Mauritius digital nomad visa (2026)

Who can apply

Nationals of the 114 countries in the EDB annex can apply before travelling; everyone else must first enter on a tourist visa and apply online from inside Mauritius.

• Non-citizen planning a stay of more than 180 days in a calendar year
• Main place of business and income source outside Mauritius
• Must not enter the Mauritian labour market
• Travel and health insurance for the planned stay
• Minimum monthly income of US$1,500 per adult plus US$500 per dependent child

Income requirement

You need to show at least US$1,500 per month. Each adult applicant must show at least US$1,500 a month, plus US$500 a month for each dependent child (the French version of the FAQ limits this to children under 24).

Documents you need

• Online application form
• Passport bio-data page and passport photo
• Return or onward air ticket covering a stay beyond 6 months
• Travel and health insurance for the whole stay
• Accommodation proof (hotel booking, lease or host invitation with host ID)
• Last 3 months of bank statements and proof of monthly income
• Marriage or birth certificates for accompanying family (English or French)

How to apply, step by step

1. Check whether your nationality is on the annex list; if not, enter Mauritius on a tourist visa first
2. Complete the online Premium Visa application on the EDB/residency portal
3. Upload the supporting documents
4. Receive the e-visa by email; for applications from abroad, the one-year period starts on arrival

Where and how to apply

There is no consulate or embassy step. The Premium Visa is requested only through the online application on the Economic Development Board (EDB) business portal, which residency.mu links to, and there is no appointment system or in-person interview. EDB checks the file and makes a recommendation. Legally, the visa is then issued by a passport officer of the Passport and Immigration Office on that recommendation, according to the definition in the Income Tax Act and the MRA's Premium Visa FAQ. Where you are when you apply depends on your passport. Nationals of the 114 countries in the EDB annex can apply from home before they travel. Everyone else enters Mauritius on an ordinary tourist visa and submits the same online form from inside the country. EDB handles questions through premiumvisa@edbmauritius.org, on +230 203 3800, or at its office at 7 Exchange Square, Wall Street, Ebène. From 1 December 2025, residency.mu lists a non-refundable US$50 application fee, but it covers Occupation Permit and Retired Residence Permit applications only. The Premium Visa is still described as free.

Timeline

1. Check the annex and prepare documents Before applying
   Confirm whether your nationality can apply from abroad. Gather a return ticket and insurance that run beyond six months, accommodation proof, three months of bank statements, proof of income and any family certificates.
2. Submit the online application No official lead time
   Upload everything on the EDB portal. EDB does not publish a minimum or recommended time before departure.
3. Receive the e-visa No published processing time
   The visa arrives by email. EDB gives no service standard, so allow a margin before booking non-refundable travel.
4. Travel to Mauritius Within 6 months of issue
   For applications made from abroad, the visa stays valid for travel for six months. The one-year stay starts on the day you arrive, not the day the visa was issued.
5. In-country applicants: visa end date Matched to insurance and ticket
   If you apply while already in Mauritius as a tourist, the visa runs only as long as your health insurance and return ticket. Both must cover more than six months.
6. Tax declaration (form PV1) By 15 October each year, or on departure if earlier
   This applies only if you deposit money into a Mauritian bank account and want it treated as already taxed in your home country.
7. Renewal Before the visa expires
   Renew through the same online route. The passport photo and the marriage or birth certificates are not needed again. A new ticket, insurance, accommodation proof and financial evidence are.

Proving your income

The official checklist asks for financial evidence in two parts. The first is copies of your bank statements for the last three months. The second is separate proof of regular monthly income, such as an employment contract or a written attestation of monthly revenue for freelancers and business owners. Both parts are required on the first application and again at every renewal. The minimum amounts are set per month and in US dollars. EDB does not say whether statements in other currencies are converted at a particular rate, so it helps to choose statements where the monthly inflow is easy to read. The MRA describes the general test as having enough funds to cover the cost of the stay, and the visa also covers long-stay tourists and retirees, so pension income or regular investment income can serve as the monthly-income evidence when backed by a statement or certificate. The English FAQ does not set a language rule for bank documents. The French version says any document in another language must come with a certified translation into English or French. Marriage and birth certificates must be in English or French in either case.

Bringing your family

The visa is designed for people who come with their families. A spouse is added with a marriage certificate, and each child with a birth certificate, both in English or French. If a child travels with only one parent, a letter of consent from the other parent is also needed. The certificates are needed only on the first application, but the consent letter is asked for again at each renewal. The checklist sets the income threshold per adult applicant, plus an extra amount per dependent child. A couple should therefore be ready to show the adult amount for each of them, although EDB gives no worked example. Only the French text says dependent children must be under 24. All holders must stay out of the Mauritian labour market, and no official source gives accompanying spouses or adult children a separate right to work. A family member who wants a local job would need their own Occupation Permit or work permit.

Health insurance

Applicants need travel and health insurance for the whole planned stay, and the same requirement applies at renewal. EDB sets no minimum coverage amount, approved insurer list or specific benefits such as evacuation. The policy is checked as part of the file, so it should be active from your arrival date and run at least as long as the visa period you want. If you apply from inside Mauritius, the end date of your insurance directly limits the visa: the visa is matched to the validity of the insurance and the return ticket, and both must cover more than six months.

Cost and processing time

The fee is free (no visa or processing fee). Processing takes not stated officially; e-visa is sent by email. Budget extra for translations, certified copies and health insurance.

After you arrive

• For applications made from abroad, the one-year period starts on your arrival date, so keep the emailed e-visa with you for the border check.
• EDB and the Passport and Immigration Office do not describe a separate residence card or address registration for Premium Visa holders. The visa itself is the immigration document.
• Most holders do not need to register with the Mauritius Revenue Authority or file an income tax return (MRA FAQ, October 2022).
• If you transfer money into a Mauritian bank account that was already taxed abroad, file form PV1 with the MRA by 15 October each year, or when you leave Mauritius if that comes first.
• If you deposit income that has not been taxed in any country, apply online for a Tax Account Number (TAN) at mra.mu, then file and pay electronically by the due date.
• Non-residents may open a bank account, usually a savings account. Foreign-currency accounts can receive money only by bank transfer, and each bank sets its own minimum deposit.
• When you leave, the MRA can issue a statement confirming how long you stayed on the Premium Visa and whether you were liable to tax. File your renewal before the visa runs out if you plan to stay longer.

Tax

Under section 73 of the Income Tax Act, an individual is tax resident for an income year (1 July to 30 June) in any of three cases: being domiciled in Mauritius, unless the permanent home is abroad; spending 183 days or more in Mauritius in that year; or spending a total of 270 days or more over that year and the two before it. Section 73B adds a special rule for Premium Visa holders, which the Finance Act 2026 extended to Golden Visa holders from 13 August 2026. Pay for work done remotely from Mauritius counts as Mauritian income only when it is remitted to Mauritius. Spending in Mauritius with a foreign debit or credit card is not treated as remitting. Money deposited in a Mauritian bank account is taxable unless you declare (on form PV1) that tax was already paid on it in your country of origin or residence. Section 74A protects foreign employers. A business based abroad is normally treated as earning Mauritian income when an employee works remotely from Mauritius, but this does not apply if the employee holds a Premium Visa and the employer's core business is outside Mauritius. According to the MRA FAQ, holders do not pay the Contribution Sociale Généralisée (CSG), the National Savings Fund contribution or the training levy. Bringing in savings built up before the move does not require a tax return, only the declaration. Money remitted that was never taxed anywhere is subject to Mauritian income tax and the solidarity levy.

Does it lead to permanent residence?

The Premium Visa is a visa, not a residence permit, and residency.mu does not count it towards the 20-year Permanent Residence Permit (PRP). The PRP now requires at least five years on another permit: an Occupation Permit as an investor, professional or self-employed person, each with turnover or salary thresholds, or a Retired Non-Citizen Residence Permit with at least US$200,000 transferred over five consecutive years. Professionals and self-employed applicants must apply within six months of meeting the criteria. Holders can apply from inside Mauritius for an Occupation Permit if they want to work or invest, or for a Retired Non-Citizen Residence Permit if they are 50 or older. That permit requires US$24,000 a year or US$2,000 a month, runs for 10 years and is renewable. Premium Visa holders may also buy property under the IRS, RES, PDS or Smart City schemes, or an apartment in a building of at least ground plus two floors.

Why applications get refused

• Applying from abroad with a passport that is not on the 114-country annex. These applicants must enter as tourists and apply from inside Mauritius.
• Income below the per-adult or per-child minimum, or only one of the two required proofs (statements plus a contract or revenue attestation).
• A return ticket or insurance policy that does not run beyond six months or does not cover the whole planned stay.
• Signs that the applicant will join the local labour market or earn mainly from Mauritian sources, such as a local employer or local clients.
• Missing or untranslated family documents, such as a marriage or birth certificate not in English or French, or no consent letter for a child travelling with one parent.
• Weak accommodation proof, for example a host's invitation without the host's ID or residence permit and proof of address.

Cost of living in Port Louis (many long-stay visitors base themselves along the north and west coasts)

1-bedroom rent

About Rs 12,000–29,600 a month in the city centre (average about Rs 24,300), and Rs 6,000–22,000 outside the centre (Numbeo, updated 12 Nov 2026, 18 contributors)

Coworking desk

Regus lists day coworking from about US$19 per person per day and longer-term desks from about US$4 per day on 24-month contracts (Regus Mauritius website, Nov 2026)

Numbeo puts broadband of 60 Mbps or more at about Rs 1,000–2,000 a month; EDB's residency.mu cost-of-living page (undated) quotes about US$30 a month for 20 Mbps and US$500–1,000 a month for a 2–4 bedroom house.

Good to know

• Visa is valid for travel for 6 months after issue when you apply from abroad
• Holders can later apply for an Occupation Permit or a retired person's Residence Permit
• Stays under 180 days per calendar year only need the normal tourist visa

Visiting first? Entry rules for popular passports

113 passports can enter Mauritius visa-free for a short stay, a common way to try the country before applying. Check Mauritius visa requirements for your passport.

Official source

Economic Development Board Mauritius – Residency portal

Not yet confirmed on an official source: processing time. Check these with the consulate before you apply.