Mauritius approved a Golden Visa in April 2026 and legislated for it through the Budget measures. The Economic Development Board published the scheme's guidelines in August 2026, and applications are now filed on its National E-Licensing System.
The shape of it. A multiple-entry visa for a high-net-worth individual and immediate family, valid for up to two years and renewable. At application the holder undertakes in writing to invest USD 1 million in Mauritius within twelve months. On completing the investment, the holder becomes eligible to apply for a twenty-year Permanent Residence Permit. Eligibility is not approval, and the conversion is not automatic. The guidelines commit to processing a complete application within five working days, with no processing fee.
What counts. An investment of at least USD 1 million in a business activity in one of eleven qualifying sectors: financial services, fintech, ICT, tourism and hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare and wellness, education, renewable energy, the blue economy, innovative or knowledge-based activities, and creative industries. The applicant's initial source of income must be outside Mauritius. A home under the property schemes may still be bought, but residential property is not a qualifying sector, so it sits outside the USD 1 million.
Where it sits. Mauritius already offers residence through property at USD 375,000, an Investor permit at USD 100,000 with turnover obligations, and a Retired Non-Citizen permit on transfers of USD 24,000 a year. The Golden Visa asks for more capital than any of them and offers, in return, eligibility to apply for permanent residence after the first year and freedom in how the capital is deployed. It does not confer the right to work; the expectation is investment, not employment, and a holder who wants to work can apply for an Occupation Permit.
Who it is for. A family with capital to deploy who want to be in Mauritius quickly and to hold a long permit that is not tied to running a business day to day or to owning a particular property. For a founder who will run a company here, the Investor permit remains the better fit. For someone over 50 living on income from abroad, the Retired Non-Citizen permit remains the simplest.
The EDB screens each application and recommends those that meet the criteria to the Passport and Immigration Office, which issues the visa. The file needs a business plan, a bank statement showing at least USD 1 million, the signed investment undertaking, travel and health insurance and evidence of accommodation. Source of funds is where a file is tested, and we prepare it to the standard the authorities apply.