Mauritius is an island country in the Indian Ocean with a pleasant climate and great economic opportunities — it’s considered one of the most comfortable African countries to live in. The locals speak English, French, and Mauritian Creole. In 2019, Mauritius ranked first in the Mercer Quality of Living Survey among African countries and in 2022, the World Happiness Report named Mauritius the best country in Africa. Read on to find out how to legally move to Mauritius.
Types of Residency in Mauritius
Mauritian legislation defines several types of residence documents:
- Premium Visa;
- Temporary Residence Permit;
- Permanent Residence Permit;
- Occupation Permit;
- Family Occupation Permit.
All of these permits, with the exception of the Premium Visa, grant you the status of a resident. Let's study the key features of each of them.
Premium Visa
This is not strictly a residence permit, a premium tourist visa allows you to stay in Mauritius for six to 12 months. In your application, you must prove that you have a source of income outside Mauritius. This must be enough to support yourself in Mauritius. Premium Visa holders can apply for a work permit if they remain in Mauritius. Citizens of about 20 countries can apply for the Premium Visa online. Citizens of other countries must come to Mauritius on a regular tourist visa and apply for the Premium visa in person. Check out the website of the Economic Development Board (EDB) of Mauritius to learn more about the application process.
Photo: Ondrej Bocek (Unsplash)
Temporary Residence Permit
You can obtain a Temporary Residence Permit only by marrying a Mauritian citizen. Children born to non-citizens of Mauritius are also eligible for the Temporary Residence Permit if one of their parents is Mauritian. The temporary residency is valid for two years. If you got married abroad, the application should include a document confirming the foreign spouse is not already married in their home country.
Permanent Residence Permit
The Mauritian government grants permanent residency in various forms. Most types of permanent residence permits are offered both to the applicant and their family members: spouses and dependents. Students, young professionals, and interns can only get a permanent residence permit for themselves.
Scroll down to check the most common reasons for obtaining permanent residency.
Buying Real Estate
This will land you a sort of an investor visa that is valid as long as you own property in Mauritius. To get a residence permit as a property owner you must meet the following requirements.
- Invest at least $375,000. This can be joint property, but each investor must contribute at least $375,000.
- The property must be part of one of the state-approved real estate projects: the Integrated Resort Scheme, the Real Estate Scheme, the Invest Hotel Scheme, the Property Development Scheme, or the Smart City Scheme. However, if the applicant buys an apartment that is in another building but is on the third floor or higher, they are still eligible for this permit.
Flick an Flak beach. Photo: Dan Freeman (Unsplash)
Education in a Local Institution
Foreign students who attend classes in local educational institutions can apply for a residence permit. They just need to pay for their study programme and provide a bank statement for the last six months as proof of funds. The account must have at least 100,000 rupees ($2,200) in it.
Retired Foreign Nationals
Retired foreigners are eligible for a ten-year renewable residence permit in Mauritius if they
- are 50 years old or older;
- have a stable monthly income of at least $1500.
Retired foreign nationals can invest in any Mauritian business as long as they do not work for it, do not have any other source of income in Mauritius, and do not receive any state benefits. Applicants over the age of 50 can obtain a residence permit through buying a residential property from a state-approved list of real estate.
Occupation Permit
An occupation permit serves both as a residence and work permit. Applicants should fall into one of the categories below.
- Investor. These applicants must invest at least $50,000 in any business activity in Mauritius. The Investor Occupation Permit is valid for 10 years provided that the company's income reaches at least 2 million rupees by the third year.
- Professional. In this case, applicants must be legally employed by a local company and earn at least 30,000 rupees a month ($664). Depending on your job, you might need to submit a work permit or a licence. This usually applies to doctors, bankers, and some others. The Occupation Permit for Professionals is valid for ten years. However, you can also get a short-term occupation permit. It is valid for nine months and can be extended only once for no more than three months.
- Self-Employed. Self-employed applicants must transfer at least $35,000 to a local bank and provide two reference letters from potential clients as proof of future business opportunities. Self-employed applicants receive an occupation permit for 10 years and can extend it later. The key requirement is to reach an income of at least 800,000 rupees ($17,699) in three years after getting the permit.
- Intern. If you have received a degree in Mauritius and would like to complete an internship or a training programme, you can apply for the Occupation Permit. You can get the permit for six months, but an important condition is not to receive any payment for your work.
- Young specialists with a Bachelor's degree from a Mauritian university can get a Young Professional Occupation Permit for three years. However, this only applies if they work in finance, biotechnological or AI-related companies.
Mount Le Morne. Photo: Xavier Coiffic (Unsplash)
Family Occupation Permit
This type of permit is relatively new and was adopted by the government in 2022. A ten-year Family Occupation Permit is granted for a non-refundable donation of $250,000 to the COVID-19 Projects Development Fund. The Family Occupation Permit is obtained by the applicant and their family, including spouses, children, parents, dependents and even some other non-family members if they all work in a family-owned enterprise. Check out the website of the Economic Development Board to learn more about getting the Family Occupation Permit.
Permanent Residence Permit
The Permanent Residence Permit is valid for 20 years and can be extended. You can apply for permanent residency in Mauritius after having lived there for three years and if you meet the following conditions:
Applicant | Obligatory Conditions |
Investor | Annual revenue has been at least 15 million rupees ($331,800) for the last three years. |
Another option is to have a total revenue of 45 million rupees ($995,575) for any three consecutive years of residence in Mauritius. | |
Finally, you could have invested at least $375,000 in a local business.
| |
Retired Foreign National | Transfer at least $54,000 to a local bank in three years preceding the application. |
Professional | Earn at least 150,000 rupees ($3,300) a month for three years before applying for a Permanent Residence Permit. |
Self-Employed | The annual revenue of a company has been at least 3 million rupees for three consecutive years. |
Besides the applicants themselves, all family members are also eligible for permanent residency. You can find out more about getting permanent residency in Mauritius via the website of the Economic Development Board or the website of the Passport and Immigration Office.
Photo: Ricardo Marques (Unsplash)
Required Documents for Permanent Residency
The list of documents for getting a residence permit depends on the type of permit you apply for. For example, self-employed applicants must provide two references from potential clients, students must confirm they have paid the tuition fees, and investors should attach written approval from the Economic Development Board. Still, all applicants must have:
- a valid ID or passport;
- two photos;
- proof of residence in Mauritius;
- a proof of funds in the form of a bank statement, or documents confirming that the applicant receives a pension or has other sources of income outside or in Mauritius;
- a birth certificate or an alternative document;
- a marriage certificate (if applicable);
- a medical certificate if you are applying from abroad.
How to Apply
The Passport and Immigration Office issues residence permits of all types in Mauritius. However, you must apply via the Economic Development Board if you wish to get a temporary or permanent residence permit by investment or as a retired foreigner. The application must be addressed to the Director General of Immigration. In this case, you can submit the documents online via the National Electronic Licensing System.
Pamplemousses Botanical Garden. Photo: Jeremy Wermeille (Unsplash)
Costs of Getting a Residence Permit in Mauritius
Type of residence permit | Application cost |
Premium Visa | Free |
Temporary Residence Permit | Contact the Passport and Immigration Office for any questions about application fees. |
Permanent Residence Permit
| |
A property owner
| When you buy real estate in Mauritius, you are subject to various fees depending on the type of property and its cost. The minimum amount of the fee is 5% of the property’s cost, but no more than $70,000. |
Student
| Contact the Passport and Immigration Office for any questions about application fees. |
People over the age of 50 who own real estate when applying for a residence permit
| 20,000 rupees ($440)
|
Retired foreign nationals with an income of $1,500 a month
| $1,000 for the main applicant.
$400 for the spouse and dependents
|
People married to a Mauritian citizen for over two years
| Contact the Passport and Immigration Office for any questions about application fees. |
Occupation Permit
| |
Self-employed | $1,000 for the main applicant.
$400 for the spouse and each dependent
|
Young Professional Occupation Permit | $150 for a 12-month permit.
$250 for a permit from one to two years.
$300 for a permit from two to three years
|
Investor | $1,000 for the main applicant.
$400 for the spouse and dependents
|
Professional (employer pays the fees) | Depends on the term of your contract:
$400 if the contract is up to two years.
$500 for contracts from two to three years.
$800 for contracts from three to five years.
$1,000 for contracts from five to ten years.
The fees for the short-term residence permit are as follows:
$300 for the initial permit up to nine months.
$150 for renewing the permit for up to three months
|
Young specialist (employer pays the fees) | Depends on the term of your contract:
$150 for a 12-month permit.
$250 for a permit from one to two years.
$300 for a permit from two to three years
|
Family Occupation Permit | $1,000 for the main applicant.
$400 for the dependents and other employees of the family business
|
Temporary work permit | $300 for the initial permit up to nine months.
$150 for renewing the permit for up to three months
|
Permanent residence permit
| $3,000 for the main applicant.
$2,000 for the spouse and each dependent.
You must also pay $50 per person for submitting the application.
|
Port Louis. Photo: Peter Kuchar (pkuchar)
In a Nutshell
Mauritius is one of the world’s most welcoming countries. You can move here on various grounds: on a Premium Visa if you just wish to live here or by investing to become a permanent resident. There are many other ways to get a residence permit in Mauritius, from landing a job or studying in a local college to buying real estate.
Cover photo: Ritesh Innovador (Unsplash)
