Mauritius Permanent Residency (Property Purchase) vs Mauritius Premium Travel Visa
A factual side-by-side comparison of two residency programmes. All figures are drawn from the canonical program pages — follow either link in the table header for sources and the full profile.
Key Differences at a Glance
- ›Mauritius Premium Travel Visa is faster: 1 months vs 4 months for Mauritius Permanent Residency (Property Purchase).
- ›Mauritius Permanent Residency (Property Purchase) leads to citizenship (~5 yrs); Mauritius Premium Travel Visa does not.
- ›Mauritius Permanent Residency (Property Purchase) requires a 375,000 USD investment; Mauritius Premium Travel Visa does not.
- ›Mauritius Premium Travel Visa uses territorial taxation; Mauritius Permanent Residency (Property Purchase) taxes worldwide income.
Mauritius Permanent Residency (Property Purchase) Mauritius · investment | Mauritius Premium Travel Visa Mauritius · digital nomad | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Mauritius | Mauritius |
| Category | Investment | Digital Nomad |
| Application Fee | $1,000 | $0 |
| Minimum Income | — | $1,500 /mo |
| Minimum Investment | $375,000 | — |
| Processing Time | 4 months | 1 months |
| Family Included | Spouse, dependent children, and parents included on the principal's permit | +USD 500/month per dependent |
| Path to PR | Yes — 0 years | No |
| Path to Citizenship | Yes — 5 years | No |
| Physical Presence | PR permit valid 10 years (renewable while property is held). No minimum stay — holder may live in Mauritius full-time, part-time, or visit only. | 1-year initial validity, renewable. No minimum presence requirement during the visa period. |
| Dual Citizenship | Allowed | Allowed |
| Tax Impact | Mauritius operates residence-based taxation with a 15% flat PIT plus 10% Solidarity Levy on income above MUR 3M. PR holders become Mauritian tax residents at 183+ days physical presence; foreign-source income is taxable but no remittance requirement — i.e. no UK-style 'remittance basis' is needed because the rate is already low and the Mauritian network of 47+ tax treaties relieves double taxation. | Premium Travel Visa holders are NOT considered Mauritian tax residents and are exempt from Mauritian tax on foreign-source income for the duration of the visa, even if they remain in Mauritius for more than 183 days. This is a unique structural feature among nomad visas. |
| Tax Residency Trigger | 183 days/yr | null days/yr |
| Worldwide Taxation | Yes | Territorial |
| Renewal Cost | $1,000 | $0 |
About Mauritius Permanent Residency (Property Purchase)
Mauritius Permanent Residency through property purchase grants a 10-year renewable residence permit to non-citizens who buy property worth at least USD 375,000 in any of the government-approved real-estate schemes (PDS — Property Development Scheme, RES — Real Estate Scheme, IRS — Integrated Resort Scheme, IHS — Invest Hotel Scheme, G+2 ground-plus-two apartment, or Smart City Project). The PR permit covers spouse, dependent children, and parents. Naturalisation is possible after 5 years of legal residence (continuous residence required). Combined with Mauritius's 15% flat PIT, 47+ tax treaties, and FATF white-list status, the route is one of the more tax-efficient long-term-residency programmes globally.
Full Mauritius Permanent Residency (Property Purchase) profile →About Mauritius Premium Travel Visa
Mauritius's Premium Travel Visa (introduced October 2020) is a 1-year renewable visa for foreign nationals from countries with which Mauritius has visa-free or visa-on-arrival arrangements (~110 countries) who wish to live and work remotely in Mauritius. The visa is FREE to apply for and confers full residence rights without conferring tax residency on foreign-source income — the holder remains exempt from Mauritian tax on income earned from outside Mauritius. The visa was originally designed as a COVID-era response and has been extended through subsequent renewals. Holders may bring spouse, children, and parents subject to the additional income proof.
Full Mauritius Premium Travel Visa profile →Gotchas to Watch For
Mauritius Permanent Residency (Property Purchase)
- ⚠USD 375,000 minimum is for the property — it's an investment threshold, not a fee, and you keep the property
- ⚠Approved-scheme requirement is strict — only specific real-estate developments qualify; ordinary Mauritian property purchases do NOT confer PR
- ⚠Citizenship after 5 years requires actual continuous residence — pure investor PR with no presence does not produce a passport
- ⚠Property transfer taxes (~5%) and notary fees (~1-2%) are above the headline USD 375k figure
Mauritius Premium Travel Visa
- ⚠Visa is FREE — beware third-party agencies charging fees for the application service
- ⚠Foreign-income tax exemption is unique: most nomad visas trigger tax residency at 183 days; Mauritius Premium Visa explicitly does not
- ⚠Renewal is annual; long-term residents typically convert to Permanent Residency or Occupation Permit
Neutral reference — we don't recommend one programme over another. Programmes change: always verify each detail against the official source linked on the individual program pages.