Citizenship is an allegiance of a person to a state. Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens and the conditions under which that status will be withdrawn.
Requirements For Citizenship In Mauritius
A person can be recognized or granted citizenship on a number of bases. Usually, citizenship based on circumstances of birth is automatic, but an application may be required.
BELOW ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CITIZENSHIP IN MAURITIUS:
AUTHORITIES
The Prime Minister’s Office is responsible for the processing of all applications and for dealing with all matters relating to Mauritian Citizenship.
The Prime Minister’s Office is supported in this respect by the Passport and Immigration Office.
PERSONS QUALIFIED AS MAURITIAN CITIZENS
A person becomes a citizen of Mauritius either by birth or by descent
BY BIRTH:(i) A person is a citizen of Mauritius, if he is born in Mauritius before 1st October 1995, of either Mauritian or foreign parents
(ii) A person is a citizen of Mauritius if he is born in Mauritius after 1st October 1995 and if either of his parents is a citizen of Mauritius.
BY DESCENT
A person born outside Mauritius is a citizen of Mauritius under sections 20(3) and 23 of the Constitution if either of his parents is a citizen of Mauritius by birth.
Read Also: Requirements For Mauritius Visa
CITIZENSHIP ON ADOPTION
Section 3 of the Mauritius Citizenship Act provides that a minor who is not a citizen of Mauritius shall become a Citizen of Mauritius if:
| i. | he has been adopted by a citizen of Mauritius, or in the case of a joint adoption, the male adopter is a citizen of Mauritius; and |
| ii. | the adoption has been legally effected in Mauritius |
The Prime Minister’s Office may, on submission of the Adoption Order issued by the Supreme Court of Mauritius, by way of a letter issue a Certificate of Mauritian Nationality, which shall be conclusive evidence that the minor child is a citizen of Mauritius from the date of adoption.
REGISTRATION OF COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS
Under section 5 of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, a Commonwealth citizen may be registered as a citizen of Mauritius, if he has resided in Mauritius for a continuous period of 5 years or such shorter period (not being less than 12 months ) as the Minister may in the special circumstances of any particular case accept, immediately preceding the date of his application.
Application for registration under section 5 of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, shall be submitted to the Secretary for Home Affairs in the form set out below. The application shall be subscribed in Mauritius, in the presence of a Judge or the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court or a District Magistrate.
REGISTRATION OF MINOR CHILDREN
Under section 6 of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, a minor child of a citizen of Mauritius may be registered as a citizen of Mauritius, provided an application is submitted to the Secretary for Home Affairs in the form set out below.
The application shall be subscribed in Mauritius, in the presence of a Judge or the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court or a District Magistrate.
REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN SPOUSES OF MAURITIAN CITIZENS
Under section 7 of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, the foreign spouse of a Mauritian citizen may be registered as a citizen of Mauritius, if he/she has resided with his/her spouse under the same conjugal roof in Mauritius for an aggregate period of four years immediately preceding the date of his application.
Application for registration under section 7 of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, shall be submitted to the Secretary for Home Affairs in the form set out below. The application shall be subscribed in the presence of a Judge or the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court or a District Magistrate.
NATURALIZATION OF AN ALIEN OR BRITISH-PROTECTED PERSON
Under section 9 of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, a non-commonwealth citizen may be naturalized as a citizen of Mauritius if he has resided in Mauritius for:
| (i) | a continuous period of 12 months immediately preceding the date of his application; and |
| (ii) | during the seven years immediately preceding the period of 12 months referred to in paragraph (i), for aggregate periods amounting to not less than 5 years. |
Application for Naturalization under section 9 of the Mauritius Citizenship Act shall be submitted to the Secretary for Home Affairs in the form set out below. The application shall be subscribed in Mauritius in the presence of a Judge or the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court or a District Magistrate.
An applicant for Naturalization shall in addition place an advertisement in two daily newspapers in the form set out at the bottom of page 4 of the application form referred to above.
NATURALIZATION FOR INVESTORS
Under section 9(3) of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, an investor may be naturalized as a citizen of Mauritius if:
(i) he has invested a sum of not less than 500,000 US dollars in Mauritius; and
(ii) he has resided in Mauritius for a continuous period of not less than 2 years preceding the date of his application
An application under section 9(3) of the Mauritius Citizenship Act shall be submitted to the Secretary for Home Affairs in the form set out below. The application shall be subscribed in the presence of a Judge or the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court or a District Magistrate.
An applicant for Naturalization under section 9(3) of the Mauritius Citizenship Act shall in addition place an advertisement in two daily newspapers in the form set out at the bottom of page 4 of the application form referred to above.
RENUNCIATION OF MAURITIUS CITIZENSHIP
Under section 14(1) of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, a citizen of Mauritius, who is also a national of a foreign country, may make a declaration of renunciation of his citizenship of Mauritius provided the declaration is made in the form set out below.
The Minister shall cause the renunciation to be registered and that person shall cease to be a citizen of Mauritius as from the date of the registration
The declaration may be made:
(a) in Mauritius, in the presence of a Judge or the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court or a District Magistrate; or
(b) in any other place, in the presence of a representative of a Consulate of Mauritius.
RESUMPTION OF MAURITIAN CITIZENSHIP FOLLOWING RENUNCIATION UNDER SECTION 14 OF THE MAURITIUS CITIZENSHIP ACT
Under section 14(2) of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, a person of full age and capacity, who has ceased to be a citizen of Mauritius upon his marriage and upon making a declaration of renunciation of Mauritius citizenship under section 14(1) of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, may resume his Mauritius citizenship and be registered as a citizen of Mauritius if he satisfies the following conditions;
(a) his marriage has been dissolved or he has been separated from or abandoned by his spouse or his spouse has died; and
(b) he intends to reside in Mauritius
Application for registration under section 14 (2) of the Mauritius Citizenship Act shall be submitted to the Secretary for Home Affairs in the form set out below. The application shall be subscribed in the presence of a Judge or the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court or a District Magistrate.
Application for registration under section 14(2) of the Mauritius Citizenship Act shall be accompanied by a declaration of renunciation in the form set out below to the effect that the applicant renounces any citizenship that he may possess.
This declaration shall be subscribed in the presence of a Judge or the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court or a District Magistrate
RESUMPTION OF MAURITIAN CITIZENSHIP UNDER SECTION 15 OF THE MAURITIUS CITIZENSHIP ACT
Resumption of Mauritian citizenship for persons who are ordinarily resident in Mauritius.
Under section 15 (1) of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, a person who:
(i) was a citizen of Mauritius and also a national of a foreign country; and
(ii) attained the age of 21 on or after 12th March 1968 and before 1st October 1995; and
(iii) ceased to be a citizen of Mauritius for failing to renounce the nationality or citizenship of that foreign country under the previous section 15* of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, shall, if he is ordinarily resident in Mauritius, become a citizen of Mauritius as of the 1st May 1995.
Applicants may, in such cases, be issued with a certificate of Mauritian citizenship, provided an application is made by way of a letter addressed to the Secretary for Home Affairs.
Resumption of Mauritian citizenship for persons who are not ordinarily resident in Mauritius.
Under section 15(2) of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, a person who
(i) was a citizen of Mauritius and also a national of a foreign country;
(ii) attained the age of 21 on or after 12th March 1968 and before 1st October 1995; and
(iii) ceased to be a citizen of Mauritius, for failing to renounce the nationality or citizenship of that foreign country, under the previous section 15* of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, may, if he is not ordinarily resident in Mauritius, apply for the resumption of his Mauritian citizenship.
Is dual citizenship allowed in Mauritius?
Dual nationality is typically allowed in Mauritius for persons of origin since 1995 but is prohibited for naturalised persons.
How do I get dual citizenship in Mauritius?
All citizen-children born abroad must be registered in Mauritius. MARRIAGE: A foreign woman who marries a citizen of Mauritius is automatically granted citizenship by registration. A foreign man who marries a citizen of Mauritius can be granted citizenship on an individual case basis.