Interested in moving from SA to Mauritius, but so many questions????

BrentV wrote:

Oh and bringing over dogs

Hi Brent and welcome to Expat.com,

You can check out this link to the pets related page of our guide.

In the first paragraph, you'll find the contact of the Mauritian vet service. The procedure to import pets is different from country to country and it's better to contact them directly to have directions for you.

Good luck
Arlette

FeeAcer wrote:

BrentV wrote:

Oh and bringing over dogs

Hi Brent and welcome to Expat.com,

You can check out this link to the pets related page of our guide.

In the first paragraph, you'll find the contact of the Mauritian vet service. The procedure to import pets is different from country to country and it's better to contact them directly to have directions for you.

Good luck
Arlette

Thanks for the info Arlette.. Will have a look

Hi Arlette
I tried the link you referred to for Brent but the email address does not work and main is returned.  Any other email address you might have??
Wendy

Ok I just contacted the Vet services and checked with them:

Forget the first email address; the only one valid is

Mauritius governmental vet services

Sorry guys...

Arlette

FeeAcer wrote:

Ok I just contacted the Vet services and checked with them:

Forget the first email address; the only one valid is

Mauritius governmental vet services

Sorry guys...

Arlette

Thanks for the help Arlette... you a Star!

For any business help you need, i can find someone who can help you when you are here. Just contact me from here.

Regarding residency. There is a real estate scheme called IRS. These houses start around $850,000 dollars. On completion of buying an IRS project you receive a Permanent Resident Permit. This is the only legal way to get instant residency. Many people have been scammed with illegal real estate deals. Regarding the 4x4 don't bring it. There is 100% duty on vehicles and the Mauritian government will tell you the value of you vehicle. They do not accept invoices from foreign companies. So let's say you think your 4x4 is worth $5,000. Mauritius government will probably say its worth $12,000. Then double that $24,000 and then add another 15%. $27,600 plus shipping. SO your $5,000 vehicle will cost you well over $30,000 to bring in. Call any import agency to verify my information. Also, I'm a business owner from America. If you need help contact me.

Hey guys,
We have spoken to a friendly guy at the consolate in Durban.
He is going to give a whole rundown for us on the do's and don'ts etc next week before we fly!

Hi Brent

Did you sort things out for your dogs?

Arlette

Hi Jekel,

I don't understand why it would take so long for you to get your dog in Mauritius? Who gave you this information?

Please tell us.

Arlette

jekel wrote:

Hi Brent,

Am also a new member and moving to Mauritius. We fly there on the 8th May for one week to find accommodation etc. My husband starts work there on the 1st June. He is also in contruction. I have looked long and hard at taking our 5yr old Jack Russell with us but after all the various tests and quarantine periods etc, it would probably be 7/8 months before we could get him !
You mentioned a guy you spoke to in Durban - was his name Morgan by any chance? Good luck.

Hi Jekel,
My fiance chatted to him will find out his name!
We also flying but the 9th May (sunday)
Will be interesting to see what your husband finds...
Please keep me updated
Thanks
B

Oh yeah...
Hope that's not the story for both our dogs! If I have more luck I'll let you know!

FeeAcer wrote:

Hi Brent

Did you sort things out for your dogs?

Arlette

Hi Arlette, gonna chat to the guy in Durbs next week will let you know what he says!

Hi jekel,
His name is Morgan!
Is he the right guy to speak to guys???

Hi to all of you who want to bring over your doggies,

Maybe you should check directly with the Mauritian Vet services what exactly they require as vaccination, blood tests, etc.

I think you can go to your own vet in SA to make all tests and vaccination, microchip, etc.

Watch out, guys, your dogs MUST with you normally!

Here are the contacts for

Government Veterinary Services Division, Agricultural Services"
℡ (230) 454-1016/17 Fax: (230) 464-2210
E-mail address: [email protected]

They will send you all useful information as well as the form to be filled in with your details, which you have to send back to them with all test results and copy of vaccination book.

All this may be done by scanning the documents and emailing it or fax it.

Then they will issue the import permit which must accompany your dogs with the original test results, vaccination book etc.

Good luck to all of you and hope to meet you on the next expat meet.

Arlette

Hi Brent
We are South Africans too! We're busy selling up to move to Mauritius hopefully very soon.  We were there for 2 weeks in Feb this year and was bowled over!  It's an awesome country to live in and raise a family.  My husband's been in real-estate for many years and would be going there continuing with project sales so perhaps your paths will cross??
Being married and having 2 young boys our research have shown that Mauritius is truly heaven on earth!
We've also spoken to several South Africans whom have relocated there several years ago and the feedback is positive all around.
To answer your question re housing - yes you do get automatic residency however you have to spend a minimum of USD $500 000 on a Mauritian property to qualify. Most expats start off renting at first to get a feel for the best areas.
The other thing people have told us is that cost of living would be around the MUR100 000 pm mark (+- R25 000)and that one must be certain that you can cover this for at least 12 months as the pace is not as fast as here (unless you walk into a salaried monthly job of course!)
There are currently quite a large group of SA's living there (Very happily I might add!)
The availability of shops, food etc that we are used to here is also good, eg. there are Spar's in almost every town and Port Louis has everything from Mr Price to Game.
The travelling distance between towns seems big on the maps but it's a matter of minutes.  From the centre outwards in any direction it's about 40 min.

Hope this helps!

Good luck with the decision!

So, we have finally made the decision.  Now where to from here?  Both my husband and I are self employed in SA.  He is in the business training field(simulations), with MBA, and I own a restaurant in busy casino complex close to OR Tambo.  Any suggestions???  It is quality life we are after!

HI All,

My name is Kevin and I have been trying to decide whether or not to take the plunge. As everyone already knows South Africa has nothing else to offer my son (Now 15 Months). I have been in the Tax & Accounting field for 15 years and have had my own firm for 10. It is difficult as obviously all the rules now change and am not sure whether or not I can begin a new firm there or even get employment??? On the good side my wife is a nurse in the ICU of a large private hospital and so should be able to find employment relatively easy. Any advise from the business sector as to how to start looking for work or starting a business.... I would appreciate it. Many Thanks

Hi urcelia, It disturbs me a bit to see you using words like 'heaven on earth' and 'awesome' in relation to living in Mauritius. I don't mean to be negative but it would be better to approach your coming move with a more realistic attitude or you will most likely be quite shocked once you are here and see life as it really is and not just on the surface. I have lived here for ten years and while I have enjoyed most of my time here, due to having good friends, it hasn't all been easy. In fact, this is the 4th country I have lived in and the most difficult one. Generally you are not made to feel welcome here. My daughters were always made to feel in the miniority and were often left out in their school and with fellow students. Our neighbours, from SA, are now planning to return to SA...they have given it a good try but are very discouraged and feel they are best to take their young family back home. They have been given a difficult time here as have a large number of other expats that I know. I don't want to put a dampner on your excitement, but please be realistic and come with a good attitude, knowing it will be difficult to settle in a foreign culture, doing things differently and with a different language etc...

Hi aussiedodo
Thanks for your comments.  We've been to Mauritius and spent a great deal of time talking to the locals all over the island as well as to expats from SA as well as other countries whom have been happily living there for many years.  No need to be disturbed about me using words such as "heaven on earth".  I'm fully aware of the true meaning of these words!
Perhaps your situation has been different and your kids had a bit of a bad experience??
I have personally met the principal and all teachers of the school my kids would be attending which by the way caters for mostly expats so I'm sure my kids would fit in just fine.  As for the language, it's how you embrace a new language and different cultures that will pull you through. Children can be unfriendly no matter where you are in the world.  It's how you teach your kids to cope with it that's important.  We found everyone very friendly and helpful, in fact, I'm still in contact via email with them!
I'm sorry that you guys have not been happy there.  As with anything we do in our lives we have researched and consulted about this in depth and we've only received positive feedback.
I wish you much luck!

Hi iaustin
Thanks for your kind comments!  Realism is great and I agree with both of you but one will never succeed in anything if we don't apply some optimism! Life is hard no matter where you are hey?
I trust once you visit Mauritius in reality everything you've research will be accurate!  Do let us know your views upon your return though.

We're just as serious and have started selling up our home and business so hopefully we'll be there soon!!

All the best and keep in touch!

Hi Guys,
My suggestion is that you first come down here at least for a month,check this place out as an expat and not as a tourist then decide. It may not be a prefect country but much better than othter countries. It is also very important to see what potential this country has to offer for your line of work . I am from the tourism industry, so getting business is a competative challenge but not difficult.It is true that people will not go out of their way to be social with you and your family. Fortunatley Expat.com has solved that problem. We have expat meet every month and thanks to Expat.com that I now have so may expat friends here.We do meet once a month but if you make some close friend with the blog ,you can definately meet more often. It would take time to make friends with locals, but I see in Le Suffren happy hour on Fridays, locals and expats having a good time together.Each country has its own plus and minus points.

I had been to Tanzania a couple of years on buisness, I found the city totally rundown and wondered how people could live there. I met a couple of expats who where very happy as they were financially and socially successful in Tanzania. I even met a guy who had left Tanzania to settle down in USA and then returned back as he felt he was happier in Tanzania.

I have met some South Africans who are working in Mauritius and feel that SA is not a bad place either. You have can a very good life in SA too if you are sucessful. If you plan to leave everything and move to Mauritius, your optimism will give you what you want. Mauritius is definatley a Paradise Island and the locals here are very warm and friendly. There are lot of hassles in getting your paperwork done, but there are agents and consultants who know the system and can do those things for you.Like all other country even here Money talks.
"A country does not give you any thing, your hard work, perseverence and destiny does"

Cheers!!! and welcome to Mauritius.

Terence

Hi Austin,

We are all glad to help you in which ever way we can. Do let us know when you are around. I can try and get some South Africans who are already in Mauritius to meet you and give you first hand information and answer  your queries.

Cheers!!! and all the best.

Terence

iaustin wrote:

Thank you, Terence. That's probably one of the most balanced and useful posts I've seen. I'm coming over in June on my own to walk the streets, do research and chat to people (in as much French as I'll know by then) and see for myself:)

Hi Brent

What was your experience like in Mauritius? Are you guys going to move over there? I am very interested in also moving.

Hi all

I am very delighted to see so many South Africans here!  Can someone share their experience with regards to taking dogs over.  I have two CHihuahuas whom I love very much and would really love to take them with me but I need to know the time in quarantine as well as the costs involved.

Hi Brent V,

I am moving to Mauritius in Feb so cannot offer you any advise, but I am also a project/development manager who will be working on quite a large mixed use development.

Do you intend to work here?

Maybe I might make some contacts in the industry that I can share with you?

Paul

My biggest concern is my 3 small dogs age 9. They are so attached to us and 
Like our children.

I am worrying so much how they will cope being in kennels for 3 months. It seems so long and being away from us. They cannot be seperated.. My  concern is will they be allowed to be together in  the kennel.

I send e-mail to the  Reduit quarantine Centre, but its seems that the e-mail adress is wrong.I will appreciate so much if someone could help me with more info regarding the Reduit  quarantine Centre.


Best regards
Petronella

Try these contact details:

Ministry of Agro-Industry & Fisheries
Division of Veterinary Services
Reduit
Mauritius
Tel +230 466 6662
[email protected]

I tested the email and got a delivered receipt:

"Message delivered to '[email protected]'
LOCAL module(account [email protected]) reports:
Delivered to the user mailbox
"

Hi Petronella,

According to an article in a local newspaper quarantine for animal has now been reduced from 30 to 5 working days because rabies can now be detected within 12 - 24 hours.

See http://www.lexpress.mu/article/animaux- … ne-reduite of course in french.. Use google translator if need be.

hope that helps you

FG

Hi Guys,
Please can I just say the following:

Dogs/Cats:
Quarantine has been reduced from 30 days to 5 days for pets coming from EU Countries only.

Pets coming from South Africa has been reduced from 3 months to one month (30 days)

Allow 6 weeks prior to arriving in Mauritius for your pets vaccinations/Rabies/blood tests etc

Find a good vet in your Country to ensure all paperwork is done correctly.

Read on the Forum: Bringing your pet to Mauritius, started by Julian, the posts are very long but very informative. I suggest you read it fully.

Even if you have the right email address for the Min of Agri/Quarantine here, you may or may not get a reply as they are extremely busy and literally get hundreds of emails a day asking for information and with only 2 or 3 staff working in the office concerned. It is best to ring them: Tel (230) 454 1016 or 1017

As I said in the post bringing your pet into Mauritius, I do have copies of the permit form and notes - and that I will forward them onto anyone who wants them - although now 2.5 years old, I have been informed they are still using these. Despite emailing lots I never got a reply or got the forms, my husbands employers actually went to the office in Reduit to get them for us.

Cars: I also wanted to bring my car here, but as it was just over 4 years old it was not allowed, friends who brought their car said it was an extremely expensive thing to do.

We have been here 2.5 years now and are extremely happy, we have a great social life, everybody has been extremely friendly, most people speak English - thank goodness as my French is so so bad

We live on the West Coast Black River, where ever we have visited around the Island, we have found people to be friendly and helpful.

Hope this has helped

Ho Wendy I will like to know if you actually made it to Mauritius I am a South African who is willing to relocate down to Mauritius

Hi Dremminton,

This thread is an old one, i have created a new one for you here : https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=691133

You will surely get some updated infos.

All the best,
Bhavna

Hi Kevin

I'm (partly) from the Tax&Accounting field myself and am looking for some reinforcement in this field, here in Mauritius. If you want to, we can have a chat about this and any information I can provide you as regards to moving to Mauritius.