Officially titled the Republic of Mauritius, the island nation is located in the Indian Ocean, 1,100 nautical miles off the coast of Madagascar. Known for idyllic beaches, blue lagoons, and vibrant reefs, Mauritius is high on the travel bucket list for nature lovers. Now, with the Mauritius Premium Travel Visa, digital nomads are able to live and work for a renewable one-year period in paradise. With a 48-hour acceptance period and a free-to-apply application process, it’s never been easier to earn a long-term stay in Mauritius. 

From the application process itself to the minimum monthly salary—find out everything you need to know about the Mauritius digital nomad visa in our guide to remote working in the country. 

What is the Mauritius Digital Nomad Visa?

The Mauritius digital nomad visa, known officially as the Mauritius Premium Travel Visa, was launched in August 2020 in response to the global pandemic. With the global drop in tourism, nations around the world turned to alternative visitors to rejuvenate the loss in revenue from holidaymakers. The rapid rise of employees, freelancers, and business owners working from home created the perfect storm for the huge uptick in the digital nomad lifestyle. 

It’s this large shift in attitude that’s responsible for the increased long-term international stays, but Mauritius is not alone in its pursuit to encourage remote workers to visit. It joins other island countries including Cape Verde, Curaçao and the Bahamas, all of which have launched successful long-stay visas in response to the pandemic. 

Our global digital nomad guide showcases the complete list of all countries currently offering a digital nomad visa.

Why is the Mauritius Digital Nomad Visa Better Than a Tourist Visa?

The Mauritius Premium Travel Visa offers a fantastic time-based benefit over visiting the island nation with standard tourist permissions. With the Premium Visa, visitors are permitted to stay for a maximum of 180 days during any trip to the island nation and are offered an initial stay of one year with the further option to renew—lengthening their stay even further up to the maximum two-year period. Nomads can along their families with the Premium Visa. However, this does come with modified entry requirements (with increased minimum monthly income) that can make visa approval a little more challenging. 

Mauritius Digital Nomad Visa Requirements 

Unfortunately, the Mauritius digital nomad visa isn’t open to all—although the criteria is more relaxed than competing long-stay visas. Successful applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

• Valid Passport: The applicant's passport must be valid at the time of application. 
• Nationality: The Mauritius Premium Travel Visa is open to applicants from 114 countries—the full list of which can be found online. 
• $1,500 USD Minimum Monthly Income: Individual applicants must prove a minimum income of at least $1,500 per month. This figure rises to $3,000 USD per month when applying as a couple. Any further dependants under the age of 24 will each require an additional income requirement of $500 USD. 
• Travel & Health Insurance: Applicants must provide a travel and health insurance policy with coverage in Mauritius. 

How to Apply 

The Mauritius digital nomad visa application process is one of the simplest and fastest for remote work

ers to apply for. The entire process can be completed online with the visa verdict emailed to the applicant within 48 hours of submission. 

Step 1: Collect all Necessary Documents 

Before beginning the application process, applicants should collect all necessary documents, ready for online submission. The following documents must be gathered for use in the application process:

• Copy of passport (valid at the time of application)
• Passport-sized photos
• Proof of income
• Evidence of remote work
• Copy of travel and health insurance policy
• Entry (and exit) tickets to (and from) Mauritius
• Accommodation address in Mauritius
• Marriage certificate and/or birth certificates (of spouse/dependents if necessary)

All documents must be supplied in either English or French. Applicants may be required to translate these documents to satisfy this requirement. 

Step 2: Complete the Visa Application 

Once all documents are collected, nomads can begin the online application process by creating an account and following the onscreen instructions. When prompted, all documents must be uploaded via the online document uploader. There are no visa fees to pay on application. 

Step 3: Await Visa Approval

The current waiting time sits at just 48 hours with the visa emailed directly to successful applicants. Once approved, visa holders are then free to travel to Mauritius to live and work as digital nomads. 

Why Choose Mauritius for Your Next Remote Working Trip?

With white sand beaches, deep blue lagoons, vibrant reefs, and a mountainous interior—it’s hard to think of a destination better suited to the nomad lifestyle. Mark Twain, often noted as “the father of American literature”, famously loved the country stating “Mauritius was made first, and then heaven; and that heaven was copied after Mauritius”. Its vibrant energy and African, Chinese, European, and Indian influences make for a unique island that’s packed full of great things to do, see and eat!

Turning to the numbers, Mauritius is ranked in the 45th position, between Hungary (44) and Qatar (46), in the 2021 Legatum Prosperity Index. The annual independent study uses more than 100 indexes to evaluate safety and security, personal freedom, healthcare etc. from more than 165 nations. 

Although the nomad visa was launched in 2020, Mauritius is rarely thought of as a place for digital nomads. However, the island does offer a fantastic infrastructure for remote work. A range of great workspaces, reliable internet connections, good healthcare, and a low cost of living are just some of the benefits of living and working within its borders. 

Remote Work Culture in Mauritius

Although very beautiful, Mauritius is a small island with a population of just over 1.2 million. This does mean that the infrastructure for remote work is geographically limited with the majority of coworking spaces and cafes located in the most populous areas (Port Louis, Quatre Bornes). 

The internet speeds in Mauritius are adequate for remote work with a median fixed broadband download speed of 27.4 Mbps and an upload speed of 9.8 Mbps. The mobile speed is also of good quality, with a median download speed of 26.9 Mbps and an upload speed of 11.6 Mbps. 

Cost of Living and Quality of Life in Mauritius 

Regularly referred to as an island paradise, both the cost of living and quality of life are assumed to be on the higher end of the sliding scale. 

However, the cost of living in Mauritius is actually reported at approximately 41.4% lower than in the United States with average rental prices estimated at a huge 76.6% lower than in the US. This leads to an average monthly cost for a single digital nomad of approximately $550 USD (without rent). For a family of four, this value rises to an estimated value of $2,000 USD (without rent).

The quality of life in Mauritius is rated moderate with the nation performing well in cost of living, climate and healthcare, but poorly in areas of the property price, purchasing power, and traffic commute time. 

Healthcare in Mauritius

Again, using the 2021 Legatum Prosperity Index, Mauritius is ranked in the 83rd position, between Belize (82) and Moldova (83). This health pillar looks at everything from mortality rates and illness outcomes to health systems and risk factors, ultimately creating a good all-around picture of the system. 

Both travel and health insurance are official requirements for the nomad visa application process, but we would always recommend both regardless. Always be sure to read the small print, verifying that all desired activities (diving, hiking, etc.) are covered by the insurance to avoid unforeseen expenses. 

Conclusion 

Home to some of the world's most beautiful scenery, the friendliest people, and unique and vibrant culture, Mauritius is a top choice for nomads looking to plant roots for up to two years. 

The digital nomad visa is, however, not available to all—but unlike some alternative remote working visas, there is no application fee (and therefore no risk) for the Mauritius Premium Travel Visa. Similarly, with a 48-hour processing time, applicants will not only save funds on the fees but will save time with one of the most efficient digital nomad visas globally. 

Successful applicants must satisfy a short list of requirements, ranging from a $1,500 USD minimum monthly income to a travel and health insurance policy covering the visa duration. The requirements are subject to any dependents added on to the visa, but ultimately offers one of the most reasonable