The Mauritius Premium Visa: a free year on the island for people paid from abroad
Show $1,500 a month from outside Mauritius, apply online from home, and stay up to a year at a time, renewable. The one hard rule: no local job.
Checked against the Economic Development Board, the Mauritius Revenue Authority and the U.S. State Department as of September 2026.
Who it's for
Built for people whose paycheck lives somewhere else
Remote employees, freelancers with foreign clients, and early retirees who aren't 50 yet (the age the retiree permit asks for). The deal is straightforward: your main business and income stay outside Mauritius, and you don't work for a local company.
What the visa lets you do, and what it doesn't
Keep your U.S. job
Work for your existing employer or your own business, as long as the income comes from outside Mauritius.
No local job
You can't take work in the Mauritian labor market. That needs an Occupation Permit.
Come and go
It's a multiple-entry visa, so trips home don't end it.
School for the kids
Children on the visa can enroll in private schools.
Buy only in approved schemes
Property is limited to approved developments (IRS, RES, PDS, Smart City) and qualifying apartment buildings.
Switch without leaving
While you're in Mauritius on it, you can apply for an Occupation Permit or a Residence Permit.
The requirements
Premium Visa
A free long-stay visa for remote workers, retirees and long-term visitors whose income comes from outside Mauritius. It lets you stay from six months up to one year, renewable, with multiple entries, but you may not take a job in the local labor market. Holders can later apply for an Occupation Permit or a retiree Residence Permit from inside the country.
- Government cost
- $0
- Timeline
- More than 6 months up to 1 year, renewable
- Difficulty
- Easy
Key requirements
- Monthly income of at least US$1,500 per adult plus US$500 per dependent child, earned outside Mauritius
- Bank statements for the last 3 months and proof of income (employment contract or revenue attestation)
- Travel and health insurance covering the intended stay
- Proof of accommodation (hotel booking, rental agreement or host invitation)
- Return or onward air ticket covering a stay beyond 6 months
- Must not enter the Mauritian labor market; main place of business must be outside Mauritius
Applying
From the EDB portal to an e-visa in your inbox
- Apply on the Economic Development Board portal. Americans are on the list that can file before arriving, or you can land as a visitor and file from the island.
- Upload everything as PDFs. Marriage and birth certificates must be in English or French.
- Wait. There's no official processing time. Applicants report the EDB takes the file, the Passport and Immigration Office makes the call, and the status usually moves past "Awaiting verification" within about four weeks.
- The visa arrives by email. Nothing is charged at any step.
Two tips from applicants: book a refundable return flight, and buy a full year of insurance, since one couple's grant length followed their coverage dates.
How the tax side works
Mauritius taxes Premium Visa holders only on money brought into the country, and spending on a U.S. card doesn't count. Money deposited in a local bank is taxable unless you declare it was already taxed at home. If you exclude your salary from U.S. tax with the foreign earned income exclusion ($132,900 for 2026), ask a tax pro whether that money still counts as taxed.
Before you apply
Here's the catch
Renewals can drag. One couple's renewal took 12 weeks. Another holder was asked again for documents already sent (another renewed twice with no trouble). File well before your expiry date.
A bank account may be expected. One couple was told after approval to open a local account within two months or risk cancellation. It isn't on the official pages, but plan for it.
It doesn't lead anywhere on its own. To stay for good, you switch to a permit.
It's not for local work. If you want a job with a Mauritian company, this isn't your visa.
Where you can go from here
Golden Visa
A $1 million investment within 12 months, with the same tax-on-remittances treatment as the Premium Visa.
Retired Non-Citizen permit
For people 50 and over with $2,000 a month in guaranteed income. Ten years at first, with permanent residence possible after five.
Occupation Permit (Professional)
A Mauritian job paying at least MUR 50,000 a month in basic salary (about $1,050).
Occupation Permit (Self-Employed)
Run your own business here, with income of MUR 2 million a year (about $42,000) from year three.
Partners
Who can help with insurance, taxes and money
The visa is free and the forms are short. The parts that take real work are a year of health coverage, your U.S. taxes, and turning dollars into rupees.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who helps you judge whether the care available on the island fits your health needs before you commit.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
International health insurance. The Premium Visa requires coverage for your whole stay, and they can match you with a plan.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
Files U.S. tax returns for Americans living abroad.
Flamingo Compliance | Tax Residency and Visa Tracker Platform
Tax Residency and Visa Tracker Platform
An app that counts your days in each country against tax and visa thresholds, so you know where you stand on the 183-day line.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Currency and international payments specialist that can set up regular dollar-to-rupee transfers.
Saily by Nord VPN
E-sim and Virtual Private Networks
eSIM data and VPN service from Nord, for getting online the day you land.
Thinking about a year in Mauritius?
Book a free call and talk through your income, timing and paperwork before you apply.
Why not you?