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THE CITIZENSHIP DESK

Mauritian Citizenship by Descent

Mauritius

Last verified 2026-06-01Official source

Mauritius grants citizenship by descent to persons born anywhere in the world when at least one parent is a citizen of Mauritius by birth. This right derives directly from Section 20(3) and Section 23 of the Constitution of Mauritius and is given statutory effect by the Mauritius Citizenship Act 1968 (Act 45 of 1968). The key phrase is 'by birth': a parent who is a Mauritian citizen through naturalisation or registration does not confer the right on a child born abroad. Only a parent who was themselves born in Mauritius (or born abroad to a Mauritian parent and duly registered) satisfies the criterion. For adults who already hold Mauritian citizenship by descent but have never formally registered it, or for persons whose eligibility rests on Section 8 of the Citizenship Act (registration of persons of Mauritian descent), the route is administrative rather than judicial. The application is filed with the Citizenship Section of the Prime Minister's Office (now housed under the Defence and Home Affairs Division) in Port Louis. There is no court hearing and no requirement to reside in Mauritius before or after registration, making this one of the more accessible descent programmes for diaspora applicants. Mauritius has permitted dual citizenship since 1995. The principal practical barrier is the one-generation limit. Grandchildren of Mauritian citizens — people whose grandparent was born in Mauritius but whose parent was born elsewhere — do not automatically qualify under current law.

Program Details

Generation Limit
One generation (child of a Mauritian citizen born in Mauritius). Grandchildren of Mauritian citizens do not automatically qualify under current law; grandparent-based expansion is proposed but not yet enacted.
Estimated Cost
$100
–
$400
Processing Time
1–12 months
Must Live in Country
No
Court Route Available
No

Registration fees are approximately MUR 2,000–15,000 (~$45–$340 USD) depending on the applicable section; passport issuance adds MUR 700 (~$18 USD). Professional document preparation or legal assistance is not required but may add cost.

Common Barriers

  • ⚠Parent must have been born in Mauritius — naturalised Mauritian parents do not confer citizenship by descent on children born abroad
  • ⚠One-generation limit: grandchildren of Mauritian citizens cannot currently claim under the descent provisions
  • ⚠Parent must not have renounced or lost Mauritian citizenship prior to the applicant's birth
  • ⚠Birth certificates and civil status documents from Mauritius may be difficult to obtain for older family records
  • ⚠Applications must typically be submitted in person at the Prime Minister's Office (Citizenship Section) in Port Louis, though embassy submission has been facilitated in some cases
  • ⚠Dual citizenship is permitted for those who acquire by birth or descent, but the other nationality's laws may prohibit it

Documents Needed

  • •Completed application form (obtainable from the Defence and Home Affairs Division or Mauritian embassy)
  • •Applicant's full birth certificate (original + certified copy)
  • •Mauritian parent's birth certificate confirming birth in Mauritius
  • •Mauritian parent's national identity card or passport
  • •Marriage certificate(s) if surname differs from parent, or to establish the family link
  • •Applicant's current valid passport
  • •Two recent passport-size photographs
  • •Declaration of good character sworn before a Justice of the Peace or Notary

Ancestry Records

Civil Status Division, Mauritius

MODERATE
csd.govmu.org →

Mauritius is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention; documents for use in Mauritius require legalisation through the normal consular authentication chain if issued abroad. Mauritian civil-status documents issued in Mauritius do not require apostille.

Programme FAQs

My mother was born in Mauritius but naturalised as a British citizen before I was born. Can I still claim Mauritian citizenship by descent?
Yes, provided she had not renounced or otherwise lost her Mauritian citizenship before your birth. Naturalisation in another country does not automatically strip Mauritian citizenship, and Mauritius has permitted dual nationality since 1995.
My grandparent was born in Mauritius but my parent was born in the UK. Am I eligible?
Not under current law. The descent right requires that your parent — not your grandparent — was born in Mauritius. Proposed reforms to extend eligibility to grandchildren have been discussed but had not been enacted as of mid-2026.

Related Guides

Citizenship by descent: who actually qualifies

A plain-English map of which countries offer jus sanguinis, how many generations back they accept, which require court proceedings, and where recent reforms (UK, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain) opened or closed doors.

Fastest paths to an EU passport in 2025

A sourced comparison of the shortest EU naturalisation timelines, from 2-year descent fast-tracks to 5-year residency routes — plus the hidden requirements that extend them in practice.

Other Descent Programs

Italian Citizenship by Descent (Jure Sanguinis)$2,000-$15,000Irish Citizenship by Descent / Foreign Births Registration$500-$3,000German Citizenship by Descent (§ 4 StAG / Restoration under Art. 116 GG)$500-$8,000Polish Citizenship by Descent (Confirmation of Polish Citizenship)$1,000-$8,000

Sources & last verified

← View Mauritius country profile