How to buy in Mauritius as a non-citizen

2022-08-26 04:13:44 • Brian Blatch

You may be asking yourself how as a non-citizen are you able to buy a property in Mauritiushttps://properties.parklane.mu/inte.... It’s simple. Philippe de Beer, CEO of Park Lane Properties explains how to acquire a property and how to obtain Permanent Residence with your real estate purchase:

You can ONLY buy a property in developments which are “Accessible to non-citizens”.

Over the years, different types of real estate acquisition schemes have been introduced by the Mauritian authorities and I will talk you through these various schemes under which private real estate developers have developed projects accessible to non-citizens.

In 2002 we saw the introduction of the IRS, the Integrated Resort Schemes.
These are large residential private estates built on land of over 10 Hectares, and are mainly golf or seas side resorts, with various types of properties according to each development: Villas, apartments, townhouses, and even plots of land ready to be built in some of them. These can be found in the North, The East, the south and the West.
Buying within an IRS grants you and your spouse and dependents Permanent Residence.

In 2007 the RES were introduced. RES stands for Real Estate Scheme.
These are smaller projects developed on land ranging from 1 acre and up to 10 Hectares. These developments have mainly been built in the coastal areas of Mauritius, in the north around Grand Bay and also in the south-west in the Tamarin/Black River area, not far from the magnificent white sandy beaches.
To obtain Permanent Residence, you will need to purchase a RES property above USD 375,000.

In 2015, the authorities merged the IRS and RES schemes into a new scheme called PDS, Property Development Scheme.
A PDS is private estate with again different types of properties depending on the project : apartments, senior residences, townhouses or villas.
Permanent Residence comes when you buy a PDS above USD 375,000

What you need to remember is that these IRS RES or PDS developments are basically "small or larger resorts" mostly gated, with security at the entrance and with services and infrastructures offering owners a better lifestyle: a gym, a spa, tennis courts, golf courses, a marina or other amenities.

We then saw the introduction of Smart Cities :
These are large real estate developments in which we find a mix of residential dwellings, retail & office spaces, medical facilities, recreational parks, schools or tertiary eduction facilities , all connected by road infrastructures. There are several Smart Cities across the island with residential or commercial offerings.

Here again, buying a property above USD 375,000 will grant you Permanent Residence.

Finally, the last type of property accessible to non-residents: apartments in Ground + 2 dwellings.

In December 2016, the government opened up the purchase of apartments anywhere in Mauritius with certain conditions :

- First the apartment must be in a residence with at least two levels above the ground floor, so at least Ground+2. You can buy anywhere in the apartment block and not only on the ground floor or on the 2nd floor as some people mistakenly think.
- Secondly, the apartment must be bought at a price a minimum price of Rs 6 m
- Finally, the building must be built on freehold land and not leasehold. This therefore excludes certain apartment residences located directly on the beach when the land is leasehold. There are some exceptional opportunities where beachfront apartment residences are built on freehold land and this will reflect on the selling prices. Recently, however, the Mauritian authorities have granted exemptions to allow the acquisition of R+2 apartments in certain waterfront apartment residences developed on leasehold land.

Again, you will be eligible for Permanent Residence if you purchase an apartment in a Ground + 2 residence for more than $375,000.

A few points to remember :

1. Permanent residence is attached to your property. When you resell your property, you lose your permanent residence unless you also have another Occupation or Residence Permit.

2. Do not be mistaken: The Mauritian Authorities grant permanent residence and not Mauritian citizenship when acquiring property.

3. You might have heard that acquiring a property within one of these schemes gives you the right to then also buy a property anywhere in Mauritius outside of these approved schemes and resorts. False. You do not have the right to acquire OUTSIDE of these real estate programs if you are an owner in an IRS, RES, PDS. But you can of course buy as many properties as you want within these developments.

4. Another thing to remember is that if you buy two properties, each under $375,000, you will not be able to combine these two properties and obtain permanent residence. Permanent residence is attached to ONE particular property which must be above $375,000 to obtain Permanent Residence through this acquisition.

Some of these rules may change so it is important to consult the agency at the beginning of your search.

There you are. I hope this little overview has given you a better understanding of how you, as a non-citizen, can buy property in Mauritius.


Do not hesitate to contact us. We have been in the real estate market for over 18 years and we have developed very privileged relationships with many real estate developers that we select with great care for you.

The Park Lane team will accompany you from the start of your real estate project and your search until the handing over of the keys to your property, with our usual more personal approach to property.

We hope we will have the privilege of assisting you soon in your property search in Mauritius!

See our video here: https://bit.ly/3msC9tC