Vanuatu

Vanuatu has same-sex relations legal since 2007 (2006 Penal Code amendment), but Nov 2024 parliament confirmed marriage-equality ban covering religious, civil and traditional forms. No anti-discrimination, no legal gender change. No active gay scene · conservative society · PDA discouraged.

Population 336 mil Capital Port Vila Language Bislama, English, French Currency Vatu (VUV)

LGBTQI+ legal framework · Vanuatu

✓

LGBT identity

Legal

Legal under the 2006 Penal Code (Amendment) Act, in force from 2007 · consent age 15 across orientations

Partnership recognition

Banned (2024)

No recognition of same-sex unions · November 2024 legislative ban on religious, civil or traditional marriage

Legal protection

Teachers only (2013 Act)

No general anti-bias protection · cover is sectoral and limited to teachers on sexual-preference grounds under the 2013 Teaching Service Act §18.2(f)

Trans rights

No legal gender change

Legal gender change unavailable

Conversion therapies

No information

No information on conversion therapy ban

Social context · Vanuatu

Social acceptance

Conservative

Conservative · no scene

Socially conservative country · travellers advised to avoid PDA · no active LGBT scene

Source →

Anti-LGBT violence

Documented

Prosecutor consideration

Under the 2017 Prosecutors Code, the question of whether a bias motive — including against a victim's SO or GI — drove the offence must be weighed · no formal criminal aggravator

Source →

Indicative data as of 2026-05-18. Check the destination country's official sources before travelling.

Experiences
gay friendly · Vanuatu

Top-booked tours and activities, with instant booking via Viator.

Affiliate links to selected experiences

Recent
LGBT news · Vanuatu

Latest changes — new laws, rulings, events relevant to LGBTQI+ travelers.

NOV 15, 2024 · LEGAL

Same-sex marriage ban

Vanuatu's parliament enacted in November 2024 a comprehensive bar on same-sex unions covering religious, civil and customary forms.