LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
Consolidated Edition 2006
CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
opportunities made available to him under it to participate fully in the government of the Republic of Vanuatu;
- (d) to protect the Republic of Vanuatu and to safeguard the national wealth, resources and environment in the interests of the present generation and of future generations;
- (e) to work according to his talents in socially useful employment and, if necessary, to create for himself legitimate opportunities for such employment;
- (f) to respect the rights and freedoms of others and to cooperate fully with others in the interests of interdependence and solidarity;
- (g) to contribute, as required by law, according to his means, to the revenues required for the advancement of the Republic of Vanuatu and the attainment of national objectives;
- (h) in the case of a parent, to support, assist and educate all his children, legitimate and illegitimate, and in particular to give them a true understanding of their fundamental rights and duties and of the national objectives and of the culture and customs of the people of Vanuatu;
- (i) in the case of a child, to respect his parents.
8. Fundamental duties non-justiciable but public authorities to encourage compliance
Except as provided by law, the fundamental duties are non-justiciable. Nevertheless it is the duty of all public authorities to encourage compliance with them so far as lies within their respective powers.
CHAPTER 3 – CITIZENSHIP
9. Automatic citizens
On the Day of Independence the following persons shall automatically become citizens of Vanuatu–
- (a) a person who has or had four grandparents who belong to a tribe or community indigenous to Vanuatu; and
- (b) a person of ni-Vanuatu ancestry who has no citizenship, nationality or the status of an optant.
10. Entitlement to citizenship
Every person who on the Day of Independence is a person of ni-Vanuatu ancestry and has the nationality or citizenship of a foreign state or the status of an optant shall become a citizen of Vanuatu if he makes an application, or an application is made on his behalf by his parent or lawful guardian, within 3 months of the Day of Independence or such longer period as Parliament may prescribe. The Vanuatu citizenship of such a person shall automatically lapse if he has not renounced his other citizenship or nationality within 3 months of the granting of Vanuatu citizenship or such longer period as Parliament may prescribe, except that in the case
