Mauritius Plans e-Visa/ETA System as Part of 2026 - 2027 Budget
Mauritius has confirmed plans to introduce a digital pre-travel authorisation system for foreign nationals as part of its 2026 - 2027 budget. The system is referred to as an e-Visa in the Budget Speech and as an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in the official budget annex, with both documents indicating that non-citizens will be required to obtain digital clearance before travelling to the island. The stated objectives are to reduce queues at arrival terminals and strengthen national security by enabling pre-departure screening.
Key details including the launch date, applicable fee, validity period, number of entries permitted and nationalities covered have yet to be confirmed. For travellers currently exempt from Mauritian visa requirements - including those from France, the UK, the US and much of Europe - the system would not necessarily end visa-free access, but would add an electronic authorisation step prior to travel. The budget also includes broader immigration measures such as revisions to the Golden Visa programme targeting investors committing at least $1 million, updates to Occupation Permits and new initiatives to attract international students. For a destination heavily reliant on international tourism, how simply and clearly the new system is implemented will be closely watched by the travel trade.
Source: Visa News
