The prerequisites
- Prove and transfer USD 1,500 / month or USD 18,000 / year
- Mandatory health / travel insurance for the duration of the visa
- Proof of accommodation showing you have a place to stay in Mauritius during your stay.
Key Facts:
- Visa valid for 1 year, renewable
- Possibility to add family members (spouse and children under 24) as dependants
- This visa does not allow you to work for a Mauritian company
Longing for a change of scenery and thinking about leaving France to see what expat life is really like? Mauritius has every chance of winning you over in your search for a new balance. Yet before taking the leap into permanent expatriation, the visa question is often the first hurdle. Discover how the Premium Visa, a true passport to a temporary immersion, makes your project easier and lets you try out Mauritian life with complete peace of mind.
Why do so many French nationals choose to live in Mauritius?
The appeal of Mauritius for French nationals is no passing trend. This movement, observed for several years now, rests on concrete factors:
- A genuine quality of life.
- Stable public safety.
- The everyday use of French in business and daily life.
- A time zone that makes working with Europe easy (a 2 or 3 hour difference).
Add to this an attractive tax regime, with corporate tax capped at 15%, and an environment conducive to investment. Far from the postcard clichés, Mauritius stands out as a structured place to live and work, ticking every box for French expatriates to feel at home.
The Mauritius Premium Visa: who is it really for?
The Premium Visa is the ideal scheme for testing expat life without committing to a heavy procedure from the outset. It is mainly aimed at three profiles:
- Remote workers and digital nomads who want to take advantage of a one-year permit to stay in Mauritius while keeping their remote job abroad.
- Future retirees who have not yet reached the age of 50 required for the Retired permit.
- First-time expatriates in a trial phase looking for a smooth transition before considering a long-term residence permit. It is also a relevant solution for accompanying spouses while the main permit is being finalised.
The 5 eligibility criteria for the Premium Visa
To qualify for the Premium Visa, prospective expatriates must meet several requirements:
- Nationality: the applicant must be a national of an eligible country.
- Income: the applicant must provide proof of monthly income of at least 1 500 USD (for a single person, with a supplement for dependants).
- Insurance: taking out travel and health insurance covering the entire stay is mandatory.
- Accommodation: the expatriate must provide proof of address (long-term rental or certificate of accommodation).
Premium Visa or another permit: how to choose?
| Permit | Target audience |
|---|---|
| Premium Visa | Trial stay, remote work |
| Professional | Local employee |
| Self-Employed | Independent professional |
| Investor | Business founder |
| Retired | Retiree > 50 years old |
Living in Mauritius on a Premium Visa: what you can (and cannot) do
The Premium Visa is granted to applicants who meet the prerequisites for a period of one year, renewable for an additional year.
It is important to note that it does not allow you to carry out paid work for a Mauritian employer. You are, however, allowed to work remotely for your company based outside Mauritius. Your income must come from abroad.
On the practical side, the Premium Visa gives you access to opening a local bank account (under certain conditions), renting property on a long-term basis and enrolling your children in the island's international schools. It is a smooth immersion, without the constraint of setting up a complex legal structure on site.
What budget should you plan for living in Mauritius?
For those wondering what budget to plan for living in Mauritius, the answer depends largely on your level of comfort and where you choose to live. To give you an idea, here are a few non-exhaustive examples based on different profiles.
- For a single person: allow between 1 500 € and 2 000 € per month for a comfortable lifestyle (rent, food, leisure).
- For a couple: budget between 2 500 € and 3 500 € per month.
- For a family with school-age children: the budget can range from 4 000 € to more than 6 000 €, mainly due to school fees.
For a detailed analysis of fixed costs (health, insurance, electricity, internet), we invite you to visit our dedicated page on the Cost of living in Mauritius.
The process: how expat.mu secures your Premium Visa
A successful Premium Visa application starts with rigorous preparation. With expat.mu, you turn a potentially stressful procedure into a well-managed formality. We support you through every step of your expatriation project.
- Pre-qualification: we check your eligibility to avoid any rejection.
- Application preparation: we structure your supporting documents so they meet the expectations of the Mauritian authorities (EDB).
- Submission and follow-up: we file your application and liaise with the Mauritian administration.
- Arrival: once the Premium Visa is granted, we guide you through your first steps (arrival, practical advice).
Our added value lies in our detailed knowledge of local requirements and our ability to anticipate sticking points.
Documents to prepare in France
To put your application together, you will need to gather the following: your bank statements for the last 6 months, proof of income, and your civil status documents (birth and marriage certificates).
Average processing time for the Premium Visa
Although the Mauritian authorities publish theoretical timelines, allow on average 4 to 8 weeks for your application to be processed fully and securely. Our role is to make sure your application is flawless from the moment it is filed, optimising overall processing time.
After the Premium Visa: preparing the next chapter of your life in Mauritius
The Premium Visa often acts as an ideal springboard towards long-term expatriation in Mauritius. Once there, you will be able to assess whether the country truly matches your aspirations. If the answer is yes, the transition to a long-term residence permit (Investor, Professional or Property buyer) will happen naturally, based on your first-hand experience. It is not about switching abruptly, but about building your Mauritian project step by step.
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Everything you need to know before settling in Mauritius. Our complete guide covers visas, housing, healthcare, education, banking and much more.