Mauritius Premium Visa

Mauritius Premium Visa is an option for foreign nationals who want to spend more than a short holiday on the island: working remotely for an overseas employer, running a business based abroad, retiring, or living with their family for several months or up to a year. The visa does not turn a visitor into a local employee and does not replace a work permit.

The programme may look simple: submit an online application, provide accommodation, insurance and proof of funds, and receive an electronic visa after approval. The important part is understanding the boundaries of the status. Where does your income come from? Do you work for a Mauritian company? How long do you intend to stay? Will your spouse or children travel with you? These answers determine whether Premium Visa fits your situation or whether another permit is needed.

This guide is for digital nomads, remote employees, entrepreneurs, families and retirees. Programme conditions, forms and application procedures can change: check your plans against the official EDB and Passport and Immigration Office requirements before buying tickets or submitting documents.

What is the Mauritius Premium Visa?

Premium Visa is a special long-stay visa for a non-citizen who wants to live in Mauritius for an extended period. The official Passport and Immigration Office describes it as a route for tourists, retirees and professionals who may come with their families and carry out their business or work remotely from Mauritius. The Economic Development Board presents the programme in similar terms: live on the island for a longer period while keeping the main business and source of income outside Mauritius.

Official materials describe a stay exceeding six months and up to one year, with an option to renew. This is therefore not a replacement for a two-week holiday visa. It is a long-stay scenario that requires a credible accommodation, insurance and financial plan. The Passport and Immigration Office states that the Premium Visa is free of charge and has no processing fee.

The word “premium” does not mean that every type of activity is permitted. The visa supports the declared long-stay scenario, but it is not a universal authorisation to work for a local company, serve Mauritian customers or operate a local business.

Who is the programme suitable for?

Premium Visa is worth considering when your main income is generated outside Mauritius and the island becomes your place of residence. Typical scenarios include:

• working remotely for a foreign employer while keeping an employment contract with an overseas company;
• owning a business or serving clients outside Mauritius;
• spending several months on the island without joining a local company;
• retiring while being able to prove financial support and health insurance;
• moving with a spouse or children and preparing documents for every family member.

The key test is not the label “digital nomad”, but the location of the business, income and profit. EDB states that the main place of business and source of income or profits should be outside Mauritius. If your employer, customers and payments are connected to Mauritius, Premium Visa alone may not be sufficient.

Nationality also affects applying before travel: EDB publishes a list of eligible countries. For citizens of countries outside that list, it allows applications during a lawful tourist stay in Mauritius. This does not waive the initial entry requirements for your passport or guarantee Premium Visa approval.

Validity, renewal and accompanying family members

Premium Visa is issued for a period exceeding six months and up to one year, with the possibility of renewal. The Passport and Immigration Office summarises this as one year, renewable. When signing a long-term lease, rely on the period granted in your decision rather than on a general promise that you can automatically remain for a full year.

EDB’s detailed November 2023 FAQ states that, for applications from abroad, the visa remains valid for travel for six months after issue and the one-year stay begins on arrival. For applications made in Mauritius, validity is aligned with insurance and the return ticket, both covering more than six months. This is more detailed than the short checklist: confirm the conditions on your issued visa and with EDB. The FAQ also describes Premium Visa as multiple-entry, allowing departure and return during its validity. Renewal is not automatic: prepare fresh accommodation, insurance and funds evidence in advance.

Family members can be part of the long-stay plan, but the spouse’s and children’s documents must be prepared separately. The usual evidence includes a marriage certificate, children’s birth certificates and, where a child travels with only one parent, consent from the other parent. Different surnames may require additional proof of relationship.

Accompanying the main applicant does not automatically give a family member the right to work in Mauritius. A spouse or adult child who intends to take local employment must separately check the requirements for a work permit or another suitable status.

Which documents are usually required?

The official Premium Visa checklist contains documents for a first application and renewal. Always open the current version before uploading anything, because older copies may contain a different order or additional requirements.

• a completed online Premium Visa application form;
• the passport biodata page;
• a passport-size photograph for a first application;
• a copy of the airline ticket, including a return ticket for the intended stay exceeding six months;
• travel and health insurance covering the entire intended stay;
• accommodation evidence for the intended stay: a hotel booking or lease/rental agreement;
• if locally sponsored, a sponsorship letter, proof of address and a copy of the sponsor’s identity document or residence permit;
• bank statements for the last three months and proof of monthly income;
• a marriage certificate for an accompanying spouse and birth certificates for children, in English or French; the other parent’s consent when a child is accompanied by only one parent;
• any additional documents requested by the authority.

Documents should be readable, clearly named and consistent. The name in the passport, ticket, insurance policy and accommodation booking should match. If a document is not in English or French, check whether an official translation is required.

For renewal, the published checklist again requires the form, passport, airline ticket, insurance, accommodation, three months of bank statements and monthly-income evidence. A photograph and marriage/birth certificates are marked as not applicable for renewal, but parental consent for a child travelling with one parent is required again. The authority may request other documents; also follow the requirements shown for your current application.

The French section of EDB’s detailed FAQ requires documents in other languages to have a certified English or French translation. Do not assume a bank statement or certificate in another language will be accepted untranslated: confirm the certification requirements before preparing the set.

Proof of funds: what should be clear?

The applicant must show that the long stay can be financed without taking unauthorised employment in Mauritius. Bank statements, an employment contract, an employer letter, regular income records, pension documents or business documents may be relevant.

The purpose is not simply to show a high balance on one day. You should be able to explain the origin and stability of the funds: who pays you, how often money arrives, how long the contract runs and how the family’s expenses will be covered. If money moves between accounts, keep documents that explain the transfers.

EDB’s detailed official November 2023 FAQ specifies a minimum monthly income of USD 1,500 for each adult applicant and USD 500 for each dependent child. For two adults and one child, that adds up to USD 3,500 a month under this document. The short checklist linked from the programme page requires three months of statements and monthly-income evidence, but does not repeat the amounts. Their omission does not prove the thresholds have been abolished: confirm their applicability in the current form or with EDB before applying. For irregular income, savings-funded stays or family applications, request written clarification at premiumvisa@edbmauritius.org.

Remote work versus local employment

Working remotely from Mauritius can fit Premium Visa when the employer, business and income source are outside the island. Examples include continuing to work for a company in another country, serving overseas customers or managing a business that does not target the Mauritian market.

A different situation is employment by a local company, regular services for a Mauritian customer, selling goods on the island, managing a local property business or performing commercial activity for a Mauritian entity. This may be treated as entering the local labour market or conducting a different type of business. An Occupation Permit, Work Permit, Residence Permit or another status may be required.

The Passport and Immigration Office states that a person who entered Mauritius on a tourist or business visa is not entitled simply to take up employment. The same principle matters to Premium Visa holders: long-term residence should not be read as permission for any paid activity.

If you intend to incorporate a local company, hire staff, serve local clients or move the operational centre of your business to Mauritius, analyse the actual activity and the appropriate immigration and corporate regime before presenting yourself as a remote worker.

Tax: why Premium Visa is not a tax holiday

Premium Visa has a specific rule in section 73B of the Income Tax Act. Income for work performed remotely from Mauritius is treated as derived in Mauritius when remitted there: this is the remittance basis. The law expressly treats spending in Mauritius using a foreign credit or debit card as not remitted. Deposits into a Mauritian bank account are taxable under this provision unless a declaration confirms that the required tax on that income has been paid in the country of origin or residence. This is a specific rule, not an exemption for every type of income.

This does not mean that every Premium Visa holder is tax-free. You must separately consider tax residence, the employer’s country, where work is physically performed, double-tax agreements, social contributions, payroll obligations and personal transfers. One person can have reporting or payment obligations in more than one jurisdiction.

Before relocating, speak with a tax adviser who understands both countries. This is especially important if you spend most of the year in Mauritius, work as a contractor, manage a company, transfer money to a local account or plan to serve Mauritian customers.

A local account, the PV1 declaration and savings

MRA publishes form PV1 for the section 73B declaration. Keep evidence of the source of transfers and taxes paid: simply saying that tax was paid is not a substitute for supporting documents. MRA’s October 2022 FAQ separately addresses wealth or savings accumulated before moving, rather than current income; it provides for a declaration, not an automatic income-tax return requirement. Confirm with MRA how to document your particular transfer.

The same FAQ gives the PV1 deadline as departure or 15 October each year, whichever comes first. Confirm the applicable deadline and submission method with MRA in advance: this is published 2022 guidance, not a new instruction for a particular tax year. Where tax is payable on deposits, MRA requires registration, a Tax Account Number (TAN), an income-tax return and payment.

180 immigration days and 183 tax days are different rules

The tourist limit uses a calendar year; tax residence uses an income year. Section 73 of the Act published by MRA, consolidated up to May 2026, includes 183 days in the relevant income year or 270 days in total across that year and the two preceding years; it also includes domicile, subject to the permanent-place-of-abode exception. These tests do not replace the special section 73B rule. Neither Premium Visa nor the day count guarantees no tax or an automatic tax residence certificate.

How to apply

Apply online through the official resource linked by the Apply for Premium Visa button on EDB’s programme page. After approval, the electronic visa is sent by email. If the link opens the general Business Licensing Platform rather than the application form, ask EDB for the current application route; registering on a portal is not itself submission of a visa application.

1. Confirm that your situation is a long stay without entering the local labour market.
2. Check passport and entry requirements for the planned dates.
3. Prepare passport scans, a photograph, ticket, insurance, accommodation, financial evidence and family documents.
4. Complete the online form with matching names and dates.
5. Save the application number, a copy of the form and all uploaded documents.
6. Wait for the decision and electronic visa before beginning the trip.
7. After arrival, continue to follow the declared conditions and check the renewal procedure early.

Do not sign an irreversible long-term lease or resign from your job merely because the application has been submitted. Wait for the decision. If the authority asks for more documents, reply through an official channel and keep the correspondence.

EDB and the Passport and Immigration Office publish Premium Visa as free of charge. Do not confuse it with the Occupation Permit or Retired Residence Permit: EDB’s USD 50 application-fee notice effective from 1 December 2025 concerns those permits, not Premium Visa. Insurance, flights, document translations and an intermediary’s services are separate costs. The programme page gives no guaranteed processing time in hours or working days, so allow time for checks and requests for further information.

Daily life during a long stay

Premium Visa solves the immigration part of the move, but it does not organise daily life. For remote work, check the actual internet connection in the house, backup connectivity, workspace, noise, electricity and the ability to make video calls. A beautiful terrace photo says nothing about the quality of the connection.

Holiday accommodation and a one-year home are different products. Clarify the deposit, utilities, cleaning, repairs, early termination and proof of address. Do not transfer a large amount to an unknown intermediary without checking the owner and contract.

Think about transport before choosing a base. If you work from home, a neighbourhood with shops and medical services nearby may be more useful than a remote lagoon view. If you need schools, a coworking space, office meetings or regular trips to Port Louis and Ebene, logistics matter. You can also read our overview of Mauritius districts, but assess long-term housing in person whenever possible.

Insurance should cover real life, not merely satisfy a formal requirement. Check outpatient treatment, hospitalisation, dental care, evacuation and chronic conditions. Families should know where the nearest clinics are and how emergency care works.

Who should not choose Premium Visa?

The programme may be the wrong choice if:

• you want to work for a Mauritian company or earn most of your revenue from local customers;
• you plan to open a local business and manage its operations on the island;
• you need permanent residence rather than a renewable long-stay visa;
• you cannot prove accommodation, income, insurance or onward travel;
• you expect one visa to solve all tax questions;
• you only want a short holiday and do not need a long-stay status.

For local employment, study the work and residence permit route. For retirement or investment, review the relevant residence schemes. For a short visit, the ordinary tourist regime may be more appropriate. Compare options before signing a long-term rental agreement.

Premium Visa, tourist status and a work permit

Tourist status is designed for a short visit and should not be used as a hidden employment route. Premium Visa is designed for a longer stay by a tourist, retiree or remote professional whose business and income remain outside Mauritius. An Occupation Permit and related permits are intended for people who want to work, invest or conduct activity within the local economy.

If you first arrive as a tourist and later decide to stay longer, check the status well before the last week. The official Premium Visa page says that an application can be made while staying in Mauritius, but the documentation and timing requirements still apply. Confirm the details before changing your plans.

EDB states a cumulative tourist limit of 180 days per calendar year, but this does not mean every visitor receives 180 days on arrival. Initial conditions depend on your passport and the immigration decision. You can apply for Premium Visa while in Mauritius, but a pending application should not be treated as permission to remain after your current status expires: obtain confirmation of lawful continued stay from the Passport and Immigration Office in advance.

How to decide whether Premium Visa fits you

Mauritius Premium Visa is suitable for people who want to live on the island for an extended period while keeping their main income abroad. It can work for a remote employee, entrepreneur, retiree or family, but it requires a coherent application: documents for each family member, insurance, accommodation, financial evidence and a clear explanation of income.

The main restriction is the local labour market. If you plan to work for a Mauritian employer, sell services to local customers or move your business to the island, investigate another status. Taxes also cannot be reduced to a promise of “no tax”; determine your residence and cross-border obligations first.

Before applying, check the current conditions on the Passport and Immigration Office Premium Visa page, the EDB programme guide and the current checklist. For entry preparation, see our guide to entering Mauritius in 2026. If your scenario remains unclear, obtain individual advice before buying tickets or signing a long-term lease.

Official sources: Passport and Immigration Office — Premium Visa; Economic Development Board — Mauritius Premium Visa; Premium Visa document checklist; Passport and Immigration Office — employment permit; Mauritius Revenue Authority — Premium Visa declaration form; EDB — Premium Visa FAQ (11/2023); Income Tax Act — sections 73 and 73B; MRA — Premium Visa tax FAQ (October 2022).