Opening a Bank Account in Mauritius as a Foreigner
Yes. Foreigners can apply for a bank account in Mauritius, at a branch or from abroad, because the Bank of Mauritius (BoM) anti-money-laundering guideline sets separate steps for each. It rates non-residents as higher risk, so expect an application form, identity documents, proof of address and questions about your income and funds; each bank then applies its own policy. Three permits add a deadline: within 60 days of issue, a retirement permit needs at least USD 2,000 paid into a Mauritian bank, an Investor Occupation Permit USD 100,000 and a services-only Self-Employed permit USD 50,000.
Opening a bank account in Mauritius as a foreigner means meeting two sets of expectations. The bank applies the BoM guideline, which shapes what it checks and what you are asked to show. For three permits the Economic Development Board (EDB) also sets the date by which a first deposit must arrive. We found no official figures for processing times, fees or minimum balances, so we give none. Where a rule has a paragraph or section number, we give it so you can check the wording.
Can a non-resident open an account?
The BoM’s anti-money-laundering guideline of January 2020 is written for banks rather than customers, but it is the main official text we found on how a foreigner is taken on. It has one set of steps for non-residents who deal with a bank face to face and another for those who apply from abroad (paragraphs 6.91 to 6.94 and 6.98 to 6.100).
It also explains why a foreigner meets more questions than a resident does. Paragraph 4.20, which draws on the national risk assessment, lists non-residents among the customers who pose a high money-laundering threat for banks. For higher-risk customers, paragraph 6.90 says banks may consider extra checks such as a prior bank reference and verification of income, funds and wealth.
When you open an account, the bank builds a profile of you (paragraph 6.82). It covers your occupation, your income, how you expect to use the account (the amounts, number, type, purpose and frequency of transactions) and the products you want. Depending on the risk, it may also ask for your employer’s name, the source of your wealth, the source of the funds that will pass through the account and where they will go.
The guideline gives banks a common standard, but eligibility is the bank’s call: the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says only that you can contact any local bank about it and that each bank has its own rules. We found no official list of which banks take applications from non-residents.
Documents banks ask for
The guideline sets out what a bank should collect in three situations. A bank may ask for more.
| Applicant | Identity | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident, at the bank (6.91 to 6.94) | The bank’s standard form and a clear copy of a national identity card, current passport, current driving licence or armed forces identity card | The bank checks your identity and current permanent address with a reputable credit or financial institution in your home country or country of residence |
| Non-resident, applying from abroad (6.98 and 6.99) | The standard form and a legible photocopy of one of those documents, certified as a true copy by a lawyer, accountant or other professional who adds name, address and profession | An original or certified copy of a utility bill or bank statement addressed to you at the address you apply from |
| Resident in Mauritius (6.84 to 6.89) | Name checked at an interview against an original official document with a recent photograph: identity card, passport or driving licence | A recent utility bill, bank or credit card statement, bank reference, or other documents that settle the address beyond reasonable doubt |
Both non-resident forms ask for your true name, permanent and mailing addresses, telephone and fax number, date and place of birth, nationality and occupation, with your employer’s name or, if you are self-employed, the nature of the work, and a signature. The in-person form adds a signed authority for the bank to obtain an independent bank reference. The form for applicants abroad adds passport or identity card details, with issue and expiry dates, and an authority to obtain independent verification of anything you state. The guideline lists the details a form should hold; it does not supply a model form.
The guideline leaves two points open. It does not say which category applies to a newly arrived permit holder, and it sets no age limit on the bill or statement in the non-resident paragraphs, whereas for residents “recent” means not more than 3 months (footnote to paragraph 6.89). Put both questions to the bank before you apply.
What the permits ask of the account
Three permits tie a first deposit to a bank account in Mauritius. The amounts and the 60-day limit come from the EDB’s Occupation Permit Guidelines (clauses 2.2.1, 4.2 and 5.3) and the undertaking form in its Annex 7.
| Permit | Money to move | Into which account |
|---|---|---|
| Retired non-citizen (aged 50 or over) | At least USD 2,000 first, then USD 24,000 a year or USD 2,000 a month | A local bank; Annex 7 says “individual account” |
| Investor Occupation Permit, USD 100,000 option | USD 100,000, or its equivalent in a freely convertible currency, from abroad | The company’s bank account in Mauritius; Annex 7 says “corporate account” |
| Self-Employed Occupation Permit (services only) | USD 50,000, or its equivalent in a freely convertible currency, from abroad | Your bank account in Mauritius; Annex 7 allows “individual or corporate account” |
For all three, the deadline is 60 days from the date the permit is issued, and the proof is a certified statement issued by a bank in Mauritius showing the transfer from abroad. In the undertaking, the holder accepts that missing the deadline means deregistration by the EDB and cancellation of the permit by the Passport and Immigration Office (PIO).
The EDB’s pages do not always match its guidelines. Its Self-Employed page says the money goes to “your bank account”, yet its document list asks for evidence of a transfer to a local account of the company, so confirm with the EDB which account it expects. For the Investor route, the Occupation Permit Guidelines, the Annex 7 undertaking and the Investor page’s answer on where to send the funds all name a company account. A company account falls under the BoM guideline’s separate section on account opening for legal persons and arrangements, which we did not research.
We found no such transfer requirement for a Professional Occupation Permit or a Premium Visa. Our guides to the Mauritius Occupation Permit and to retiring in Mauritius cover the permits themselves.
Which comes first, the account or the permit
The EDB’s Investor and Self-Employed pages both say that once the Approval in Principle (AIP) email arrives you are eligible to open a bank account in Mauritius. The 60 days run from the date the permit is issued, and the AIP comes first, so on those two routes the account can be open before the clock starts.
The Retired page has no such sentence. It lists a bank statement from your Mauritian account among the documents to upload after the AIP, and asks for one again at renewal. Our reading, not an official statement: a retirement applicant probably needs the account open before the 60 days begin. Only the EDB can confirm the order, so put the question to it before you apply. Our guide to your first 30 days in Mauritius shows where the account sits among the other jobs.
Whether a particular bank takes an application from abroad is for that bank to say. The guideline only sets what the bank should collect if it does.
Ask about certified statements early. The EDB wants a statement certified and issued by a bank in Mauritius to show a transfer made within the 60 days. We found no published turnaround for that, so ask the bank how it issues one and how long it takes, well before the deadline.
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Property purchases and the bank letter
A purchase brings a bank into the process at several points. Our guide to buying property in Mauritius covers the routes; this is what the EDB’s guidelines ask of the bank.
- Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS), Real Estate Scheme (RES) and Property Development Scheme (PDS). The November 2024 guidelines require a non-citizen to pay from funds held outside Mauritius, sent through a reputable bank listed in the “Banking Almanach” recognised by the BoM. Know-your-client (KYC) papers are among the documents uploaded with the application.
- Invest Hotel Scheme and Smart City Scheme. The scheme company’s bank carries out the KYC exercise and opens a client account that the guidelines call the “Escrow Account”. A non-citizen’s application to the EDB includes a letter from the bank certifying the KYC exercise. The Invest Hotel Scheme guideline adds that the potential buyer deposits up to a maximum of 25% of the total investment amount in that bank.
- Ground plus two (G+2) apartments. The October 2022 guideline asks for a letter from a local or international recognised bank showing that you have the funds, plus KYC papers or a bank reference from such a bank. It does not define “recognised”, so ask the EDB whether your bank qualifies.
When a property is resold under the November 2024 guidelines, or under the Invest Hotel Scheme or Smart City Scheme guidelines, the person acquiring it must apply under the same guidelines, and the application must carry an attestation of opening a bank account through which payment will be made. We did not find the same requirement in the G+2 guideline. As with the certified statement above, we found no published turnaround for these letters or attestations.
The rupee and sending money in
The unit of currency is the rupee, divided into 100 cents (section 34 of the Bank of Mauritius Act 2004). A BoM speech of 3 November 2017 records that the Exchange Control Act was suspended by July 1994 and that Mauritius moved as a result to full capital convertibility. We could not confirm a formal repeal, so we describe it only as suspended.
Banks still watch what moves. The guideline tells them to monitor all complex, unusual, suspicious or large transactions (paragraph 4.71), to compare activity with the purpose and source of funds recorded when the relationship began (4.72) and to flag changes against a client’s normal pattern (4.73). What you tell the bank at the start about expected amounts and sources is therefore what later transfers are measured against.
Money you bring in and tax
Sending money to a Mauritian account can matter for tax as well as for the bank. Section 5(3) of the Income Tax Act treats an individual’s income from outside Mauritius as derived when it is received in Mauritius by or on behalf of the individual, or dealt with in Mauritius in their interest or on their behalf. The Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) says a resident individual is taxed on income derived in Mauritius or remitted to Mauritius. Its list of foreign income includes emoluments (pay from employment), directors’ fees, business, rental, investment and interest income, and annuities and pensions for past services. The EDB’s Retired page lists the same kinds of foreign income and says a pension’s treatment depends on the double taxation agreements and on whether the income is remitted to Mauritius.
The rules are written around income, so how a particular sum would be classed is a question for a tax adviser. Our guide to Mauritius tax for expats covers who counts as resident, how the remittance rule works and what we found on pensions from abroad.
Premium Visa holders have an extra rule, and since 13 August 2026 the Income Tax Act applies it to holders of a golden visa as well. The Act defines a golden visa as one issued to a non-citizen on the recommendation of the EDB. As we read section 73B(3), a holder who deposits money in a bank account in Mauritius is liable to income tax on the deposits unless a declaration says the required tax on that income was paid in the country of origin or residence. As we read section 73B(2), spending in Mauritius on a foreign credit or debit card is treated as not remitted. The EDB’s Premium Visa page says much the same in plainer words. Check the wording with an adviser before you rely on it.
Put a clear reference on each payment you send from abroad and keep the bank’s confirmation with your tax papers, so you can answer quickly if the bank asks where a sum came from.
Checking that a bank is licensed
The BoM publishes a List of Licensees on its website, under Financial Stability, then Supervision, then Licensees. A Licensee Type filter offers Banks, Foreign Exchange Dealers, Money Changers and Non-Bank Deposit-taking institutions; pick Banks and apply the filter. Each entry gives the licensee’s name and address and, for most, a website.
Before you send documents or money, compare the exact name and, where the entry lists one, the website of the institution you are dealing with. We do not name banks here: the list is the official starting point, and each bank’s own terms decide whether it takes you on.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner open a bank account in Mauritius without living there?
In principle, yes: the Bank of Mauritius guideline sets separate steps for non-residents who visit a bank and for those who apply from abroad. It also rates non-residents as higher risk, so expect extra questions. Each bank sets its own policy, so check with the bank before you rely on it.
What documents does a Mauritian bank ask a foreigner for?
A bank following the Bank of Mauritius guideline collects a completed application form and a clear copy of a passport, national identity card, driving licence or armed forces identity card. If you apply from abroad, a lawyer, accountant or other professional must certify the copy, and you add an original or certified copy of a utility bill or bank statement addressed to you at the address you apply from. A bank may also ask about your income, funds and wealth and for a prior bank reference. Each bank sets its own list.
How soon must a retired non-citizen put money into a Mauritian bank?
The EDB’s Occupation Permit Guidelines ask for at least USD 2,000 in a local bank within 60 days of the permit being issued, then USD 24,000 a year or USD 2,000 a month. The proof is a certified statement issued by a bank in Mauritius. Our guide to retiring in Mauritius covers the rest of the route.
How do I check that a bank in Mauritius is licensed?
Use the List of Licensees on the Bank of Mauritius website. Filter by the Banks licensee type, then check the institution’s exact name and, where the entry lists one, its website against the details you have been given before you send documents or money.
Sources, checked 28 October 2026
Every source here is an official text, from the Bank of Mauritius, the Economic Development Board, the Mauritius Revenue Authority or the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Each entry says what we took from it.
- Guideline on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation, January 2020 (Bank of Mauritius): non-resident risk, the application details, identity and address documents, and monitoring (paragraphs 4.20, 4.71 to 4.73, 6.82, 6.84 to 6.94 and 6.98 to 6.100)
- List of Licensees (Bank of Mauritius): the Licensee Type filter and the details shown for each licensee
- Address by the Governor at the launch of the Bank of Mauritius Museum, 3 November 2017 (Bank of Mauritius): the Exchange Control Act suspended by July 1994 and the move to full capital convertibility
- Bank of Mauritius Act 2004 (Bank of Mauritius, internet version): the rupee divided into 100 cents (section 34)
- Occupation Permit Guidelines (Economic Development Board): the amounts, the accounts, the 60-day limit and the consequence of missing it (clauses 2.2.1, 4.2 and 5.3 and the Annex 7 undertaking)
- Retired Non-Citizen +50 years (Economic Development Board): the Mauritian bank statement among the documents after the Approval in Principle and at renewal, and its answers on foreign income and on how a pension remitted to Mauritius is treated for tax
- Investment of USD 100,000 (Economic Development Board): eligibility to open a bank account once the Approval in Principle email arrives, and the corporate account for the transfer
- Residency Self Employed Entrepreneurs (Economic Development Board): eligibility to open a bank account after the Approval in Principle, the 60 days, and the two descriptions of the receiving account
- Mauritius Premium Visa (Economic Development Board): tax on money deposited in a bank account in Mauritius, the declaration, and foreign card spending
- Living in Mauritius (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, updated 23 December 2024): that you contact a local bank about eligibility and that each bank has its own rules
- Income Tax Act, consolidated to the Finance Act 2026 (Mauritius Revenue Authority): section 5(3) on foreign income received or dealt with in Mauritius, section 73B on Premium Visa and golden visa holders, and the section 2 definition of a golden visa
- Foreign income (Mauritius Revenue Authority): that a resident individual is taxed on income derived in or remitted to Mauritius, and the kinds of foreign income it lists
- Guidelines for the IRS, RES and PDS (November 2024) (Economic Development Board): funds sent through a bank in the “Banking Almanach”, the KYC papers, and the bank account attestation on a resale
- Guidelines for the Invest Hotel Scheme (Economic Development Board): the scheme company’s bank, the Escrow Account, the KYC letter and the deposit of up to 25%
- Guidelines for the Smart City Scheme (Economic Development Board): the scheme company’s bank, the Escrow Account and the KYC letter
- Guidelines for the acquisition of apartments (October 2022) (Economic Development Board, investmauritius.com copy): the letter from a recognised bank, and KYC or a bank reference
General information only, not immigration, tax, legal or financial advice. Mauritius often changes these rules in its June Budget, so check the official pages above and speak to a qualified professional before you act.