Retirement permit for foreigners: Relaxation of conditions

Winston
I think this is a good move by the government. 
It could be an idea for the immigration department to take a step further and (perhaps via an accredited third party) offer a "try us before you buy us" service.  Something akin to a package holiday, but focused on orientation, understanding the rules & regs, etc.  I expect many potential retirees would be quite happy to pay the Mauritian govt or its agent for an informed and informative visit, rather than arrive for a holiday and then do their best to find out what they need to know. 
Regards
Alan

There are already institutions to help those who are interested. Moreover, real estate promoters engaged in projects dedicated to retirees usually organise their own trade shows with their delegations in other countries.
One can easily come to Mauritius as a tourist and contact a project representative for an insight.

Another non-negligible factor is that many of those who choose to retire in Mauritius have already visited Mauritius before and are fairly familiar with the place.

Thanks for this. I really need to understand better...... am thinking of retiring to Mauritius. Now I understand you can obtain a retired Person's Permit for Remitting $40K annually for three years...now as you say maybe being relaxed to $18k for 3 years, after which you can apply for Permanent Residency valid for 10 years. Got all that, all the sites have the same info.

But nowhere does it state if you have, now as a Permanent Resident, to continue to remit $40K or 18K or whatever, per year for the next 10 years?

Secondly, will the Retirement + 3  PR status allow you to buy land etc as if you had invested in a 500K scheme?

Thirdly  if you have a wife and dependants, presumably they would also get passes valid for 10  after the initial 3 years? If so, what happens if  you die? They have to pack up and go after 13 years????

My wife is much younger than me and we have two young children. I am interested in continuity obviously for them when I am gone.

Cheers from Kenya

2 scenarios here.
- One who is only seeking a retirement permit.
- A second one who intends to seek a permanent resident permit after 3 years on a retirement permit.

Regarding solely the Retirement permit, the amount has been at least $30,000 for a few years now.
When the new budgetary measure will be implemented, it will be lowered to a minimum of $18,000.

Now if the retired applicant intends to seek the permanent resident permit after these 3 years on a retirement permit, then during the course of that period, he/she must have transferred at least $40,000 annually to a local bank account.
The same amount is applicable once he has obtained his Permanent resident permit, for 10 years.

Now to your second question, the PR grants you the same property rights as any other foreigner. You can buy an apartment in a building with more than 2 storeys with the amount payable for the purchase not less than MUR 6 million.
This or you can purchase properties in real estate schemes like the IRS/RES/PDS and Smart Cities.
Outside of these schemes, you cannot buy land or other properties.

Accompanying spouse and children under 18 years are also eligible for the PR.
Children over 18 may obtain a residence permit only if they are enrolled and following a full time education in Mauritius.

After living here for 5 years, your wife can apply for citizenship so she wishes.
As for your children, if they intend on living in Mauritius after 18 years of age, they can also apply for citizenship or enroll in a full time educational course or take up employment after applying for and obtaining a Work Permit or an Occupation Permit.

Here are the guidelines.
https://www.edbmauritius.org/media/1671 … elines.pdf

Thanks quite helpful. Looking at the fact you need to transfer 18K for 3 years on an RP, then 40k for 10 years to get PR, that almost equals 500K, so if one has the capital just bypass the RP and go straight for the investment  IMO??  IRS/RES/PDS and Smart Cities. .

peterg123 wrote:

Thanks quite helpful. Looking at the fact you need to transfer 18K for 3 years on an RP, then 40k for 10 years to get PR, that almost equals 500K, so if one has the capital just bypass the RP and go straight for the investment  IMO??  IRS/RES/PDS and Smart Cities. .

if you have plans to apply for a PR, then it's $40,000 right from the beginning, i.e once you obtain your retirement permit. The $18,000 does not apply in this case.
After the 3 years, when you obtain your PR, the minimum annual transfer remains $40,000 for the 10 years to come.
The PR does not change anything. It just basically grant you a longer stay without the hassle of renewing every 3 years.

Regarding the min. $500,000, it depends. if you will be staying on a very long term, then maybe it can turn out to be an advantage.

Thanks again...advice I got from Sovereign Group was that  I could use the 500K scheme and have a formed company buy the house, one that I own and my wife is a director of and shareholder such that on my demise, my shares are willed to her and she now owns the property...that way, I was told, my wife would now receive the PR permit that formerly was mine, give up her DP status...but the children would remain on DP status, now under her new PR.

This is what he said: "The best practice should be to buy the property via an SPV: local company , where the spouse is also a shareholder , designated director in case of death. In the event of death of the spouse  , the RP will be transmitted to the new director , dependant RP will be maintained as same parents / company ownership of the property"

It's obviously something one would want to get right. Basically I am trying to set up my retirement but after passing ( I am very much older than my wife) she and the children will be able to continue staying on in Mauritius (she is from Madagascar), as we would also to like them school there. According to my calculations, scollong to Uni level at a British type curriculum school in Mauritius would actually save me well over 500K!

Here in Kenya, the most expensive schools in Africa for some reasons 2 boys, given inflation, from 6 to 18 will come a cool 960K. According to Numbeo and I have cehceked some websites of Mauritian schools , private schools available, international type, for a mind  boggling 85% less than Kenya, where prep school is US$20k per annum, per child.

You really are most helpful. I am very grateful and probably should visit Mauritius soon.

Yes, you can also set up a company with you as director and your wife as shareholder and have the company purchase the house.
However this involves some administrative and legal technicalities and you must ensure the company is registered under the Companies Act and registered with the Economic Development Board of Mauritius.

WinstonH

Do you possibly have an indication when these investment rules ( 30k to 18k - USD  ) are likely to be relaxed ?
We are travelling to Mauritius on the 22dn. June 2019 for a month and we were hoping to submit our applications for retirement permits during this time.

Obviously it would be better to apply at a later stage when the new rules are in place don't you think ?

Also we have approx. 100,000 Us in a Mauritian Bank already - Can this be used to satisfy the this financial requirement or will only new incoming funds qualify.

Regards.

Like you I have a  reasonable amount in a Mauritian bank..seems silly to have to take it out and re-cycle it back again! Will be interested in the replies you get as was about to ask same ?

has anybody got a date for these changes yet. as we are thinking of the move

The matter has already been discussed at parliamentary level. However once I get a confirmation that the regulations have been officially amended, I will put it here.

jackie pretorius wrote:

WinstonH

Do you possibly have an indication when these investment rules ( 30k to 18k - USD  ) are likely to be relaxed ?
We are travelling to Mauritius on the 22dn. June 2019 for a month and we were hoping to submit our applications for retirement permits during this time.

Obviously it would be better to apply at a later stage when the new rules are in place don't you think ?

Also we have approx. 100,000 Us in a Mauritian Bank already - Can this be used to satisfy the this financial requirement or will only new incoming funds qualify.

Regards.

I would say this should be OK as it makes sense, however I can't provide a definite answer. I suggest you get in contact with the EDB while in Mauritius to clarify this.

Thanks Winston, yes it makes sense but....bureaucrats are not necessarily sensible. We will have to wait for definitive  news.

Winston,

Thank you for your response.

We will contact the EDB when in Mauritius.

@ peterg123

- With the new/future scheme you have to transfer 1500/month for as long as you are a "Retired Non-Citizen"

- Only citizens can buy land. You can buy a property (villa or flat) in special PDS (Property Development Scheme) compounds where foreigners are allowed to buy. Alternatively you can buy a flat on "ground+2" (second floor and higher) on the local market.

- If you die all your dependents (wife, children) must leave the island within one month (or is it 3 now?). On the other hand if your wife has sufficient income ($1500/month) and is over 50, she can apply for a RNC permit herself.

However if you buy a property in a PDS for min. $500K, you get a different res. permit, as "investor". this is a permanent permit transferrable to your dependents as they inherit the property.

Two remarks on WinstonH replies:

1) Spouse citizenship:
This is really very hard and I wouldn't count on it. It may take up to 4 years to process a citizenship, and as far as I know, only the permit holder can apply, not a dependent. I have seen cases where the wife of a Mauritian had to leave the Country when he died, or another married to a Mauritian for 24 years, was denied permanent citizenship. Also there are some strict conditions, like the fact that the 5 years are counted excluding the periods when you were abroad. Plus, you must have lived 365 consecutive days in Mauritius before applying (i.e. no trips abroad for a year).

2) About getting your company to buy the house etc:
Note that a GBC1 company must make an income of Rs. 4,000,000 /year. On which you obviously pay tax. A domestic company does not have that obligation but it must have a Mauritian director, and you or your wife cannot be director at all if you are on a retiree or other foreign residence permit.

I read on the press that this comes with a 5 years tax break. Now I have been retired non-citizen for 7 years, and I never payed income taxes. At the EDB they told me that you don't pay tax on a foreign pension because it is considered as your savings. Are they going to change that?

FWIW:

Question:
What is permanent citizenship?

It does NOT take 4 yrs to process citizenship.

The prospective citizen must reside under the same conjugal roof for 4 yrs on the island BEFORE applying for Mauritian citizenship. How long it will take will depend on your documents and the PMO.

5 years  before one can apply for citizenship refers to Commonwealth citizens  (  IT IS NOT A GIVEN), not spouse of a Mauritian citizen.

Info about citizenship is here:
http://dha.pmo.govmu.org/English/Mandat … NSHIP.aspx

The Citizenship Act 9-d:
"during the 7 years immediately preceding the period of 12 months referred to in paragraph (c), he has resided in Mauritius for aggregate periods amounting to not less than 5 years"

That means 5 years only if you never leave the island.

When I enquired at the PMO they told me that for any alien application you may count between 2 and 4 years wait. Also, my citizenship would not be "permanent" and it can be revoked by the PMO at any time without explanation. My spouse is not automatically naturalized, and upon my death she would have to leave, unless she applies for another kind or residence permit.

This is the case for alien applicants, i.e. not spouse of Mauritian and not Commonwealth.

If I was given wrong info, please point me to the right place.

Naturalisation
(1) Subject to this section, the Minister may grant a certificate of natu- ralisation to an alien or British protected person of full age and capacity who makes an application in the prescribed manner and satisfies the Minister that—
(a) he is of good character;
(b) he has an adequate knowledge of the English language, or any other language current in Mauritius, and of the responsibilities of a citizen of Mauritius;
(c) he has resided in Mauritius for a continuous period of 12 months immediately preceding the date of his application;
(d) during the 7 years immediately preceding the period of 12 months referred to in paragraph (c), he has resided in Mauri- tius for aggregate periods amounting to not less than 5 years;
(e) he intends, in the event of a certificate being granted to him, to continue to reside in Mauritius.

There is a big "may" depending on what the Prime Minister's office decides about an applicant - alien or British protected person - for Naturalisation.
BTW: The applicant must unless he first renounces the nationality or citizenship of any other country which he may possess and takes the pre- scribed oath or affirmation of allegiance.

Other T&Cs:

The Minister may, in such cases as he thinks fit—
(a) allow a continuous period of 12 months ending not later than 6 months before the date of the application to be reckoned for the purpose of subsection (1) (c) as if it had immediately pre- ceded that date; and
(b) allow periods of residence earlier than the 7 years preceding the date of the application to be reckoned in computing the aggre- gate periods mentioned in subsection (1) (d).

and this one;

the Minister may grant a certificate of naturalisation to an alien or British protected person if he is satisfied that it is in the public interest so to do.

http://dha.pmo.govmu.org/English/Docume … ACT(2).pdf


FWIW: There are conditions as well as "how  flexible" (sic) the Minister would like to be  ( just to put it in a diplomatic way) !

Note;

You had put Spouse Citizenship in your post #16 , giving the assumption that you could be the foreign spouse of a Mauritian citizen - thus the confusion.

Thank you Silvano. For me it is the utmost importance my wife can inherit a PR status as I am much older than her. From your reply it seems she can...and my kids will stay on to Uni in Maurice until age 24, which is also allowed. I believe!!

Important also you pointed out the gap between the citizenship "hope and dreams" and realities..which are they give them out like you like giving out wisdom teeth to the dentist..without anaesthetic.....

Careful. Your wife does not automatically inherit a PR status if you are RNC (Retired Non-Citizen). When a permit holder dies all his dependents lose their residence permit. So if she is a dependent, upon your death she would have to apply for her own RNC status, provided she has a surviving spouse foreign pension of a sufficient amount.

If you buy a property, she should be entitled to apply for a PR permit when she inherits the property, however I would double check that with the EDB. Ideally, the property should be on both names, but does that give you 2 independent (as opposed to permit holder and dependent) resident permits?

Also, check this: http://www.edbmauritius.org/media/1674/ … elines.pdf

This doc includes the new laws to apply to smart cities and retirement compounds. Look under 10.4-f and 10.5.

Looks like the naturalization after 2 years of continuous residence for investors has just gone up 10 times, to an investment of 5 million dollar!