Mauritius premium visa | Application Process | Our experience & Insider Tips (2024)

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Our Premium Visa Application Over Two Years

We applied for the Mauritius Premium Visa on two separate occasions – first in 2022 and then a renewal application in 2023. We initially entered Mauritius on a tourist visa and submitted our first premium visa application after arriving in the country. This detailed guide covers our experience over both applications.

Eligibility

To qualify for the Mauritius Premium Visa, you’ll need to prove you’re planning a longer stay and have adequate travel and health insurance for that time. You’ll also need to meet these key criteria:

No Local Employment: The Premium Visa doesn’t allow you to work in Mauritius.
Income from Abroad: Your primary business and income source must be outside Mauritius.
Supporting Documents: Be prepared to provide documentation that supports your reason for visiting, such as proof of accommodation, and meets standard immigration requirements. This might include bank statements, proof of employment or business ownership abroad, and a return flight ticket.

Renewal Leeway

We applied for renewal 1 week prior to visa expiry but processing took 12 full weeks. Some assume this lapse would imply we overstayed illegally. However, this is not the case – lodging renewal before current visa expiry provides continued legal residency during processing delays.

Dealing with Local Authorities

Despite slower processing than ideal, we found Mauritian civil servants quite helpful and understanding throughout our visa journey. They meticulously follow laid-out procedures but will patiently guide applicants through required steps. This cooperative attitude stands in stark positive contrast to experiences in some other countries. The officials’ sincerity provides reassurance that they aim to ultimately approve eligible applicants despite time lags.

Their well-meaning nature offers a silver lining for prospective visa seekers prepared for extended timelines. So do persist politely through long waits – approval should come through if you meet requirements!

We met with the officer in charge who confirmed that initially, it was the officers at the Economic Development Board (EDB) who were processing these visas. This process was later transferred to the Immigration Office – which partly explains why the EDB website’s does not get updated properly with the final status of your visa. The lack of synergy between these two institutions amplifies the delays associated with premium visa applications.

We have also been told that retired officers have recently been brought back to help deal with the backlog of applications. Additionally, at the time of writing, the officer confirmed that you can renew your premium visa as many times as you wish as long as you fulfill all requirements and submit all relevant information and documents. We have seen a few posts on social media claiming that you can only renew your premium visa once or twice – this is clearly incorrect.

Documents Required for Online Submission

The Economic Development Board (EDB) portal requires the following documents to be uploaded:

Recent digital passport photo taken in the last 3 months
Valid passport ensuring at least 1 year validity from application date
Scanned copy of entry stamp page (We also provided our UAE residence permit as we are UK passport holders providing bank statements from our UAE bank accounts. If your nationality does not match where your bank is based, for example you are a Brazilian National residing in the UK, we would suggest to provide additional information – in this case this will be your UK residence permit)
Travel insurance covering entire requested stay in Mauritius
Confirmed flexible return flight tickets for the same period
Signed accommodation letter from landlord in Mauritius or a long-term lease
Last 3 months’ bank statements showing minimum $18K balance will help your application (check the ‘Financial Documents Required’ section below for more information)
Official salary certificates indicating $1500+ monthly earnings

We decided to additionally submit scanned copies of our UAE residence permits even though not officially required, as further proof (for reasons stated above).

Uploading Documents to the Portal

When uploading to EDB’s portal, we combined some documents into single PDF files so as not to exceed the maximum number of attachments allowed:

Passport photo and valid passport pages merged into 1 PDF
Bank statements and salary certificates/payslips merged into 1 PDF

We highlighted key details like applicant names, account balances and insurance policy coverage dates on the PDFs using the annotation tools for easy visibility.

Visa Duration and Delivery

We were granted 1 year multiple-entry visas on both occasions. The visas were delivered via email in PDF format – so it is important to thoroughly verify all names and details as there were some initial misspellings that required rectification.

Tracking Your Application Status

The online status first changes from “Awaiting verification” to “In Process” usually within 4 weeks of application, indicating documents have been accepted. It then typically takes another few weeks for final approval.

To track status, you need to:

Log in to your EDB portal account
Navigate back to original application
Scroll down to see latest status displayed

Tip: Don’t rely on email updates for tracking, check manually.

Tips on Travel and Health Insurance

If opting for monthly travel insurance subscriptions like Genki or SafetyWing, be sure to include an explicit letter specifying 1 year coverage duration (payable monthly). Otherwise, the caseworker may request further documentation.

Genki: https://genki.world | SafetyWing: https://safetywing.com

Booking Return Tickets

For the return flight tickets required, we recommend taking these steps:

Book fully flexible, refundable tickets for your planned duration
Then once approved, cancel tickets for a full refund
Re-book tickets at possibly lower fares with desired dates
Make sure you do not overstay your visa

This ensures you have tickets to show for the initial application, without being tied down.

Providing Proof of Accommodation

You do not need a formal rental agreement from your landlord in Mauritius. As digital nomads, many of us stay in informal sublets or Airbnbs. Instead, you can provide a scanned copy of:

A signed letter providing rental details;
Your landlord’s proof of address (e.g. utility bill);
Your landlord’s National Identity Card (NIC).

We are happy to share a sample accommodation letter template if needed.

Financial Documents Required

As per the checklist, if you are not currently working, you will need to provide your last 3 months’ bank statements indicating available balance of over $18,000 (i.e $1,500 x 12 months) – more if you have dependents. If applying as a family/couple, ensure total balances across accounts meet requirements for the entire party.

However, if you are currently working, official salary certificates/payslips and bank statements must show regular earnings exceeding $1,500 per person per month. Again calculate total household income if applying with dependents.

New Requirements (2024)

Be aware that some requirements for the Mauritius Premium Visa may evolve over time. After our approval, we were surprised to be asked to open a local bank account within two months and provide proof of opening. Failure to do so carries a potential risk of visa cancellation. We visited the Immigration Office in Port Louis for clarification, as having a Mauritian bank account may have tax implications. The officer in charge confirmed that this is indeed a new requirement, implemented to combat suspected abuse of the system, such as individuals submitting fraudulent bank documents from their home countries.

Additionally, we gathered an important point regarding visa duration: your premium visa length is directly tied to your insurance validity and not necessarily to your return flights. We were informed that return flights can easily be altered and our visa was explicitly granted based on our insurance coverage period. In any case, your premium visa duration will not exceed 1 year from the time of application or renewal.

Tips and Hacks for Smooth Application

From our experience, these tips will help ensure a smooth, hassle-free visa application:

Provide more helpful information than required on the checklist and combine with other documents into one PDF for upload (you have limited options to upload documents and it makes it easier for the caseworker to review if some related documents are combined together in a logical fashion).
Clearly highlight names, account numbers, policy details etc on PDF bank statements and insurance documents.
Book flexible flight tickets, refundable even after approval if dates need changing.
Explicitly specify duration as 1 year in travel insurance cover letter for policies with monthly subscriptions.
Login and manually check status every now and then – do not rely on email updates after initial document submission.
Contact Immigration directly for inquiries rather than Economic Development Board during processing.
The Immigration Office is overwhelmed with premium visa applications after a change of process. From our understanding, the EDB was responsible for part of the process and this recently changed to the whole process being handled by the Immigration Office.

After Approval Tips

Once you receive visa approval, keep the following pointers in mind:

Verify names and details thoroughly to avoid corrections later.
Cancel fully refundable return tickets purchased earlier and re-book at possibly lower fares or for different dates, as long as this is not beyond your premium visa validity.
Carry printed visa copies when travelling domestically to other Mauritian islands like Rodrigues and when exiting Mauritius.
Inform the Immigration Office if changing local address to remain compliant.
Open your local bank bank account within 2 months of your visa approval and email the proof of account opening to the Immigration Office.

Domestic Travel

After receiving our first premium visa approval, we visited the island of Rodrigues. We had to produce printed copies of the visa at both Rodrigues and upon return to the airport in Mauritius. So do carry visa documentation when travelling domestically.

Misdirected Efforts

While applicants submit all documents digitally via the Economic Development Board (EDB) portal, this body actually has no influence on approvals. The EDB merely passes applications to caseworkers at the Immigration Department for processing after initial document acceptance.

Yet some applicants mistakenly direct inquiries and follow-ups to the EDB office in person. This proves a pointless exercise given their non-involvement post uploading stage.

Do note that the EDB and the Immigration Office function distinctly. Redirect efforts to Immigration contacts provided earlier for meaningful application tracking or queries. Avoid wasting time liaising with the EDB which is only acting as an intermediary.

We hope this helps set right expectations on directing inquiries to the agency actually responsible for approvals!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for a renewal of my Mauritius Premium Visa?

Select the ‘Renewal’ option explicitly on the online application form
Refer the previous visa reference number in the application
Upload all documents again as per first application
Use fully flexible return tickets and insurance cover letter again
Expect slightly longer 8+ weeks processing timeline

Do ensure renewal submission before current visa expiry to prevent overstay implications. Processing delays beyond expiry would still be regularised once approved.

The EDB’s page (National E-Licensing) can be found at: www.https://edbmauritius.org.

How do I Contact the Immigration Office?

Calling the Immigration Office at Sterling House seems pointless given their resource constraints. Calling the EDB helpline numbers also proves futile. However, we obtained direct premium visa section contacts (Immigration Department):

Phone: 260-2206 / 260-2204
Email: piovisa@govmu.org and copy premiumvisa@edbmauritius.org

Good to highlight only 2-3 officers handle all applications, hence delays.

If you want to pay them a visit, their location is easy to find (this may be a better solution):

What should I do if my Premium Visa application is rejected?

In case your application gets denied, you do have recourse:

Appeal by writing to the Immigration Office seeking clarification
Provide any missing or additional documents requested
Visit the Immigration Office in-person at Sterling House in Port Louis if needed

We hope this comprehensive, real-world account gives you clarity and confidence to embark on your own Mauritius Premium Visa application journey! We have covered every document, timeline, recommendation and pitfalls in detail from our recent first-hand experience.

So now you are fully equipped with insider tips to smoothly sail through the process. Avoid common mistakes and proactively prepare the right paperwork upfront using our guide. Stay persistent yet patient with authorities just like us to get your approval too!

Save yourself weeks of additional waiting by applying these lessons we learned. Reach out if any queries come up at any stage. We are happy to help fellow nomads join us in paradise!

Take the first step now by registering your application online. Then meticulously compile all supporting documents while closely following our tips. Before you know it, you could be working on the beach with a premium visa in hand thanks to this head start!

Let us know if any other questions come up!