Mauritania
MRTMauritania is a vast, sparsely populated Saharan nation bridging North and West Africa, with roughly 90 percent of its territory covered by desert. Arabic is the official language and Islam the state religion, shaping daily life and legal norms. The economy is driven by iron ore exports, fishing, and livestock, with offshore oil and gas production growing. Nouakchott, one of the world's newest capital cities, houses a third of the national population.
Living costs are among the lowest in the region for foreign-currency earners. The country does not permit dual citizenship, and naturalisation requires ten years of continuous lawful residence. Security conditions vary: the capital and coastal areas are generally calm, but travel to northern and eastern regions near the Mali border carries significant risk due to Sahel-region militant activity. Healthcare infrastructure is limited and private medical cover is essential for expatriates.
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Tax system
- Residence Based
- Currency
- Mauritanian Ouguiya (MRU)
- Dual citizenship
- Not allowed
- Capital
- Nouakchott
- Region
- africa
- Population
- 4,615,000
- Cost-of-living
- 26 /100
Passport Rank
#97
Visa-Free
51
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Mauritania passport has visa-free access to 51 destinations. See the full Mauritania passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Mauritania without a prior visa (9)
Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.
Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.
Immigrating to Canada from Mauritania
Current IRCC processing times for Mauritania nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | 96 days |
| Super visa | No processing time available |
| Study permit | No processing time available |
| Work permit | No processing time available |
| Sponsor a dependent child | No processing time available |
| Adopted child (citizenship) | Not enough data |
| Government-assisted refugees | Not enough data |
| Privately sponsored refugees | sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data |
Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.
As of 2026-09-22 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.
Sources & last verified
Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)
Country Details
- Capital
- Nouakchott
- Currency
- Mauritanian Ouguiya (MRU)
- Languages
- Arabic, French, Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof
- Population
- 4,615,000
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Hot desert (BWh) — extreme heat year-round in the interior; coastal Nouakchott moderated by Atlantic trade winds; brief, irregular rains July–September in the south
- GDP per capita
- $2,198
- Life expectancy
- 68.71 yrs
- Population growth
- 2.78%/yr
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
26
Safety
38
Healthcare
22
Quality of Life
30
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Territorial Taxation
- No — worldwide income taxed for residents
- Naturalisation
- 10 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
Cost of Living by City
← scroll the table →
| City | Rent 1BR centre | Rent outside | Groceries | Utilities | Transit pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nouakchott | — | — | — | — | $25 |
| Nouadhibou | — | — | — | — | $20 |
| Rosso | — | — | — | — | $10 |
Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.
Climate
Nouakchott
Rainfall range: 1–50 mm/month · Daylight 10.8h (winter) to 13.4h (summer)
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Tourist (on arrival)
- Business
- Long-stay
- Work
- Family
- Student
- Authority
- Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nationale
- Official Portal
- www.interieur.gov.mr
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- Language Test
- Yes (level n/a)
- Civic Test
- No
- Oath Required
- No
- Dual Allowed
- No
- Fee
- $100
- Processing
- ~24 months
Safety
GPI Rank
#98
Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)
Common Risks
- ⚠Overcharging foreigners at markets
- ⚠Fake tour guide scams
- ⚠Currency exchange fraud
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Mauritania, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Mauritanians Abroad
MFAOfficial Mauritania visa information, visa-exemption list, e-visa duration bands, fee table and link to e-visa filing.
National Agency for the Population Register and Secure Titles
ANRPTSOfficial Mauritania Foreign Ministry visa information page, including e-visa link context and travel-purpose filing references.
Ministry of Interior, Promotion of Decentralization and Local Development
Interior MinistryOfficial interior authority surface for security, police and domestic administrative context relevant to foreigner compliance checks.
Related Guides
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Mauritania, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Residence
Long-validity e-Visa
ResidenceMauritania longer-validity e-visa option for applicants choosing one of the official multi-month or multi-year duration bands.
Short-term / business
Business or Institutional e-Visa
Short-term / businessMauritania e-visa route for business, institutional or official short visits filed through ANRPTS.
Family, Medical, Culture or Sport e-Visa
Short-term / businessMauritania e-visa route for family visits, medical travel, culture, sport or similar short-stay reasons listed on the official ANRPTS form.
Tourism e-Visa
Short-term / businessMauritania e-visa route for short tourism visits filed through the official ANRPTS form.
Work (sponsored)
Work or Residence Authority Check
Work (sponsored)Mauritania lite work/residence check page for applicants whose activity may go beyond e-visa visitor permission.
Sources & last verified
Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-12. Each route links to its official government source.
Sources & last verified
- Last verified