Andrew Solomon Napuat

Passport

Passport & Immigration

Hon. Andrew Solomon Napuat – Minister of Internal Affairs

As Minister of Internal Affairs, Andrew Solomon Napuat has overseen the Passport and Immigration sector during critical periods of reform and enforcement. His leadership has brought significant improvements in immigration policy, national identity protection, and passport service delivery.

Key Reforms and Actions

Crackdown on Overstayers (2018):
On 23 February 2018, Minister Napuat ordered a nationwide operation to address over 600 overstayers, reinforcing Vanuatu’s immigration laws and strengthening border control enforcement.

Visa and Stamp Reform (2018):
In response to internal mismanagement, he introduced stricter measures for issuing business visas and mandated the use of personalized staff stamps with unique IDs for Immigration Department officers. These changes increased accountability and stopped the unauthorized use of government-issued stamps.

Special Category Visa (SCV) Controls:
He enforced tighter oversight on the issuance of SCVs to non-governmental and government-affiliated individuals to avoid abuse of immigration exemptions.

Deportations and International Crime Cooperation (2019):
Minister Napuat authorized the deportation of several high-profile foreign nationals under Section 53A of the Immigration Act:

  • Mohammed Rizwan (Fiji): Deported after being found guilty of deception and with pending charges in Fiji.
  • Chinese Cybercrime Suspects: Six individuals, some holding Vanuatu economic citizenship, were extradited following joint operations with Chinese law enforcement.
  • Human Trafficking Crackdown: In 2019, the biggest trafficking case in Vanuatu’s history involving Bangladeshi victims resulted in charges against the owners of Mr Price. Napuat confirmed multiple arrests and pledged tighter immigration screening.

Vanuatu Passport Reform (2019):

  • Addressed a national passport shortage by terminating the German-based supplier contract and ordering a performance audit—the first in the Immigration Office’s history.
  • In December 2019, he unveiled a new Immigration Department logo, launched the Luganville passport processing centre, and expanded the Immigration Office headquarters to accommodate new staff and services. This reduced travel costs for rural residents needing passports.

Detention Centre Initiative (2019):
Following the rise in deportations, Napuat initiated plans to establish Vanuatu’s first Immigration Detention Centre near Bauerfield Airport to lower operational costs and ensure national security.

Oversight of the Citizenship Program

Minister Napuat took a firm stance on risks posed by the economic citizenship program:

  • In April 2018, he called for a review of the program after reports of foreigners entering on tourist visas and switching to work permits.
  • By July 2019, he emphasized that criminals should not benefit from revenue-based programs, and began consultations to identify risk factors and improve policy safeguards.
  • In October 2019, after increasing public concern, Napuat proposed a complete review of the passport sale program, noting that over 1,000 couples had gained Vanuatu citizenship and that most passport recipients were from Asia.
  • He confirmed that proceeds from passport sales (approx. VT 3 billion) had been used to pay long-overdue severance payments to retired civil servants and to fund major infrastructure projects, such as rural roads and airports—the largest direct government investment in infrastructure since independence.

Additional Notable Actions

  • Public Accountability: In November 2019, Napuat clarified the legal and institutional limits of his authority during the Dan McGarry visa case, emphasizing that visa and work permit decisions are handled by the Commissioner of Labour and Immigration, not by the Minister.
  • Public Service Access: In November 2019, he launched decentralized passport services in Luganville, marking the first time passport applications could be processed outside Port Vila.

Legacy

Andrew Napuat’s approach to immigration has prioritized:

  • Strengthening enforcement
  • Boosting transparency and accountability
  • Protecting Vanuatu’s borders
  • Improving access to passport services across the islands
  • Ensuring that citizenship programs serve the national interest

He has consistently advocated for greater regional collaboration to combat human trafficking, identity fraud, and illegal migration, positioning Vanuatu as a responsible Pacific nation upholding national and regional security.