HomeServicesRelocating to Mauritius

Relocation

Move the family. Move the wealth properly.

start.mu takes you from first conversation to arrival: permits, company, property. This page covers the part that comes with a portfolio: residency, allowances, capital and reporting.

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The routes

Four ways in, handled by start.mu.

Occupation Permit: InvestorFor those investing in a Mauritian business. Initial investment threshold applies.
Occupation Permit: ProfessionalFor employees of a Mauritian company above a monthly salary threshold.
Occupation Permit: Self-employedFor professionals operating alone in a services activity, with an initial transfer threshold.
Residence Permit by propertyFor buyers of approved-scheme property above the USD threshold; extends to spouse and dependants.
Retired Non-CitizenFor those over 50 who transfer a minimum monthly amount to a Mauritian bank account.
Premium VisaFor remote workers and long-stay visitors, one year, renewable.

Current thresholds, documents and timelines are maintained by start.mu, the private client practice of the Intrasia Group. They handle the application; this page is about your money.

What changes for your portfolio

Tax residency

You generally become Mauritius tax resident after 183 days in a tax year. Mauritius taxes residents on Mauritian-source income and on foreign income remitted to Mauritius, with no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax. The country you are leaving has its own rules on when you stop being resident, and some apply an exit charge on the deemed disposal of your assets. South Africa does. Plan the date of departure with a tax adviser in both countries; the portfolio can be positioned around it.

Bringing capital in

Mauritius has no exchange control. The constraints are on the way out of your old country. South African residents use the single discretionary and foreign investment allowances through their bank until they cease residence; see our offshore guide. Intrasia Wealth assists South African residents to externalise funds within those allowances before a move, and the Mauritius service continues once you are a non-resident. Portfolios can be transferred in kind to a Mauritian custodian rather than sold, which avoids crystallising gains before you are ready.

Currency

Most relocating families keep the portfolio in US dollars and hold a local bank account for living costs. We size that cash buffer to a year or two of spending so the investment portfolio is never sold to pay a bill.

Reporting

Under the Common Reporting Standard your Mauritian accounts are reported to your country of tax residence. Once you are resident here, that is Mauritius. Until then, it is where you came from. Nothing about relocation reduces the duty to declare; it changes who you declare to.

How the two firms work together

  1. One conversation. start.mu on the permit and property, Intrasia Wealth on the portfolio, in the same meeting if you prefer.
  2. Sequencing. We agree the order: permit, tax residence date, capital transfer, account opening, property purchase. Getting the order wrong is expensive.
  3. Arrival. Custodian account open, local bank account funded, portfolio positioned, permit in hand.
  4. After. Annual review that covers both: the portfolio and the residence status.

Questions we are asked

Frequently asked

Which permit routes exist for someone moving to Mauritius?
The main routes are the Occupation Permit for investors, professionals and the self-employed; the Residence Permit through purchase of approved property; the Retired Non-Citizen Residence Permit; and the Premium Visa for remote workers. Thresholds change; start.mu keeps the current figures.
When do I become tax resident in Mauritius?
Broadly, when you are present for 183 days in a tax year, or 270 days over three years, or Mauritius is your domicile. Becoming resident here does not automatically end residence elsewhere; South Africa, for example, applies its own tests. Take advice in both countries before you move.
Can I bring my existing portfolio with me?
Yes. There is no exchange control in Mauritius, so assets can be transferred in freely. The question is usually on the other side: South African residents use their allowances through their bank, and some countries apply an exit charge. Your bank executes any transfer; we plan the portfolio around it with your tax adviser.
Does start.mu handle the permit application?
Yes. start.mu, the Group's private client practice, handles residency, permits, company formation and property acquisition from first conversation to arrival. Intrasia Wealth handles what happens to your money.
What is CRS and does it affect me?
The Common Reporting Standard requires Mauritian financial institutions to report accounts held by non-residents to their home tax authorities. If you become Mauritius-resident, reporting follows your new residence. Nothing about moving here reduces your obligation to declare.

Planning a move? Start with one conversation.

We will bring start.mu into it so the permit and the portfolio are planned together.

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