How to Obtain a Mauritian Citizenship?

Good day,

You are eligible for citizenship by descent though your mother.

You will need:

-Your mother's birth certificate (the updated version - can be obtained at the civil status office in Port Louis if she doesn't have one)
-Your mother's Mauritian ID Card if she has one
-Your birth certificate
-Bio Data page of your passport (possibly, so better have it with you)

Then you have to submit all those documents at the 'Prime Minister's Office' and there is a fee. (MUR 2000?).

Not sure about how long the process can take but I discussed with a few who did it and it took anything from 12-15 months before an official citizenship certificate is issued.
When the certificate is ready you will receive a letter. There's another fee (MUR 15,000?) to be paid when you go collect it. Then with the certificate in hand, you can apply for a Mauritian ID and passport so you wish.

That said, there might have been some changes since then but the overall procedures are the same.

Hi,

Thank you for your response.

So i have to be in Mauritius to apply for it?

At the moment my mom and i live in South Africa, Cape Town.

Kind regard
Meesha

WinstonH wrote:

Good day,

You are eligible for citizenship by descent though your mother.

You will need:

-Your mother's birth certificate (the updated version - can be obtained at the civil status office in Port Louis if she doesn't have one)
-Your mother's Mauritian ID Card if she has one
-Your birth certificate
-Bio Data page of your passport (possibly, so better have it with you)

Then you have to submit all those documents at the 'Prime Minister's Office' and there is a fee. (MUR 2000?).

Not sure about how long the process can take but I discussed with a few who did it and it took anything from 12-15 months before an official citizenship certificate is issued.
When the certificate is ready you will receive a letter. There's another fee (MUR 15,000?) to be paid when you go collect it. Then with the certificate in hand, you can apply for a Mauritian ID and passport so you wish.

That said, there might have been some changes since then but the overall procedures are the same.

Do you need to present your parents' marriage certificate when you make the citizenship application?

Meesha88 wrote:

Hi,

Thank you for your response.

So i have to be in Mauritius to apply for it?

At the moment my mom and i live in South Africa, Cape Town.

Kind regard
Meesha

Yes, you have to.

post wrote:

WinstonH wrote:

Good day,

You are eligible for citizenship by descent though your mother.

You will need:

-Your mother's birth certificate (the updated version - can be obtained at the civil status office in Port Louis if she doesn't have one)
-Your mother's Mauritian ID Card if she has one
-Your birth certificate
-Bio Data page of your passport (possibly, so better have it with you)

Then you have to submit all those documents at the 'Prime Minister's Office' and there is a fee. (MUR 2000?).

Not sure about how long the process can take but I discussed with a few who did it and it took anything from 12-15 months before an official citizenship certificate is issued.
When the certificate is ready you will receive a letter. There's another fee (MUR 15,000?) to be paid when you go collect it. Then with the certificate in hand, you can apply for a Mauritian ID and passport so you wish.

That said, there might have been some changes since then but the overall procedures are the same.

Do you need to present your parents' marriage certificate when you make the citizenship application?

No.

The most important documents are the birth certificates and government issued IDs if available.

I suggest using a professional service provider to assist you with the process, which is rather complex and regulated. You are sure to save time and money.

EurekaZ wrote:

I suggest using a professional service provider to assist you with the process, which is rather complex and regulated. You are sure to save time and money.

Sorry to interject : Complex? time and money ?

Just have to fill in the forms and provide the "must-have" documents as stipulated and see what the PMO says.
Why does one have to insert a lawyer in the middle ? Astroturf !

The rules are well defined in the Act  - jus solis or jus sanguinis  ( and watch out for dual citizenship when naturalisation was forbidden at some point in the 70's and 90's) .
Otherwise , someone who does not have any family links can also obtain citizenship -investor -  a long process and not easily done,  as listed in this:

http://dha.pmo.govmu.org/English/Mandat … NSHIP.aspx

@ external: I take it you are not in Mauritius and that you have not attended to Regulatory, statutory or Legislative matters here?

There was no suggestion to use a lawyer per se - I suggested a professional service providor, who has experience in these kind of applications as matters like these are never simply ‘black and white’, as per the link posted by you (which is often incorrectly interpreted by googling experts).

I was merely offering a ‘rather safe than sorry’ view.

Look at my posting history on that subject and you will have your answer .
What do you mean by " googling expert"  !

BY DESCENT
A person born outside Mauritius is a citizen of Mauritius under section 20(3) and 23 of the Constitution if either of his parents is a citizen of Mauritius by birth.

'Birth' is the keyword here.

The authority to contact is the Prime Minister's Office.
http://dha.pmo.govmu.org/English/Mandat … NSHIP.aspx

I spoke to the Mauritian embassy and they advised that i am a citizen by descent so all i have to do is apply for my Mauritian passport.

So all along I've been a Mauritian citizen and i didn't even know it. I always though i would have to apply for it.

So if your mother or father is a citizen of Mauritius by birth, you will automatically qualify for a Mauritian passport.

Meesha88 wrote:

I spoke to the Mauritian embassy and they advised that i am a citizen by descent so all i have to do is apply for my Mauritian passport.

So all along I've been a Mauritian citizen and i didn't even know it. I always though i would have to apply for it.

So if your mother or father is a citizen of Mauritius by birth, you will automatically qualify for a Mauritian passport.

Technically yes, you are a Mauritian citizen but you should go through the registration process so as to obtain your Mauritian ID card which is compulsory for obtaining a Mauritian passport.

Hey,

No, its not necessary at this point of time.

The only time that process would be applicable would be if i was married or have children that i would like to claim Mauritian citizenship for.

I received all documents and the process is pretty straight forward as i'm applying as a descent.

Kind regards,
Meesha

I don't know how much things have changed but how do you apply for a passport without a Mauritian ID card?

Meesha88 wrote:

Hey,

No, its not necessary at this point of time.

The only time that process would be applicable would be if i was married or have children that i would like to claim Mauritian citizenship for.

I received all documents and the process is pretty straight forward as i'm applying as a descent.

Kind regards,
Meesha

Are you a minor?

If not , what are you going to put on the line :
NIC NUMBER? if you don't have one .
You may use the one from your mother but you will have to produce these also:
1. Birth certificates of Mauritian parents
2. National Identity Cards of parents/guardians
3. Certificate of foreign citizenship/Residence permit of parents (where applicable)

Meesha88 wrote:

Hey,

No, its not necessary at this point of time.

The only time that process would be applicable would be if i was married or have children that i would like to claim Mauritian citizenship for.

I received all documents and the process is pretty straight forward as i'm applying as a descent.

Kind regards,
Meesha

JFYI & FWIW:

1.Your husband will have to stay on the island for 4 yrs before applying for Mauritian Citizenship.
2. Your children : since you will be a citizen by descent ( thus not born on the island ) they won't be able to apply for citizenship.
However, if you decide to move to the island then they will be allowed to claim it either :
through the Diaspora scheme ( if you are eligible) or
for being a commonwealth citizen which requires them to reside on the island for 5 years

Like the Kréol expression : li pas kwi vidé- it does not happen overnight.

Hey,

Not sure as yet.

I'll be going to the embassy in Pretoria in June so i'll make sure to take all docs with me and get  them to assist me.

Will let you guys know how the process went.

I was thinking that my husband could apply for permanent residency instead of citizenship that way he can retain his SA Citizenship.

believe me you get a headache listening to all the different views most of which are totally inaccurate

i have fast become an expert on this having got my 2 children citizenship.

so a couple of quick questions

1 was your mother born in mauritius?
2 what nationality was your father?
3 are you currently living in mauritius

feel free to contact me privately on
*** and i will help and advise you as much as i can
regards

Sue