Golden Visa
The Golden Visa is a multiple-entry visa for high-net-worth individuals and their immediate dependents, approved by Cabinet in April 2026 and legislated through the 2026-27 Budget measures. A holder who invests USD 1 million in Mauritius within twelve months of issue becomes eligible to apply for a twenty-year Permanent Residence Permit. Eligibility is not the same as approval: the application is assessed on its merits, and completing the investment does not convert the visa automatically.
The EDB published the scheme's guidelines in August 2026, and applications are now filed online through the National E-Licensing System. The requirements on this page follow those guidelines, and we confirm them with the EDB before preparing any application.
At a glance
| Investment undertaking | At least USD 1 million, invested in qualifying sectors within the first twelve months of residence, confirmed by a written undertaking at application. The EDB follows up on progress |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Evidence of funds | A bank statement from the applicant's country of origin showing at least USD 1 million, in the applicant's name or that of an entity they beneficially own |
| Source of income | The applicant's initial source of income must be outside Mauritius |
| Initial permit | Up to two years, multiple entry, renewable |
| On completion of the investment | Eligible to apply for a 20-year Permanent Residence Permit. Not an automatic conversion |
| Dependents | Spouse and children |
| Fees | No processing fee |
| Processing | Five working days from a complete application, under a service-level agreement set out in the guidelines |
| Authorities | Screening by the Economic Development Board; the visa is issued by the Passport and Immigration Office |
Eligibility criteria are set by the Economic Development Board and revised with each National Budget. The figures on this page follow the EDB Occupation Permit Guidelines issued under section 5(2)(ca) of the Economic Development Board Act 2017, as revised after the 2026-27 Budget, and were last checked against the guidelines in September 2026. We confirm the current criteria with the EDB before any application is prepared.
Who it suits
A family with capital to deploy, who want to relocate to Mauritius quickly and hold a long permit that is not tied to owning a home or running a business day to day. The Golden Visa does not, on its own, confer the right to work in Mauritius. A holder who wants to work or run a business can apply for an Occupation Permit, and one aged 50 or over for a Retired Non-Citizen permit.
It sits between the existing routes. It requires more capital than the Investor permit or the property threshold, but at the end of the first year it makes the holder eligible to apply for twenty-year permanent residence, and it leaves the choice of where to invest to the holder.
How an application runs
Applications are filed on the National E-Licensing System. The EDB screens each one and recommends those that meet the criteria to the Passport and Immigration Office, which issues the visa. The guidelines commit to five working days from the date an application is complete, and there is no processing fee.
The file comprises the application form, the passport, a detailed business plan covering the background of the shareholders, the project and its implementation schedule and how it is financed, the signed investment undertaking, a bank statement showing at least USD 1 million, travel and health insurance, and evidence of where you will stay. Source of funds is where a file is tested, and we prepare it to the standard the authorities apply, drawing on the group's compliance practice.
Housing
The application needs evidence of where you will stay: a hotel booking, a rental agreement or a letter of invitation from a host. Holders may also buy a home under the Integrated Resort, Real Estate, Property Development or Smart City schemes, or an apartment in a building of at least ground plus two floors. Residential property is not one of the qualifying sectors, so a home does not count towards the USD 1 million.
Our role
We advise on whether the Golden Visa or an existing route is the better fit, prepare the application and the source-of-funds file, structure the receiving entity for the investment where one is needed, and manage the concierge side of the relocation, including the fast-track work permits the scheme offers for domestic staff.
Questions we are asked
Is the Golden Visa available now?
Yes. The EDB published the scheme's guidelines in August 2026, and applications are filed on the National E-Licensing System. A complete application is to be processed within five working days, and there is no processing fee.
Must my income come from abroad?
Yes. The guidelines require the applicant's initial source of income to be outside Mauritius, and the evidence of funds is a bank statement from the country of origin showing at least USD 1 million.
Does buying a home count towards the USD 1 million?
No. The investment must go into a business activity in one of the qualifying sectors, and residential property is not one of them. The guidelines do allow holders to buy a home under the EDB property schemes, or a ground-plus-two apartment, alongside it.
Can I work in Mauritius on the Golden Visa?
Not on the visa itself. The guidelines allow a holder who wants to work or run a business to apply for an Occupation Permit, and a holder aged 50 or over to apply for a Retired Non-Citizen permit.
How does it compare with the Investor permit?
It requires ten times the capital but opens the way to applying for twenty-year permanent residence after the first year, rather than a ten-year permit with turnover conditions. The Investor permit suits someone who will run a business; the Golden Visa suits someone who will deploy capital.
Not sure this is the right route?
Most people leave the first consultation with a different route from the one they arrived with. An hour, by appointment, and you leave with a clear view of which permit fits, what it will cost, and how long it will take.