Mauritius, the Indian Ocean paradise, has launched a new long-stay visa to meet the growing demand from international visitors looking to relocate to the COVID-safe island for work, leisure, or retirement. The country’s new Premium Visa is valid for one year, with an option to renew, and is open to those who want to relocate to allow them to work remotely, have a long-term second home on the islands, or to retire here in 2020, 2021 and beyond.

The collective response by the Mauritius government, and the country as a whole, to COVID, means that the country provides an opportunity for long-stay visitors to escape their domestic lockdown restrictions and relocate with the minimum of effort to live and work on Covid-secure islands.

Mauritius also offers a diverse selection of long-stay rental accommodation options ranging from serviced apartments to beach-side homes. Residents are also permitted to purchase property including luxury villas, penthouses, apartments, and duplexes under specific investment programs.

An arrival concierge service helping new residents find homes, cars, banking services, and telecoms will be in place and Premium Visa holders will also no longer need to leave the country at the end of their visa to renew their temporary visitor status, which will help keep the island more COVID-secure for the longer term.

In order to keep the country Covid-secure, Mauritius has implemented one of the world’s most rigorous heath monitoring regimes. The condition of entry requirements means that all visitors are required to follow health measures. All new arrivals to the island are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine period combined with a pre-departure PCR test, arrival test, and follow up tests on 7 and 14 days.

Returning Mauritians, diaspora, short and long-term visitors are all asked to follow the same procedures to help keep Mauritius COVID-secure. Some of Mauritius’ finest hotels are allocated as arrival facilities. Health protocols are regularly reviewed in line with the country’s requirements and the status of the global pandemic.

Mauritius also remains open to tourists who are looking for a shorter-term Covid-secure holiday destination. Mauritius is best known to international visitors who are looking for an authentic Indian Ocean paradise. Tourism is focused on beautiful beaches, coral reefs, stunning scenery, and marine environment as well as leisure activities such as golf, hikes and trails, water sports, and scuba diving.