How to become a resident in Mauritius?

A single visit to the island is usually enough to feel like living there. But to enjoy the warm climate and the paradisiacal beaches year-round, the applicant must fit into one of the categories established by the Mauritian authorities.

The heartfelt welcome of Mauritians, the widespread use of French, associated to the fact that the island is reputed as being politically stable, are among the arguments that eventually convince the many volunteers to expatriation. To be part of the foreign diaspora of Mauritius, the file of application must be retrieved with the Economic Development Board (formerly BOI) the organization who has the authority to issue residency permits to foreigners.

The Permanent Residency permit

 The permanent residency permit is certainly everyone’s dream. It is only issued on one condition, that of the acquisition of a property of at least US $ 500,000, whether it is an apartment or a villa, listed in the specific real estate schemes of the IRS, RES and PDS. Upon obtaining it, its beneficiary has the choice to be fiscally attached to Mauritius, provided that he/she lives there during at least 183 days of the year. This is valid for all of his/her family, including the spouse and children under the age of 24 years. Namely, the permit being directly related to the property acquired, the owner deciding to resell it will immediately lose the benefit.

The 3-year Residency permits

There are other ways of obtaining a residency permit; under the professional status, or that of a pensioner. https://www.residencesilemaurice.com.In these two categories, the permit is valid for 3 years, with the possibility of applying for renewal after this deadline.

In the category of professionals, the resident can be employed by a Mauritian company with a minimum monthly salary of Rs 60,000.

The independent professional must apply for a “work permit” and deposit $ 30,000 US into a local bank account. Once his permit is granted, he must justify a turnover equal to or greater than Rs 600 000 per year for 3 years to prove that his business is profitable.

The one who wishes to set up his business in Mauritius – whose activity has to be listed by the EDB and with 100% of the shares being his property – must apply for an investor’s permit. The upfront investment is fixed at US $ 100,000 excluding real estate purchase, with an obligation to reach a turnover of € 100,000 each year over 3 years.

In the category of retired residents, whoever wishes to live in the sun can also apply for a residency permit, under certain conditions: he is at least 50 years old and is able to fund his local bank account with US $ 40,000 from an exterior source of Mauritius each year. The retiree resident, who does not have the right to work, must be able to prove that his annual funds come from outside Mauritius.

After the first 3 years of residency, the investor and the retiree have the possibility to apply for a permit of 10 years

The Economic Development Board is the decision-maker

Without a residency permit, a non-Mauritian citizen has the right to stay on the island, between 2 and 6 months, considering that the natives of the countries of the European Union can stay there 6 months per year with the tourist visa given by Mauritian immigration services upon their arrival. To sojourn for a longer time, in one of the categories mentioned above, the permit is issued by the services of the EDB, after the constitution of a rather detailed file. The applications, that must contain various elements such as the result of health examinations, a certificate of morality and the justification of the applicant’s competencies in the advertised activity, are studied carefully before the EDB makes its decision.