Announcement…

Mauritius-Premium Travel Visa:

In addition to the existing Tourist Visa (details below), Mauritius has introduced a Premium Travel Visa on 23 October 2020 which valid for a period of one year, renewable thereafter.

To qualify for the Premium Travel Visa, interested visitors should produce evidence of their long-stay plans and sufficient travel and health insurance for the initial period of stay while meeting additional criteria.

This visa is free of charge and full online application and requirement details can be found on the Economic Development Board website here.

Ordinary Tourist Visa:

Do I need to apply for a visa before travelling to Mauritius?
Nationals of most countries do not require a visa prior to travelling to Mauritius. The Non-Citizen should hold a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months as from date of arrival, a valid return ticket and sufficient funds to meet the costs of your stay in Mauritius.

Tourist visas in Mauritius are issued upon arrival at the airport to visa exempt passport holders and are valid for a maximum period up to 60 days with the possibility of a maximum 30-day extension after the initial 60 days, depending on the return ticket validity.

Visa restricted passport holders would need to apply for their tourist visa at the relevant Mauritian Embassy in their country of origin or residence. For additional information, you may wish to visit the website of the Passport and Immigration Office: Visit the website here

I arrived on a tourist visa and want to apply for an Occupation Permit. Can I convert my tourist visa into a business visa?
It is not possible to convert a tourist visa into a business visa whilst in Mauritius if you intend to apply for an Occupation Permit. If you intend to work in Mauritius, you should obtain a business visa upon entry to the country.

How do I obtain a Business Visa for Mauritius?
In Mauritius, business visas are issued only upon arrival at the airport in to visa exempt passport holders. To obtain the business visa, the traveler should provide the Immigration Officer at the airport in Mauritius a letter from a local sponsor/company in Mauritius, explaining the traveler’s purpose of the trip and thereby requesting a business visa to be issued to the traveler on arrival in Mauritius.

Visa restricted passport holders would need to apply for their business visa at the relevant Mauritian Embassy in their country of origin or residence.

Am I allowed to work and be remunerated in Mauritius whilst on a Business Visa?
A Business visa does not permit remunerated work activities to be conducted while in Mauritius. Attending conferences, seminars, training and meetings are the only forms of activities allowed on this visa. A business visa may be issued for up to 120 days per calendar year.

Important note regarding the Tourist Visa and Business Visa

1. Travelers should hold a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months as from date of arrival, a valid return ticket and sufficient funds to meet the costs of their stay in Mauritius.
2. A person can be in Mauritius on a tourist visa for a maximum of 180 days in a calendar year. Note: A tourist visa cannot be converted to a business visa whilst in Mauritius. The number of days spent in Mauritius on a tourist visa and business visa are combined for each calendar year. For example: if a person has been on a business visa for 30 days in January, he/she will then only be eligible to spend either 150 days in the calendar year on a tourist visa in Mauritius or 90 days on a business visa. An individual cannot exceed 180 days in a calendar year on a tourist and business visa combined.

What is an Occupation Permit?

The Occupation Permit (OP) is a combined work and residence permit, which allows foreign nationals to work and live in Mauritius under 3 specific categories namely:

i. Investor

ii. Professional

iii. Self-Employed

Note: A person cannot hold an OP under 2 different categories at the same time, for example an individual cannot be on an Investor Permit and at the same time hold a Self-Employed Permit.

Foreign nationals, above the age of 50 may choose to retire in Mauritius under a Residence Permit (RP). The Retired Permit only gives the right to live in Mauritius without being professionally active.

An Occupation Permit (Investor and Self-employed) and a Retired Residence Permit shall be issued for a maximum period of 10 years, renewable thereafter as per established criteria.

An Occupation Permit under the Professional category shall be issued for a maximum period of 3 years or as per the duration of the contract of employment, renewable thereafter as per established criteria.

What is an ‘Approval in Principle’?

All applications for an OP (Investor, Professional and Self Employed) and RP (Retired) will only be considered under the ‘Approval in Principle’ route, that is the application is submitted online first and upon obtaining the approval in principle, the applicant has 90 days to travel to Mauritius to carry out the required medical tests and attend the interview with the Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Passport and Immigration Office (PIO).

If the authorities are satisfied with the documents provided during the interview, the OP or the RP will be issued to the applicant on the same day.

The Approval in Principle is not a visa to enter Mauritius. Prior to travelling to Mauritius, applicants should ensure that they have the appropriate travel document and visa as explained on the ‘Visa’ section of our home page.

What are the main criteria under each category of the Occupation Permit (OP)?

There are 3 categories of OP’s under which a non-citizen can apply. The non-citizen should apply for an OP under the category which best reflects the nature of activities in the country.

i. Investor

a. An Investor is defined as a shareholder and director in a company incorporated in Mauritius under the Companies Act 2001.

b. The initial application for an Investor Permit is for a period of 10 years.

c. An Investor should make an initial transfer of USD 50,000 or its equivalent in freely convertible foreign currency from his/her personal bank account in the country of residence at the time of application to the bank account of the company under which the application for the Investor Permit will be made.

d. For purposes of the renewal of the Investor Permit after the initial 10 years, the company should generate a minimum gross income of MUR 4 million per year as from the third year of initially obtaining the Investor Permit. For example, if an individual has obtained an Investor Permit in 2020 and it is expected that the individual will renew their Investor Permit in 2030, then one of the main criteria for renewal is that the Company, under which the Investor Permit has been obtained, is generating a gross revenue of MUR 4 million as from the year 2023.

e. A company may have more than one shareholder. If there are several shareholders in a company who would like to apply for an Investor Permit in Mauritius, then each shareholder should invest a minimum of USD 50,000 to be eligible for the Investor Permit. Thus, each Investor Permit application is for 1 person for a minimum investment of USD 50,000 per person in the company.

f. Foreigners who have already made an investment of a minimum of USD 50,000 or its equivalent in freely convertible foreign currency, in a company incorporated in Mauritius, are eligible to apply for the Investor Permit in Mauritius as long as the company in which the investment has been made, is reporting a cumulative turnover of MUR 12 million during the past 3 years preceding the application for the Investor Permit.

g. In the event a person inherits of an investment in a company in Mauritius, the beneficiary is eligible to apply for an Investor Permit in Mauritius as long as the company in which the investment has been inherited, is reporting a cumulative turnover of MUR 12 million during the past 3 years preceding the application for the Investor Permit.

h. Applicants for an Investor Permit in Mauritius should request a Business Visa upon arrival in Mauritius, after having obtained the Approval in Principle from the authorities in Mauritius.

i. An individual on an Investor Permit in Mauritius is also allowed to act as director on other companies incorporated in Mauritius.

ii. Professional

Expats who have been offered employment from a local company may apply for this permit. The Professional Occupation Permit is by far the most predominant entry permit for foreign nationals. If you are looking for an offer of employment on the island, get in touch with us and we will put you in touch with reputable recruitment companies to get the process started.

a. A Professional, as defined under the Immigration Act, an expatriate employed by a company incorporated in Mauritius to deliver professional services.

b. The initial application for a Professional Permit is for a period of 3 years or as per the duration of the contract of employment.

c. Professionals working for a period of less than one year in Mauritius may apply for a Short-term Occupation Permit. Under the Short-term Occupation Permit, Professionals can work and reside in Mauritius for a period not exceeding 9 months. The permit may be extended only once for a period not exceeding 3 months.

d. A Professional should earn a basic monthly salary of at least MUR 60,000.

e. For Professionals in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Food Processing sectors, the basic salary should be at least MUR 30,000.

f. Applicants for a Professional Permit in Mauritius should request a Business Visa upon arrival in Mauritius, after having obtained the Approval in Principle from the authorities in Mauritius.

g. A Professional can only be either a minority shareholder or a director (but not both) on the company employing him/her in Mauritius.

h. A Professional is allowed to hold investments in any other companies/businesses in Mauritius. The Professional is allowed to do so only if:

1. he/she is not involved in the day to day management of the Company/businesses;

2. he/she is appointed as director of the Company, it is in a Non-Executive capacity and he/she does not derive any director’s fees from this appointment.

3. he/she is not deriving any regular fixed salary or employment benefits from any other companies/businesses in which he holds investments apart from the Company under which he/she is employed in Mauritius.

iii. Self Employed

a. A Self-Employed individual is defined as a non-citizen engaged in a professional activity registered with the Registrar of Businesses under the Business Registration Act 2002. A Self-Employed individual operates a one-person business, working exclusively for his/her own account.

b. The initial application for the Self- Employed Permit is for a period of 10 years.

c. A Self-Employed individual should make an initial transfer of USD 35,000 or its equivalent in freely convertible foreign currency from his/her personal bank account in their country of residence at time of application to his/her personal bank account in Mauritius.

d. For renewal purposes, the business activity should generate a business income of MUR 800,000 per year as from the third year of registration.

e. Applicants for a Self-Employed Permit in Mauritius should request a Business Visa upon arrival in Mauritius, after having obtained the Approval in Principle from the authorities in Mauritius.

Restricted Activities for OP Holders

There are certain activities which would need a clearance from parent ministries in Mauritius prior to issuing the Approval in Principle. These activities are listed below:

1. Tourism sector: Any investor or professional wishing to operate a tourism-related activity should first consult the Tourism Authority on www.tourism.govmu.org to check whether he will be allowed to carry out his intended activity in Mauritius.
2. Trading sector: Trading activities consisting of imports to be sold locally may not be entertained.
3. Medical sector: All medical practitioners’ applications are only entertained under the category of professional or as investor. We strongly advise that the qualifications of the Medical Practitioner intending to apply for an OP in Mauritius to submit their academic and professional qualifications beforehand to the Authorities for review prior to submitting an Investor Permit or Professional Permit application.
4. Allied Health Professionals: Applicants in the field of physiotherapy, nutrition, occupational therapy, etc. should first register with the Council of Allied Professionals of Mauritius to be eligible for an OP and be able to practice in Mauritius. The website address is http://ahpcmauritius.org/welcome-on-ahpc-website. The Council will determine if their area of expertise is in the scarcity category in Mauritius and if they are eligible for registration in Mauritius. It is only following a favourable response from the Council that the individual can submit an application for an OP. For allied health professionals, applications for the OP are only accepted under the Professional and Investor categories.

How are Dependents defined for the purpose of an OP and RP in Mauritius?

Dependents are defined as spouse (including Common Law Partner of the opposite sex) and children, including stepchildren or lawfully adopted children, under 24 years of age.  The Dependents of an Occupation or Residence Permit holders are eligible to apply for a residence permit.

Dependent parents of Occupation Permit holders (Investor, Professional and Self Employed) are allowed to accompany and stay in Mauritius. The application for the parents as dependents of the Occupation Permit holders can be submitted to the Passport and Immigration office.

The duration of the dependent permit cannot exceed that of the main permit holder.

Source: Visit the official EDB website here for detailed accurate information.

RETIREMENT PERMIT

Mauritius is fast emerging as a preferred destination for non-citizens looking for an enticing place to spend their retirement years. Here’s a couple of reasons why…

• Stress-free, safe, politically and economically stable with low taxation
• Medical and health services of a world-class standard
• Affordable cost-of-living with good infrastructure and amenities
• Tropical climate and wonderful beaches
• Extensive real estate opportunities, from fully serviced apartments to luxurious villas and beachfront residences
• With several daily flights to Africa, Europe, Middle East and Asia, one is only hours away from family and friends

Get in touch with us about acquiring a property in one of the following categories:

• a residential unit developed under the IRS, RES and PDS
• a residential unit developed in a smart city
• an apartment located in a building of at least two floors above ground floor

The criteria for applying for a Residence Permit as a Retired Non-Citizen is as follows:

a. A Retired Non-Citizen is defined as a person who is not a citizen of Mauritius and is 50 years or above.

b. The initial application for a Retired Permit is for a period of 10 years.

c. A Retired Non-Citizen should make an initial transfer of at least USD 1,500 or its equivalent in freely convertible foreign currency from his/her personal bank account in the country of residence at time of application to his/her personal bank account in Mauritius.

d. Thereafter, the Retired Non-Citizen should transfer at least USD 1,500 monthly or a sum by instalments amounting to at least USD 18,000 annually, during a period of 10 years. Note that this amount is applicable to the principle permit holder only (the dependent spouse and children under the age of 24 are inclusive).

e. Applicants for a Retired Permit in Mauritius should enter Mauritius on a tourist visa (as explained under the ‘Visa’ section of our home page) and after having obtained the Approval in Principle from the Authorities in Mauritius.

f. A Retired Non-Citizen is allowed to hold investments in any companies/businesses in Mauritius. However, the Retired Non-Citizen is allowed to do so only if:

1. he/she is not involved into the day to day management of the Company/businesses;
2. he/she is appointed as director of the Company, it is in a Non-Executive capacity and he does not derive any director’s fees on this appointment.
3. he/she is not deriving any regular fixed salary or employment benefits from any companies/businesses in which he/she holds investments.

How are Dependents defined for the purpose of a RP in Mauritius?

Dependents are defined as spouse (including Common Law Partner of the opposite sex) and children, including stepchildren or lawfully adopted children, under 24 years of age.  The Dependents of an Occupation or Residence Permit holders are eligible to apply for a residence permit.

Source: Visit the official EDB website here for detailed accurate information.

Permanent Residency

The Mauritian property market continues to be an enticing option for non-citizens looking for real estate investment that offers permanent residency.

In Mauritius, a property investment at a minimum of USD 375,000 in a government-approved development (Property Development Scheme, Real Estate Scheme, Integrated Resort Scheme, or Smart City) offers the purchaser, their spouse and children under 24 years of age permanent residency status. The permanent residency is valid for as long as they own the property.

Permanent residency is an important aspect of the purchase decision, however it is crucial that the real estate investment provides favourable capital growth and rental return prospects.

Property value is expected to grow by 40% in the next 10 years. Furthermore, Mauritius is extremely tax efficient with no capital gains or inheritance tax.

How do we help…

DodoRelocations offers a unique turnkey solution for non-citizens looking to purchase property. Rely on our experience, we have an extensive network of both off plan and resale property purchase options available to meet your requirements. We are not real estate agents! Instead, we work with all reputable agencies and developers on the island and negotiate to ensure your best interests are met – we’re on your side.

During our accompanied Property Search service, we visit qualified properties from a predetermined shortlist saving time whilst ensuring a comprehensive selection from carefully selected and trusted agencies.

In addition, we can assist with the following services:

• de-snagging your home prior to arrival
• the appointment of local interior decorators
• procurement of all your kitchen equipment
• procurement of the best quality linen and towels
• procurement of carpets and blinds
• the design and making of furniture
• the appointment of pool maintenance and garden services
• the provision of handymen, plumbers and electricians
• utility setup and organisation of internet and DSTV