According to the VisaGuide Passport Index, the Mauritian passport ranks 70th in the world: its holders have visa-free travel to 120 countries, including EU countries and the UK. Read on to learn how to become a citizen of Mauritius.
Mauritian Citizenship by Birth and Descent
You can apply for Mauritian citizenship based on one of the following two principles:
- Jus soli, or the right of land, which allows you to apply for citizenship based on your place of birth. In Mauritius, there is an additional condition: at least one of the parents is Mauritian.
- Jus sanguinis, or the right of blood, which allows you to apply for citizenship regardless of your place of birth, if your mother or father has a Mauritian passport.
These grounds imply blood relationship with a citizen of the country, however, foreign nationals can also apply for a Mauritian passport.
Grand Baie. Photo: Dan DY (Unsplash)
Mauritian Citizenship for Foreigners
The Mauritian Nationality law of 14 December 1968, in addition to citizenship by birth, provides the following grounds for obtaining nationality:
- adoption
- registration of a Commonwealth citizen
- marriage
- naturalisation
The Minister of the Interior makes the final decision on citizenship.
Mauritian Citizenship by Adoption
An adopted child can become a citizen only if they were adopted in Mauritius and at least the adoptive father is a citizen of the country. If a child is adopted by a Mauritian woman or by her and a foreigner, this child does not have the right to citizenship.
Registration of a Commonwealth Citizen
Mauritius is a member of the Commonwealth which includes another 55 countries: the UK, Australia, Malta, Jamaica, India, Cyprus, and others. Citizens of these countries can apply for a Mauritian passport with a simplified procedure. To do it, they have to prove:
- their knowledge of English, French or Creole languages and the duties of Mauritian citizens;
- a clean record, that is, no issues with law enforcement in Mauritius and in their country of origin;
- that they have lived on the island for five years (the Minister of the Interior may decide to reduce this period, to a minimum of 12 months).
Photo: Ricardo Marques (Unsplash)
Mauritian Citizenship by Marriage
Marriage to a Mauritian citizen does not give the right to immediately apply for a passport. First, the foreign spouse gets a two-year temporary residence permit. During this time, they cannot leave the country without good reason and have to live with their spouse. Two years later, a foreign spouse gets a regular residence permit, and after another two years they can apply for citizenship, proving that they lived together as a family with a Mauritian for all of the four years.
Mauritian Citizenship by Naturalisation
All foreign nationals can apply for Mauritian citizenship if they prove that they:
- know English, French or Creole and the duties of a citizen of the country;
- have a good character. This is a general concept, which you can confirm by a certificate from the Director of Public Prosecutions of Mauritius valid for no more than three months and by a certificate from the police of the country of residence stating that there are no issues with law enforcement;
- have resided in the country for a total of at least six years, twelve months out of these six years prior to the application continuously. Residence means you have a permanent residence permit in Mauritius. There are investment programmes for expedited acquiring of citizenship. The minimum investment amount is $375,000.
There is an option to reduce the total period of naturalisation from five or seven years to two years by investing at least $500,000 in the country’s economy. Still, you should note that the expedited procedure of getting the passport of the country is at the discretion of the Minister of the Interior. Even big investments do not guarantee you a passport.
Ban on Dual Citizenship
An important condition for naturalisation and registration is your renunciation of your national passport. If the law of your country does not allow this to be done officially, it will be sufficient to announce the refusal when taking the oath. The Minister of the Interior may decide to allow you to keep your dual citizenship, but this issue is considered on an individual basis.
Photo: wurliburli (Pixabay)
Documents You Need to Apply for Mauritian Citizenship
Mauritian citizenship applications are handled by the Prime Minister's Office and the final decision is made by the Minister of the Interior. All applications are submitted to the Passport and Immigration Office, which processes them and passes them on to the authorities. You can get the necessary application form either from the Citizenship Section of the Prime Minister's Office at the Port Louis Government Centre, level 4, or from its official website. Attach the following documents to your application:
- birth certificate;
- marriage certificate, if applicable;
- a photocopy of the first five pages of your passport which must be valid for at least six more months;
- a certificate of character issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions of Mauritius and a police clearance certificate.
All documents issued abroad must be apostilled within the last twelve months.
There are several details that you need to keep in mind when applying for Mauritian citizenship.
Grounds for obtaining citizenship | Additional documents and requirements
|
Adoption | Adoption documents |
Documents confirming the citizenship of the parents | |
Other relevant documents (for more details contract the Citizenship Section of the Prime Minister’s Office or the Passport and Immigration Office). | |
Registration of a Commonwealth citizen | Mauritian residence permit valid for three months prior to application. |
Marriage | National ID of the spouse who is a citizen of Mauritius |
Foreign citizenship certificate of the applicant | |
Mauritian residence permit of the applicant | |
Birth certificate of the applicant's father and father-in-law | |
Birth certificate of children, if applicable | |
Naturalisation | Mauritian residence permit valid for at least three months |
Photocopies of all national IDs of the applicant in Mauritius and their phone numbers | |
Other documents, including diplomas, certificate of employment, financial status, real estate ownership, proof of investment, etc.
| |
A week before the submission of the application, you must place a standard advert in two daily newspapers in Mauritius. It should detail your plans to apply for citizenship. |
The application process takes at least one year. You will not be told the reasons for approval or rejection of your application.
Photo: Stephen Cruickshank (Pixabay)
How Much Does It Cost?
There is a non-refundable application fee of 2,000 rupees ($44). Upon approval, depending on the grounds, you will have to pay:
- 20,000 rupees ($443) in case of citizenship by adoption
- 50,000 rupees ($1,108) for registration of the Commonwealth citizen
- 20,000 rupees ($443) in case of citizenship by marriage
- 50,000 rupees ($1,108) in case of naturalisation
The certificate of citizenship is issued within one day after payment. Additionally, you must pay 1,000 rupees ($22) for taking the oath. There might be other fees in the amount of 1,000 to 2,000 rupees ($22 to 44).
In a Nutshell
Mauritian citizenship can be obtained by children adopted by a Mauritian father, citizens of the Commonwealth countries and other foreigners who have lived in the country for five or six years, as well as spouses of local residents after four years of cohabitation. The procedure for applying for citizenship is simple and clear, but even if you have done everything right, it does not guarantee the approval of your application. The final decision is up to the Minister of the Interior.
Cover photo: Xavier Coiffic (Unsplash)
