Two Chinese nationals who were granted Vanuatu citizenship last month have left Port Vila after failing to depart when they reportedly tried to exit on two passports at the same time.
The immigration authorities say the two left using their Chinese passports after being rejected at Port Vila airport when they were told that it was illegal for Vanuatu authorities to stamp two passports.
Port Vila international airport Photo: RNZ
The individuals, who have not been named, are said to have acquired Vanuatu citizenship via Hong Kong where Vanuatu runs a scheme known as the Capital Investment Immigration Plan.
China refuses to recognise dual citizenship, but its embassy in Vanuatu says individuals who lost their Chinese citizenship because they bought another one can reverse the move.
The embassy says it has no record of the two becoming Vanuatu citizens.
In March, it had asked the Vanuatu government to give the names of those Chinese who become Vanuatu citizens.
The opposition has been critical of the scheme to sell citizenship.
