Vanuatu’s civil records are held in Port Vila, and with no consulate in the United States, obtaining a certificate normally means a relative attending in person. Planning around that is most of the advice on this page.
Quick facts
One feature of Vanuatu worth understanding: custom has formal standing in the legal system, and matters of family, land and status are often settled through customary processes as much as through paper. That shapes what evidence exists for a given family.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Civil certificates | Charged in Vanuatu | Through the civil registry |
| Power of attorney for a relative | See that page | Often the practical key |
| U.S. certificate | $15–$50 | State vital records office |
| Certification chain | $3–$25 plus $20 | Consular step unavailable here |
| Translation | Not applicable | English is official |
For a child born in the United States to ni-Vanuatu parents, registering the birth at home will normally require someone in Vanuatu acting on a properly prepared document from here.
How to proceed
- Identify a relative in Vanuatu who can attend the registry.
- Ask that registry what it requires before preparing anything.
- Prepare a power of attorney if one is needed.
- Order the U.S. certificate and establish how it will be certified.
- Send everything tracked and keep copies.
- Allow months rather than weeks.
Documents to gather
- Parents’ Vanuatu passports or identity documents.
- Any existing civil certificates the family holds.
- Child’s U.S. birth certificate.
- Parents’ marriage certificate where applicable.
- Contact details for the relative who will act.
- Proof of your status in the United States.
Where to enquire
At the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, and with the civil registry in Port Vila through a relative.
Additional notes
The relative is the route
Without a consulate, someone on the ground is usually the only way a civil matter progresses.
Custom and paper
Customary arrangements carry weight in Vanuatu, so the written record may not be the whole story. Ask locally what will be accepted.
Allow for distance
Post across the Pacific is slow. Build that into any deadline.
Keep copies
Documents that travel this far are difficult to replace.