Mauritian Legal Services for Swiss Clients
For Swiss nationals moving to, or investing in, Mauritius
Swiss nationals come to Mauritius for the same reasons other Europeans do — retirement, a change of base, a business, or a property in the sun — and they arrive from a legal culture that expects precision. This page sets out, without embellishment, what a Swiss client normally needs to have looked at before committing.
Lex Aquila Advocates is a barrister's chambers in Port-Louis. Me Mokshda Pertaub, at the Mauritian Bar since January 1998, is a former Director of the Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies. The chambers works in English and French. It makes no claims about a Swiss track record: what it offers is Mauritian law, competently applied, to whatever your position turns out to be.
Property acquisition by non-citizens
Residential acquisition by non-citizens runs through defined schemes — IRS, RES, PDS and Smart City projects, promoted through the Economic Development Board — each with its own conditions. The points to settle before signature are the same in every case: exactly what is being sold, what the title records, what continuing obligations attach, what happens on resale, and how the asset passes on death.
Residence routes
The Occupation Permit is handled through the Economic Development Board. The Residence Permit for retired non-citizens and the Premium Visa, the latter administered by the Passport and Immigration Office, cover other situations, and the permanent residence framework is set out in the Immigration Act 2022. Applications are made to those authorities; the chambers advises on the legal consequences, including how a permit interacts with property ownership and with family and succession planning.
Succession and estate planning
Succession in Mauritius is governed by the Code Civil Mauricien, and Mauritius levies no inheritance, estate, succession or donation tax. Where an estate straddles Switzerland and Mauritius, the Mauritian side should be drafted with the Swiss side in view rather than in isolation, and we work with your advisers at home to that end. See estate and succession law for what the practice covers.
Family, business and disputes
Our family law practice covers matrimonial proceedings, divorce, alimony, custody and child abduction, including matters with an international element. Business, contract and dispute work is under civil and commercial law, and employment relationships under employment law.
Working with the chambers from Europe
First contact by email or WhatsApp is normal, in English or French. Documents are exchanged electronically, calls are arranged around the time difference, and you are told in advance which steps require your presence in Mauritius. The expat guide covers the wider picture and the areas we serve page explains which courts hear what.
Other country guides
Instruct the chambers
+230 5858 7956
mepertaub@gmail.com
Suite 304, St James Court,
St Denis Street, Port-Louis
Questions Swiss clients ask
Practical points before you commit to anything
Which language do you work in?
English and French. Correspondence and consultations are available in either.
Can I buy any property I like in Mauritius?
No. Acquisition by non-citizens runs through defined schemes rather than the open market. What each scheme permits, and what it means for residence and resale, should be checked before you commit.
Is a Swiss will enough for my Mauritian property?
Not necessarily, and the assumption is a common source of difficulty. The Mauritian side should be looked at under the Code Civil Mauricien alongside your Swiss arrangements.
Speak to the chambers
Telephone or WhatsApp +230 5858 7956, or write to mepertaub@gmail.com