Mauritius is one of the world’s most popular and highly valuated tourism destinations. The island holds a wide variety of natural and man-made attractions and is particularly popular because of its tropical climate with clear blue sea waters, stunning white beaches and lush tropical fauna and flora.
The country has the added bonus of a culturally minded population which is always welcoming and friendly towards tourists and travellers.
Holiday makers can avail their time by visiting the lush forests deeper into the country or explore the nearby villages with interesting local markets – even on bicycle.
The island offers a wealth of colonial history and an intriguing local culture that can be seen in some ancient architecture and villages.
This information piece tells you everything you need to know about visa requirements before you start making travelling plans and reservations for visiting Mauritius.
It is important that all travellers familiarise themselves with the legal requirements of entry before your visit, in particular if you are travelling with minors.
Visa requirements are governed by the Mauritian government and may be subject to change without any prior notice. It is always safer to check the country’s official website, or in case the information offered seems to be outdated, rather enquire from a reputable travelling agency or tour operator.
MoAfrika Tours is such an operator that would be able to give the correct information on what the latest updates or changes to the requirements for a visa application may be.
WHAT IS A VISA?
A visa is a document of authorisation that is issued to international travellers from other nationalities that are visiting Mauritius for a short stay and on a temporary basis for purposes that can include tourism, business, study or medical reasons.
Visas are normally issued for a maximum period of 30 or 90 days, depending on the traveller’s country of residence and its relationship with Mauritius. A valid visa allows the holder to enter the specific country through a port of entry and stay in the country for the period specified in the particular visa.
Visitors should also note that they are restricted to only the activity or reason stated in their application and nothing else. For example, if you had applied and been issued with a tourist visa for a holiday or family visit, you are not allowed to work in the country while staying in the country on that visa.
VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR VISITING MAURITIUS
A visa allows the holder to travel to Mauritius to enter the country through a port of entry but does not implicitly guarantee the right of admission of a person into the country. The final decision to admit a non-citizen always rests with the Immigration Officer after examination of the circumstances and document at the specific point of entry in Mauritius.
Visas and any extensions of stay, when the latter may be needed by a visitor, are issued free of charge by the relevant authorities.
A visa is authorised and issued upon successful application by a representative of a country’s embassy, mission or consulate after it has been determined that the applicant is eligible to enter the country for the specific purpose stated in the application.
Visitors holding passports from countries that are classified as ‘exempt’ from visas to enter Mauritius, do not need to apply for a visa prior to arriving in the country. Instead, they will be issued with a short-stay visa at the point of entry for a period of time relevant to the status of the visitor’s country.
COUNTRIES EXEMPTED AND COUNTRIES THAT NEED VISAS
Mauritius has several different conditions of entrance for residents from different countries travelling through or visiting. On grounds of that conditions, visas can be issued for different periods of time according to the nationality of the applicant.
No visa is required for residents of the following countries, who wishes to visit Mauritius for holidays or short visits:
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of Congo, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Estonia Republic, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea (South Republic), Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Macau SAR, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Russian Federation, Samoa (Western), San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Chad, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America , Vanuatu, Vatican, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
A visa that would be valid for a period of sixty days can be issued on arrival to residents of the following countries:
Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Colombia, Central African Republic, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Republic, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia, Mauritania, Marshall Island, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Palau, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yugoslavia.
Residents from the following countries is required to apply and obtain a visa to enter Mauritius prior to travelling to the country:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Korea (North), Laos, Libya, Mali, Pakistan, Palestinian State, Saharawi Republic, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
A visa for a period of two weeks can be issued on arrival for residents of the following countries:
Algeria, Comoros, Madagascar, Myanmar and Nigeria.
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DIFFERENT KINDS OF VISAS FOR ENTERING MAURITIUS
The Mauritian tourist visa:
The ordinary tourist visa is applied for by and granted for visitors that desire to spend a short period of holiday or leisure travel in the country with no business activities permitted on this visa.
The Mauritian transit visa:
This visa is only valid for three days or less and is issued to travellers that would be transferring through an entry and exit port in Mauritius to any other destination.
The Mauritian On-arrival visa:
This type of visa is given on arrival at any port of entry in Mauritius. There is a clear difference from not needing a visa at all, as the visitor in this case must still get the visa before he or she can go through immigration into the rest of the country.
The Mauritian student visa:
The student visa is applied for and issued to permit a person that wants to study at an institution of higher education in Mauritius, to do so for a certain period.
The Mauritian temporary worker visa:
This visa is applied for and issued to those people that need to go and work on a temporary basis in an organisation in Mauritius, different from residents from other nationalities permanently employed in the country.
The Mauritian spousal visa, also known as the partner visa:
This type of visa can be applied for and issued to the spouse or a civil partner of a resident of Mauritius or a Mauritian citizen.
The Mauritian business visa:
This type of visa can be applied for and is issued to people who are participating in any kind of short term commerce in Mauritius.
The Mauritian Marriage visa:
This kind of visa is valid for a long period of time and is applied for and issued to a person that will go into a civil partnership or a wedding with a citizen or resident of Mauritius. It must be applied for prior to the wedding and will only be issued if proof of a prior relationship can be shown.
HOW AND WHERE TO APPLY FOR VISAS WHEN VISITING MAURITIUS
An average of five working days is necessary for processing applications and for a visa to be issued, provided all relevant documents are submitted.
How to apply for an eVisa for Mauritius
One can get an eVisa online before you travel if you are from a country that needs a visa to enter Mauritius. You must apply for an e-Visa at least seven days before you intend to travel.
You create an account and receive a confirmation code on your email address, enter the traveling information (visa type, arrival and departure dates) and attach a scanned copy of your passport and wait for the visa to be processed.
How to apply for a Mauritius Visa at an embassy or consulate
The application process depends on which country’s embassy or consulate you use to submit your visa application. However, the following is a guideline:
DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR AN APPLICATION FOR A MAURITIAN VISA
COST OF A MAURITIUS VISA
There is currently no cost to applying for a Mauritian visa.
VACCINES NEEDED WHEN VISITING MAURITIUS
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is often required for a foreign visitor who is travelling from or transiting through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.
Some countries demand a yellow fever certificate from travellers from an infected country. Your travel agent should inform you if you need a certificate when you are booking your holiday or flight. Countries in Africa with a risk of yellow fever transmission include Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Benin, Ethiopia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Nigeria, Burundi, Gambia, Senegal, Cameroon, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea, South Sudan, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, Â Sudan, Republic of Congo, Kenya, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Â Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali.
Countries in Central and South America with the risk of yellow fever transmission include Argentina, French Guiana, Suriname, Bolivia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad only), Brazil, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Paraguay, Ecuador and Peru.
A yellow fever certificate is valid 10 days after the vaccination is administered, making it important to get the vaccination in time before leaving for Mauritius.
You may be refused entry if you leave it too late and arrive in Mauritius within the 10-day waiting period.
OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS WHEN VISITING MAURITIUS
VISITING MAURITIUS WITH MINORS
Minors that are travelling with one parent require a certified letter of consent from the parent not travelling. Minors that are traveling alone require a certified letter of consent from both parents. All Minors must have an original unabridged birth certificate.
WHAT HAPPENS IF ONE OVERSTAYS ON A VISA IN MAURITIUS
Foreign visitors who overstay on a visa are normally declared ‘undesirable persons’ and may incur a ban from Mauritius for a period, which prevents them from applying for a visa and re-entering Mauritius for a prescribed period of time.
You may also be charged a fine for each day that you overstay on your visa. There may even be legal action taken against you, it is highly recommended that you extend your visa well in advance.
Individuals who have been affected by the overstay visa regulations of a country can usually lodge a visa overstay appeal.
ENJOY A SAFE HOLIDAY IN MAURITIUS Â Â WITH A REPUTABLE TOUR OPERATOR
MoAfrika Tours is a leading tour operator in South Africa that offers an outstanding selection of tours to Mauritius. We have a close association with the most reputable tour operators in Mauritius who make safety a priority.