Mauritius removes affidavit bottleneck for foreign spouses of citizens

What changed in Mauritius’s residency rules

Mauritius has amended its Immigration Act to make residency for foreign spouses of citizens easier, replacing hard-to-get affidavits with alternative proof in cases where couples married abroad run into document problems. The change was announced May 5, 2026 and the bill is still working its way toward the National Assembly.

The adjustment keeps the core spousal process in place. Couples still need to apply in person at the Passport and Immigration Office with a marriage certificate, birth certificates, police clearance, a support letter from the Mauritian spouse and proof of financial means, according to the immigration office.

Who stands to benefit

The biggest gain is for expats and digital nomads married to Mauritians, especially when a foreign authority can’t issue the affidavit that has been required for marriages abroad. That document has been a common bottleneck and the new rule is meant to stop applications from stalling for that reason.

Tourists and short-term visitors won’t see a direct change. They still rely on visitor visas or the Premium Visa, while spousal residency remains a separate route for people with a Mauritian family tie.

What applicants should prepare

For now, the current rule still applies until Parliament passes the amendment. Applicants should keep gathering the usual paperwork, because the process still requires legalized documents when marriages took place outside Mauritius and the permit itself is free.

The government says the bill should also close administrative gaps and extend the same fix to Rodrigues. Read our full Mauritius guide for the complete picture and check our visa updates for the latest changes.