How to request permission for certain necessary activities

🔹 What if they can’t be found?
If no address is available, the Vanuatu Police Force helps deliver the notice and confirms it has been received.

This system ensures that sanctions are applied fairly, transparently, and effectively, in line with both Vanuatu law and United Nations requirements.

For more official information, you can refer to the United Nations Financial Sanctions Act No. 6 of 2017.

26/11/2025

Summary of VFIU's enforcement powers under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act No. 13 of 2014.

20/11/2025

🌏 Keeping Vanuatu Safe: A Quick Guide to Financial Sanctions

Have you ever heard about "sanctions" on the news and wondered what they are? Here’s a simple breakdown of why they matter for Vanuatu.

What are Sanctions❓️
Think of sanctions as peaceful, financial tools used by the international community to pressure bad actors. Instead of using military force, countries can agree to freeze the assets and cut off financial services for individuals or groups that pose a threat to global peace and security.

Why does Vanuatu have to follow these rules❓️
As a proud member of the United Nations, Vanuatu is obliged to follow international law. This includes implementing what are called Targeted Financial Sanctions (TFS). These are precise measures aimed at:

➡️Terrorists and their supporters.
➡️Those involved in the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

How does it work❓️ (The "Designation" Process)
When someone is put on a sanctions list, it's called a "designation." There are two ways this can happen:

➡️UN Designations: The United Nations Security Council can decide to place individuals or entities (like companies) on a global sanctions list. Vanuatu, along with every other UN member, must enforce this.
➡️Vanuatu's Own Designations: Our country can also make its own decisions. The Prime Minister, acting on advice from the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC), can designate people or entities within Vanuatu if there are reasonable grounds they are involved in terrorism or WMD proliferation.

✅️Key Things to Know:

▶️It's Temporary: A domestic designation lasts for three years, but can be reviewed and extended if the threat remains.
▶️It's Reviewed: All designations are reviewed every year to make sure they are still justified.
▶️There's a Right to Appeal: A designated person or company has the right to challenge the decision in court.

In a nutshell: These rules are a crucial part of Vanuatu’s commitment to global security and protecting our own financial system from being misused by criminals and terrorists. It’s about keeping our nation safe and secure!

20/11/2025

⚠️ Scam Alert‼️

The Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit notes the increasing financial frauds being exploited through the various social media platforms resulting in victims' financial loss or unknowingly enabling and aiding fraudsters to access funds by deception.

This type of financial fraud is a global issue that exists in all countries around the world.

The VFIU is kindly urging the public to take extra precautions when engaging the social media platforms and be able to verify information before transacting with strangers online.

Below are scam indicators that one should be aware of:

- Fraudster imitating that he/ she is from USA or Europe
- Fraudster asking for your photo, ATM card (Visa Debit Card or Master Card), ATM Card PIN and online banking username and password
- Fraudster asking you to send your ATM card overseas - to another country
- Fraudster asking you to create a bank account
- Fraudster asking for your Facebook or Messenger login details (password and username)
- Fraudster asking for your WhatsApp Number or Facebook Name and account number and name
- Fraudster asking you to pay for a package that will be cleared by Customs (at Airport or Wharf)
- Fraudster telling you that you will receive large sum of money but you must make some payments first
- Fraudsters asking you to send 20,000VT, 30,000VT, 40,000VT, 50,000VT, 60,000VT, 70,000VT or 100,000VT
- Fraudster asking you to deposit funds into another person's account which you never know or met
- Fraudster asking you to send money to another person overseas which you never know or met
- Fraudster asking you to withdraw from your account and deposit to another account
- Fraudster asking you to withdraw money from your account and send to another person
- Fraudster asking you to immediately send receipts after you deposit or transfer the money
- Fraudster used your facebook account, change name, password and used it to chat with other persons
- Fraudster sending you photos of Ni-Vanuatu who already received money
- Fraudsters usually scam Ni-Vanuatu using Facebook/ Messenger, WhatsApp as well as IMO
- Photo Profiles for Fraudsters are Samsung Company or a beautiful/ pretty women
- Fraudsters posing as they represent Samsung Company
- Fraudsters also used the Name Lisa or Samsung

Do not hesitate to contact the Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit to raise any matters relating to this fraudulant activity.

20/11/2025

AML&CTF Procedure Manual:

Sections 33 and 33A of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act No.13 of 2014 stipulates that a reporting entity must not open accounts, provide services or establiish business relationship with a customer unless it has established and maintained an adequate AML&CTF procedure manual or a Group-wide AML&CTF procedure manual for entities that have branches.

20/11/2025

AML&CTF Registration of Reporting Entities:

Section 9 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act No. 13 of 2014 obligates a reporting entity to be entered onto the Financial Intelligence Unit's Register of Reporting Entities before providing a service or establishing a relationship with a customer.

To be entered onto the register, the reporting entity must:
- Complete and submit the prescribed AML&CTF Registration form;
- Meet the fit and proper criteria prescribed by the AML&CTF Regulations;
- Prove that its source of funds is satisfactory; and - Meets the requirements of its regulatory law.

Copies of the AML&CTF forms required for registration can be accessed via the VFIU official Website - https://fiu.gov.vu

20/11/2025

Definition of Reporting Entities:

Section 2 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act No. 13 of 2014 defines the following entities as Reporting Entities and they are obligated to observe all AML&CTF requirements:

- Domestic Bank
- Offshore Bank
- Casinos, Gaming (e.g. slot machines),
- Lottery (e.g. “chances”)
- Interactive Gaming (e.g. online betting)
- Real Estate
- Vehicle Dealership
- Credit Union
- Co-operative Society
- Law Firm ( managing of funds, accounts, securities or property)
- Accounting Firm (managing of funds, accounts, securities or property)
- Trust & Company Service Provider
- Nominee shareholder for another person
- Precious Metal & Stone Dealer
- Property in excess of a million vatu ( e.g. yachts)
- Acceptance of Deposit
- Lending
- Financial Leasing
- Money or Value
- Issuing & Managing means of payment
- Financial Guarantees and Commitment
- Money Market Instrument
- Foreign Exchange,
- Money Exchange and value exchange (e.g. pawn shops)
- Exchange rate instruments
- Interest rate instruments
- index instruments
- Transferrable security
- Futures trading
- Financial Futures and option
- Commodities futures trading
- Participation in securities issues
- Mutual funds, individual or collective portfolio management
- Insurer
- Insurance Broker
- Insurance Agent
- Insurance Re-Insurer
- Insurance Manager
- Loss Adjuster
- Charitable Associations
- Founder, councilor, secretary or guardian of Foundation
- Securities Dealers
- Administering or managing funds on behalf of international companies or any other persons
- Manager of Unit Trust
- Futures Broker
- Delivery of currency & payroll
- Superannuation (apart from VNPF)
- Money brokering
- Administration and safekeeping of cash and liquid securities
- E-Business

Any persons wishing to venture into any of the above services must be entered onto the Financial Intelligence Unit's Register of Reporting Entities before establishing customer relationships or providing services.

For further information please contact the Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit or visit our website - https://fiu.gov.vu

Call now to connect with business.

30/07/2025

The Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit is Vanuatu's agency responsible for administrating the requirements of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act No. 13 of 2014 and the United Nations Financial Sanctions Act No.6 of 2017.

Combating money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing is essential to protecting Vanuatu's financial system from criminals and terrorists. The global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force, recommends all countries to establish independent Finacial Intelligence Units to ensure a safe global financial system.

The VFIU receives, analyze, assess and disseminate information in relation to money laundering, terrorist financing and other serious criminal activities to Vanuatu law enforcement agencies as well as international law enforcement agencies.

It also regulates all financial institutions in Vanuatu and ensures compliance with the AML&CTF requirements.

In addition to its fundamental functions, the VFIU also conducts probity checks for the Vanuatu citizenship program.

Contact Details
Telephone:(678) 23616 / 22362
Mobile: (678) 7330250
Emails: [email protected] - VFIU generic emai
[email protected] - for citizenship program probity checks

Website: www.fiu.gov.vu