Mauritius tourist visa and visa-free entry

The Passport and Immigration Office (PIO) publishes a country-wise list of visa requirements; in the 2025 edition many nationalities need no visa, while others receive a visa for sixty days on arrival, a shorter visa on arrival, or must obtain a visa before travel. Separate exemptions cover residents of Mauritius, the spouse of a citizen and their children, holders of passports issued by EU governments, most diplomatic passports and ship crews on duty. A visa or visa-free status only lets you reach the port of entry: the immigration officer examines each passenger and makes the final decision on admission and on the length of stay.

Every person entering Mauritius must hold a passport valid beyond the intended stay, a return ticket to the country of origin or residence, the right to re-enter that country, enough money for the stay and a confirmed hotel booking or a sponsor who provides accommodation. Visitors may not take up any gainful activity without a residence permit. The PIO does not recognise passports issued by Taiwan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus or the British Indian Ocean Territory; holders of these, stateless persons, refugees and holders of travel documents apply for an entry visa before travelling, except Taiwan passport holders, who may receive a sixty-day visa on arrival.

The tourist category is for a short holiday. Up to six months may be granted in a calendar year, case by case; the Economic Development Board describes the limit as a cumulative 180 days. Anyone planning a longer stay applies online for the free Premium Visa. Other short-stay categories include a social visa of up to 45 days for people sponsored by socio-cultural organisations, which must be obtained before travel for religious purposes, and a transit visa for onward travel within 24 hours.

Extensions are free and are requested in person at the PIO, Sterling House, Lislet Geoffroy Street, Port Louis. Bring the signed extension form, copies of the passport bio page and the page with the arrival stamp, a ticket reservation (a confirmed ticket is shown once the extension is approved), bank statements for the last three months and a confirmed accommodation booking. A local sponsor supplies a letter giving their name, address, telephone, profession and relationship to you, with their identity card or passport, a utility bill, any lease agreement and three months of bank statements. Business visitors add a letter from the local company, and minors need a consent letter from parents or guardians with their birth certificate and the parents' passport copies.

Tourists may not work. Staying beyond the period granted is an offence that can be prosecuted in court; the PIO's student guidelines note that contraventions of the Immigration Act 2022 can lead to a fine of up to one million rupees and up to five years' imprisonment. Prospective students should travel only once their study application is approved, because people who enter as tourists are not given a permit or extension to study. Foreigners coming to celebrate their marriage follow section 24A of the Civil Status Act, and those marrying a Mauritian follow section 19A.