Marrying and Sponsoring a Ni-Vanuatu Citizen
Listen to this articleMarriage to a Ni-Vanuatu Citizen
Every country has its own laws that apply to its citizens marrying a person from a different country. Getting married to a Ni-Vanuatu citizen with the goal of eventually bringing them to Canada to live is a process with many steps.
If you want to bring your Ni-Vanuatu spouse or partner to live in Canada, you must then file a sponsorship application for them to become a permanent resident. If they would like to visit you in Canada while their application is in process, they must also apply for a visitor visa. For more information, please see our family sponsorship page and our visitor visa page.
Processing Time
If you file a Canadian sponsorship application for your Ni-Vanuatu spouse or partner, this application takes an average of 10-12 months.
A visitor visa application for your spouse or partner to visit you in Canada while the sponsorship applications are processing takes an average of 3 –14 days.
Please see our pages on family sponsorship and Canadian visitor visa for more information on the processing times of these applications.
Ni-Vanuatu Marriage Basic Requirements
In order to get a marriage certificate in Vanuatu, the following documents should be submitted at least a month before the wedding ceremony;
- Original passports and birth certificates
- Divorce papers or former spouse’s Death Certificate where applicable
- A filled out notice of intention to marry form
- 2 witnesses are required but the wedding coordinator can organise witnesses if couples don’t have guests with them. 2 forms are required.
After these documents are submitted the couple can go to the registrar’s office to get the marriage certificate.
Family Members
If your Ni-Vanuatu spouse has dependent children, this does not affect the Ni-Vanuatu Marriage document application.
If you have dependent children, they have no effect on the application to marry a Ni-Vanuatu citizen.
How long is the Ni-Vanuatu Marriage document valid?
The document is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. If you do not marry your Ni-Vanuatu fiancé within 6 months of the issuance of the Ni-Vanuatu Marriage document, you must apply again with new supporting documents.
Marriage Customs
Food for Weddings
Wedding food specific to Vanuatu is not available however because Vanuatu is part of the Polynesian region, the following are some of the foods that are generally part of the culture found in that region.
Baked Beans
These are great for any occasion like barbecues or wedding reception celebration and they are a common mean in the Vanuatu culture as well as the Polynesian region.
Pineapple fried rice with ham
This meal contains pineapple, ham, peas, green onions and eggs. It is a common meal in the Polynesian area including Vanuatu and can be served in a wedding reception.
Devil’s Curry
This is a sweet and sour curry made with among other ingredients, soaked green peppers. Chicken can also be used or other meats to be served as an entree in a wedding reception.
Kona Spiced Coffee
This is a lovely drink for any occasion even a wedding reception and it can be served to wash down the main course or during the party when wine, beer or other drinks are served.
It is made with ground cinnamon, vanilla, brewed Kona coffee and cream which is optional.
Kona Coffee Rub
This mixture of flavorful ingredients is used to rub meats, chicken and ribs to be barbecued at special occasions.
The rub is made with coffee, brown sugar and coarse salt.
Baked Mahi Mahi
This is a common dish in Polynesia and it is mainly mahi mahi (type of fish) breadcrumbs to coat the fish and mayonnaise. This can be served as the main course in a wedding reception.
Zesty Polynesian Scallops
This is a classic Polynesian dish made with scallops which are very widely consumed in this region. The main ingredients are scallops, mushrooms, avocado, mango and sour cream.
This is usually served as dessert.
Peach Chicken
This chicken is made with peaches, flour, cornstarch, and black pepper. The chicken is coated with the flour and fried until brown.
The other ingredients are cooked in the cornstarch and boiled till ready. This can be served at a wedding as a main meal.
Religion
The majority of Vanuatu citizens are Christians and they make up almost 83% of the total populations. The population is further subdivided into smaller Christian groups like Presbyterian who are 32%, Roman Catholic 13%, Anglican 13% and Seventh Day 11%.
Other religions in Vanuatu are Buddhism 4%, Baha’I 3%, Animism 7%, Muslims, Jehovah’s witnesses and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
The constitution of Vanuatu allows for freedom of religion and respects these rights. Missionaries come to Vanuatu in the 19th and 20th centuries and brought with them western Churches.
Honeymoon Destinations
Vanuatu Jungle Zipline
This location is in Port Vila in Vanuatu and it is a recreational park with an overhead line for crossing over the jungle with a harness.
Mele Cascades
This is a picnic and outdoor activities location in Efate which is perfect for couples on a honeymoon in Vanuatu.
The gentle water cascades create a wonderful atmosphere for relaxation and a bit of water sports.
The Summit Gardens Vanuatu
These gardens located in Port Vila create a breathtaking and beautiful place to enjoy a honeymoon vacation in Vanuatu.
Zorbiing
Any couple in Vanuatu for a honeymoon holiday and are looking for wild and exhilarating fun can experience zorbing at wet and wild zorbing.
Hideaway Island Marine Reserve
This is a nature and wildlife reserve located in Efate Vanuatu.
Jo Jo Beach Club
Jojo beach is a romantic resort in Vanuatu in Port Vila with stunning beaches and clear blue ocean waters.
Kayaking Vanuatu
This location is a reef located in Port Vila and among the activities is kayaking.
Blue Water island Resort
This resort is located at the mouth of the river Rentapao in the city of Efate. It has an aquarium as well as a garden for couples to relax and cool off.
Nanda blue hole
This resort is also known as Jackies blue hole because the water is blue and the environment peaceful and quiet, ideal for a honeymoon vacation.
Mount Hope Waterfall
This exotic location in Espiritu Santo is a magical waterfall with a wonderful splash pool at the bottom that creates a relaxing area where tourists can enjoy the cool waters.
Millennium Cave
This location is caves located in Espiritu Santo and it’s a popular tourist destination for tourists and any couple on a honeymoon vacation in Vanuatu would enjoy spending time here.
Port Olry Beach
This is a lovely beach with clear waters and white sand. It is located in the city of Espiritu Santo.
Vanuatu Seaplanes
A ride in a plane overlooking the ocean is what tourists can experience when they come to this location.
List of Ni-Vanuatu Consulates in Canada
Emergency Information for Canadians in Vanuatu
There is no resident Canadian government office in Vanuatu. You can obtain consular assistance and further information from the High Commission of Australia (under the Canada-Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement) in Port-Vila.
Port Vila-High Commission of AustraliaWinston Churchill Avenue, Telephone: 678 22777 (24 hours) |
View Larger Map |
Currency of Vanuatu
The official currency of Vanuatu is the Vatu abbreviated as VUT and it has no subdivisions. It was introduced in the country in 1982 and that was the end of the circulation of the Australian dollar.
Coins
Due to Vanuatu’s colonisation by France, the Current vatu coins are very similar to the French units, particularly the 1, 2, and 5 vatu in size and composition to the 5, 10, and 20 centimes of the old French Franc.
The 10, 20, and 50 vatu are somewhat similar to Australian coins but are slightly larger. Due to inflation, the two lowest coin denominations are no longer in circulation, while the 20, 50, and 100 vatu are the most commonly used coins.
Banknotes
In 1982, bank notes were introduced by the Central bank of Vanuatu in denominations of 100, 500, and 1,000 vatu.
The Franc notes were replaced by these notes but in 1988 the 100 vatu note was withdrawn from circulation and replaced by a 100 vatu coin. In 1989, 5,000 vatu notes were brought into circulation.
Calling
Calling Vanuatu from Canada
- The exit code for Canada is 011
- The country code for Vanuatu is 678
- Dial 011 – 678 – are code – local numbers
Calling Canada from Vanuatu
- The international dialling code is 00
- The country code for Canada is 1
- Dial 00 – 1 – area code – local numbers
| Province | Code | Province | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 403 / 587 (southern Alberta) 587 / 780 (central and northern Alberta) |
Nunavut | 867 |
| BC | 236 / 250 / 778 (majority of BC) 236 / 604 / 778 (Metro Vancouver) |
Ontario | 226 / 519 (southwestern Ontario) 249 / 705 (northeastern Ontario) 289 / 365 / 905 (Greater Toronto Area) 343 / 613 (eastern Ontario) 416 / 647 (Toronto) 807 (northwestern Ontario) |
| Manitoba | 204 / 431 | PEI | 782 / 902 |
| New Brunswick | 506 | Quebec | 418 / 581 (eastern Quebec) 438 / 514 (Montreal) 450 / 579 (Greater Montreal) 819 / 873 (remainder of Quebec) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 709 | Saskatchewan | 306 / 639 |
| Northwest Territories | 867 | Yukon | 867 |
| Nova Scotia | 782 / 902 |
Time zone difference with Canada
| Canadian Time Zone | # of Hours Vanuatu is Ahead |
# of Hours during DST |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific (BC, Yukon) | 19 hours | 18 hours |
| Mountain (Alberta, western Nunavut, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan) | 18 hours | 17 hours |
| Saskatchewan | 18 hours | 18 hours |
| Central (Manitoba, Northwest Territories, central Nunavut, northwestern Ontario) | 17 hours | 16 hours |
| Eastern (most of Ontario, most of Quebec) | 16 hours | 15 hours |
| Atlantic (Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, eastern Quebec) | 15 hours | 14 hours |
| Newfoundland | 14.5 hours | 13.5 hours |
Find out how to sponsor your Ni Vanuatu spouse
Sponsorship Review
Immigroup will review your completed spousal sponsorship application.. Immigroup will make sure you have not made any mistakes on your application or in gathering the documentation of your relationship. We will assess your sponsorship letter and give you peace of mind that you are submitting an application with a very good chance of success. Don’t lose sleep at night worrying about whether you’ve done enough. Call us at 1-866-760-2623 for a review.
