How to retire in Mauritius

The mild and tropical climate, the quality of life, and the warmth and general friendliness of the Mauritian people are the reasons that the country is so attractive to more and more visitors to live and retire in Mauritius. The country's political stability, the real estate development, the new and upcoming medical infrastructure, the sense of security, and the many facilities are attractive and make it possible to have a nice retirement in Mauritius.

Residence Permit

Foreign pensioners are allowed to come to Mauritius and spend more than three months per year, and obtain a Retired Non-Citizen status, valid for three years.

Conditions

In order to get the Residence Permit as Retired Non-Citizen, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be 50 years old and above
• Have a Mauritian bank account
• Transfer at least USD 2,500 or its equivalent in freely convertible foreign currency to a bank account in Mauritius - this amount must be credited to the account before submitting an application to the Board of Investment. The bank account must contain at least USD 40,000 per year, over the course of three years
• Show evidence of the initial transfer of USD 2,500 into the local bank account when applying for the Residence Permit
• Effectuate a transfer of at least USD 120,000 over three years into the local bank account
• Not allowed to receive a salary from a Mauritian company, or work in Mauritius
• Do not repatriate the funds to the country of origin (unless the Retired Non-Citizen Permit has been cancelled)
• Submit proof of transfer of at least USD 40,000 into the Mauritian bank account, to the Board of Investment (BOI) at the end of each year

The application pack must include:

1. Forms:

• BOI Registration form for Retired Non-Citizens
• Application Form for Residence Permit
• Signed Letter of Undertaking
• Processing fee (must be an office cheque or bank draft) of Rs 20,000 addressed to the Government of Mauritius.

2. Personal documents:

• Passport (bio-data page and last entry visa page)
• Original and copy of the Birth Certificate (in English or French language)
• Original and copy of the Marriage Certificate, or Divorce Certificate if applicable
• Four recent colour identical passport-sized photos
• Medical certificate with original medical reports (must not be older than six months)
• Evidence of the transfer of funds from a foreign bank account to a local one
• Morality Certificate/Certificate of Good Character for ten years preceding the date of application (but the document should not be older than six months)

The application must be processed by the BOI Occupation Permit Unit.

Good to know:

As immigration laws change constantly, these requirements may be subject to change, and therefore it is important to keep in mind that these rules are not necessarily set in stone. However, all foreigners must have a passport valid for at least 6 months after their stay in Mauritius. The name on the passport much match the name on the applicant's birth certificate, and if not, the applicant must provide an affidavit from his country of origin to certify that the two names indicate the same individual. A medical examination is compulsory, and applications without the results of medical exams will not be processed.

Mandatory medical examinations

The following medical examinations are necessary to apply for a Residence Permit:

1) Blood tests:

• haemoglobin and comprehensive haematological examination
• VDRL test ' Venereal Disease tests (HIV, syphilis, Hepatitis B)

2) Urinalysis for albumin and sugar

3) Stool test for parasites

4) Chest X-ray performed and certified by a radiologist.

Some tests (HIV, hepatitis B surface antigen, and chest x-ray) must be done in Mauritius at specific laboratories or clinics that are registered with the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life and the BOI, and has to be done three months prior to submitting the Work Permit application. Further tests (e. g. malaria, parasite detection, etc.) might be required, based on the results of the medical exams.

The test results obtained from the medical exams must be submitted to a local doctor, who will in turn issue the medical certificate, which needs to be submitted along with the application.

Useful links:

BOI ' Application for residence permit
BOI ' Guidelines for Retired Non-Citizen