A month in Mauritius

The Tourism Authority Act counts as a tourist any person who, away from home, travels within Mauritius for less than 12 months. A month in a hotel, guesthouse, tourist residence or domaine therefore pays the tourist fee of EUR 3 for every night, per person aged 12 or over: EUR 90 per person for 30 nights. Neither the Act nor the Revenue Authority's pages cap the number of nights.

Holders of a valid Premium Visa or residence permit are exempt from the fee. VAT at 15% applies when the host is VAT-registered; the exemption for letting a home starts only when the continuous term exceeds 90 days, so a single month does not reach it.

No reputable source on monthly rents, deposits or utilities was found, so this guide gives no rent figures.

Grand Baie suits a month with shops, malls and over 50 restaurants within reach, about 26 km from Port Louis. On the west coast, Flic en Flac has a long public beach, and Tamarin, about 10 km away by road, is a residential area popular with surfers. Port Louis suits a month of work in the capital, with the Metro Express light rail to Curepipe (via GetCar).

Mahébourg, about 9 km from the airport, suits a quieter month in the south-east with Blue Bay close by. These choices are editorial.

EU, UK and US passport holders need no visa. The immigration officer decides the length of stay on arrival, and UK travel advice says British citizens can stay up to 60 days, with the end date stamped in the passport. The Passport and Immigration Office allows a tourist at most six months in a calendar year, case by case, and treats staying beyond the permitted period as an offence.

An extension is requested in person at the Passport and Immigration Office in Port Louis, with copies of the passport and arrival stamp, a ticket reservation, bank statements for the last three months and a confirmed accommodation booking in Mauritius. The office says visas and extensions are free of charge.

Visitors may not engage in any gainful activity without a residence permit. For longer stays, remote work or retirement, the Premium Visa, applied for through the Economic Development Board, is valid for one year and renewable.

Airbnb calls a reservation of 28 nights or more a monthly stay. It charges the first month up front and releases it to the host 24 hours after check-in, then charges each later month 10 days in advance, at the price fixed at booking. A long-term cancellation policy applies to these stays and generally requires 30 days' notice of changes.

Whatever the platform calls it, the fee follows the accommodation type: a tourist residence collects EUR 3 per night per guest aged 12 or over.

Town centres such as Port Louis use paper parking coupons (via GetCar), and no official parking rules were found for the coastal villages, so a month with a car starts with a place that has its own space. During a cyclone, UK travel advice warns, car insurance policies often become invalid; the season usually runs from November to May.

Renting an unlicensed villa. UK travel advice recommends only accommodation registered with the Tourism Authority, and a licensed business displays its licence in the premises.

Comparing monthly prices without the fee. Two adults pay EUR 180 in tourist fee for 30 nights unless the price already includes it.

Overstaying. The Passport and Immigration Office treats a stay beyond the permitted period as an offence, so apply for an extension before the stamped date.

Working on a tourist stay. Gainful activity needs a residence permit.

Assuming utilities are included. No reliable source on typical practice was found, so ask before paying.