# Adult naturalisation and registration

Mauritius' ordinary naturalisation route separates a final continuous year from five years in the preceding seven. Commonwealth registration is a different route, and current statutory amendments must be read alongside the older official consolidation.

Scope: Ordinary adult section 9 naturalisation, with the separate Commonwealth section 5 branch identified; investor, marriage and descent routes are not substitutes for the baseline.

Jurisdiction: Republic of Mauritius. Sources reviewed 2026-09-22; review due 2026-12-21.

General information, not legal advice or a finding of eligibility. Requirements depend on the route, applicant and filing date. Verify the official instructions before applying.

## Ordinary residence sequence

Section 9 naturalisation is for a person of full age and capacity who is not a Commonwealth citizen. The ordinary residence sequence is a continuous twelve months immediately before applying plus aggregate residence of at least five years during the seven years preceding that twelve-month period. This is not five years total. Section 9(4) excludes holders of a temporary residence permit under the Immigration Act 2022.

Evidence: conditional. [Mauritius Prime Minister's Office, Home Affairs Division: Mauritius Citizenship Act, amended through 2022](https://dha.govmu.org/Documents/Legislations/Mauritius%20Citizenship%20Act%20as%20amended%202022.pdf); [Mauritius Prime Minister's Office, Home Affairs Division: Citizenship](https://dha.govmu.org/Pages/Services/Citizenship.aspx). Source location: Citizenship Act sections 2 and 9(1)(c)–(d), 9(4), PDF pages 2 and 4–5; DHA 'Naturalization of an Alien or British Protected Person'.

## Language, character and intention

The ordinary applicant must be of good character, have adequate knowledge of English or another language current in Mauritius and of a Mauritian citizen's responsibilities, and intend to continue residing in Mauritius if naturalised. The reviewed law specifies no CEFR level. Full age is eighteen; the Minister's statutory residence concessions and special routes are not the ordinary rule.

Evidence: conditional. [Mauritius Prime Minister's Office, Home Affairs Division: Mauritius Citizenship Act, amended through 2022](https://dha.govmu.org/Documents/Legislations/Mauritius%20Citizenship%20Act%20as%20amended%202022.pdf). Source location: Citizenship Act sections 2, 9(1)(a)–(b), 9(1)(e) and 9(2)–(3), PDF pages 2 and 4–5.

## Commonwealth registration is distinct

Section 5 provides a separate registration branch for Commonwealth citizens of full age and capacity, ordinarily requiring five continuous years' residence immediately before application, together with character, language/responsibilities and continued-residence conditions. A discretionary special-circumstances power can accept a shorter period of at least twelve months; temporary residence permit holders under the Immigration Act 2022 are excluded.

Evidence: conditional. [Mauritius Prime Minister's Office, Home Affairs Division: Mauritius Citizenship Act, amended through 2022](https://dha.govmu.org/Documents/Legislations/Mauritius%20Citizenship%20Act%20as%20amended%202022.pdf); [Mauritius Prime Minister's Office, Home Affairs Division: Citizenship](https://dha.govmu.org/Pages/Services/Citizenship.aspx). Source location: Citizenship Act section 5, PDF page 3; DHA 'Registration of Commonwealth Citizens'.

## Application and documentary checks

The official section 9 form and fact sheet require a sworn application in Mauritius, residence and identity documents, police-character evidence and four Mauritian references. The applicant must publish notice in two daily newspapers and submit in person as directed by the fact sheet. Eligibility and a completed form are not a promise of a certificate.

Evidence: conditional. [Mauritius Prime Minister's Office, Home Affairs Division: Section 9 naturalisation: Form CF7 and fact sheet](https://dha.govmu.org/Documents/services/Naturalization_of_an_Alien_or_British_Protected_Person_Section_9.pdf); [Mauritius Prime Minister's Office, Home Affairs Division: Citizenship](https://dha.govmu.org/Pages/Services/Citizenship.aspx). Source location: Form CF7 and fact sheet, PDF pages 1–5, fact sheet updated 12 July 2024; DHA section 9 application instructions.

## Naturalised citizens' retention safeguards

For registered or naturalised citizens, section 12(1) provides for a ministerial deprivation order after specified claims and exercises of exclusive foreign-citizen rights while of full age and capacity, subject to protection against statelessness. Section 11(4) also addresses five continuous years ordinarily resident abroad, with government/international-organisation service and notified-retention safeguards. These are conditional powers, not automatic loss whenever a second nationality is held. Act 13 of 2026 repealed the separate section 11(8) power.

Evidence: conditional. [Mauritius Prime Minister's Office, Home Affairs Division: Mauritius Citizenship Act, amended through 2022](https://dha.govmu.org/Documents/Legislations/Mauritius%20Citizenship%20Act%20as%20amended%202022.pdf); [Government of Mauritius, Ministry of Finance: Economic and Financial Measures Act 13 of 2026](https://mof.govmu.org/Documents/2026/Legislations/Economic%20and%20Financial%20Measures%20(Miscellaneous%20Provisions)%20Act%202026.pdf). Source location: Citizenship Act sections 11(4)–(6), 12(1), 12(3) and 13, PDF pages 6–7; Act 13/2026 section 35(b), PDF page 76, and section 61 commencement.

## Later ability to renounce another nationality

Section 12(2) separately addresses a person whose other country's law did not permit renunciation at registration or naturalisation but later changes to allow it. The Minister may then issue a written notice requiring renunciation within a specified period and may make a deprivation order if the person does not comply. This conditional provision should not be turned into a universal pre-grant renunciation rule.

Evidence: conditional. [Mauritius Prime Minister's Office, Home Affairs Division: Mauritius Citizenship Act, amended through 2022](https://dha.govmu.org/Documents/Legislations/Mauritius%20Citizenship%20Act%20as%20amended%202022.pdf). Source location: Citizenship Act section 12(2), PDF page 7.

## Scope and limitations

- The official 2022 Citizenship Act consolidation was checked alongside the August 2026 enacted amendment, not treated as fully up to date by itself.
- The statutory 'temporary residence permit' exclusion is not equated here with every time-limited immigration or occupation permit. Individual qualifying status requires confirmation.
- The reviewed current form does not establish a universal pre-grant renunciation requirement or universal unconditional retention of another nationality. Other-country nationality rules, exceptional waivers, fees and processing times are outside this baseline.

## Explore this passport

- [Passport rank and travel access](https://multipassrank.com/passport/mauritius)
- [Tax residence & income](https://multipassrank.com/passport/mauritius/taxes)
- [Country-profile JSON, including sources and scoped requirements](https://multipassrank.com/api/v1/country-profiles/MU)
- [Multiple-citizenship policy guide](https://multipassrank.com/dual-citizenship-countries)

[Canonical page](https://multipassrank.com/passport/mauritius/citizenship)