Mauritius residence permit for spouses of citizens

Any non-citizen civilly married to a citizen of Mauritius has the status of a resident under section 5(1)(c) of the Immigration Act, and the PIO lists the spouse of a citizen among those exempt from visa regulations. The residence permit records this status. Both husband and wife must attend the office in person to submit the application and again to collect the permit. The citizen spouse must not have lost or renounced Mauritian citizenship.

The PIO asks for the Application to Enter Mauritius form; the citizen spouse’s birth certificate and national identity card; two recent photos of the applicant and any dependants; the applicant’s full birth certificate, legalised by the competent ministry or bearing a Hague Convention apostille from the country of birth; the civil marriage certificate, legalised or apostilled if the marriage took place abroad; divorce decrees for both parties or a former spouse’s death certificate and earlier marriage certificate where relevant; a police clearance or certificate of character less than six months old bearing all names as on the birth certificate; a letter from the citizen spouse supporting the application and confirming their citizenship; passport copies; the children’s full birth certificates, apostilled if born abroad; and, for a male applicant, evidence of financial means such as a recent Mauritian bank statement or three months of Mauritian payslips. For a marriage celebrated abroad from 27 July 2022, add an affidavit sworn before a court in the country of residence confirming that the applicant was not married to anyone else on the date of the marriage.

Documents not in English or French need an official translation. Submit the originals with two copies; the originals are returned after verification, except the police clearance, which the office keeps. Surnames, other names, dates of birth and gender must match across all documents. The Application to Enter Mauritius form is available at the Passport and Immigration Office, Sterling House, Port Louis.

Nationals of countries listed in the ninth, tenth and eleventh schedules of the Passport Regulations need a wedding visa before travelling to marry a Mauritian. The wedding visa file includes a letter from the applicant about their occupation and earnings, accommodation, family background and how the couple met, a confirmation letter from the Mauritian partner, birth certificates, a certificate of character, divorce or death certificates where relevant, and financial evidence: USD 50 a day for a male applicant, or at least MUR 45,000 for one month held by the Mauritian citizen for a female applicant. Visa-exempt nationals still meet the Civil Status Act requirements for a marriage to a Mauritian.