Guidance

Mauritius: Knowledge Base profile

Published 16 April 2024

Version 2.0

About: Mauritius

This document contains useful information about Mauritius which will assist His Majesty’s Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the document and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the document has factual errors then email the Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this document (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the document then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 2.0
• published for Home Office staff on 12 April 2024

Changes from last version of this document

This document is updated with minor formatting changes.

Mauritius: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Mauritius.

Naming conventions in Mauritius usually follow the persons heritage or ethnic background.

Change of name

Name changes are allowed in Mauritius.

If a woman changes her name through marriage her Mauritius passport will show her married name on the personal details page with an observation showing her maiden name.

Mauritius nationals must apply for a new passport if they have a change of name.

Mauritius: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Mauritius.

Dual nationality is allowed in Mauritius since 1995.

Mauritius allows citizenship to be reacquired after renunciation of other citizenships.

A number of former residents and their descendants, of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) (also known as the the Chagos Archipelago or Chagos Islands), live in Mauritius. In November 2022, the UK government launched a British nationality route for individuals of Chagossian descent.

Mauritius: legitimacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy in Mauritius.

Legitimacy

Mauritius recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births.

A child will be considered:

• legitimate:
  • if their parents are married at the time of the birth
  • from the time of the marriage if the parents marry after the birth
• illegitimate if the parents never marry

Mauritius: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Mauritius.

Adoption is allowed in Mauritius.

Mauritius: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Mauritius.

Transgender citizens are not recognised in Mauritius.

Mauritius: civil partnerships and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriage in Mauritius.

Civil partnerships and same sex marriage are not allowed in Mauritius.

Only civil marriages are legally recognised in Mauritius.

Polygamous marriage can take place in Mauritius, these are not legal or recognised.

Mauritius: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents from Mauritius.

Birth certificates

All births are recorded at the Civil Status Office in Port Louis.

All births in Mauritius must be registered within 45 days. Late registration is allowed and needs an order from the District Magistrate or Civil Registrar before being entered.

Birth records and birth certificates are amended when any changes are made.

Recently issued birth certificates will show if:

• a mistake was identified
• paternity or maternity was acknowledged after the birth
• there has been a change of name
• there has been a marriage or death

Marriage certificates

Only civil marriages are legally recognised in Mauritius. The celebrant of a religious marriage must be authorised to complete the civil element of a marriage for it to be legal. In all cases a civil marriage certificate is issued if the marriage is legally recognised.

Marriages are recorded at the Civil Status Office in Port Louis.

Death certificates

All deaths must be registered within 24 hours. The person’s death will be recorded on their birth record.  

Identity documents

There is a mandatory identity card scheme for all Mauritius citizens. All foreign nationals not on holiday must have a valid visa or work permit.