Mauritius without passport: the measure extended until June 30, 2026

Good news for the people of Reunion: the “Mauritius without passport” system has been renewed for another year! French nationals residing in Reunion Island will be able to continue to travel to Mauritius with their simple national identity card until June 30, 2026.

A measure facilitating trade between sister islands

Implemented on September 19, 2022 by the Mauritian authorities, this exceptional provision allows Reunion Islanders to stay in Mauritius without needing to present a passport. Initially scheduled until June 30, 2023, the measure was successively extended to 2024, 2025 and now until June 2026, demonstrating the desire of the two territories to maintain privileged relations.

This initiative is part of the logic of the close ties that unite Reunion Island and Mauritius, only 220 kilometers apart. The two islands in the Indian Ocean share a common history and maintain privileged relations, both economically and culturally.

The conditions to be met to benefit from it

To benefit from this administrative facility, travelers must respect several specific conditions:

Essential conditions

• Nationality : Be a French national
• Residence : Actually reside in Reunion
• Starting point : Traveling from Reunion Island
• Reason for stay : Travel for tourist purposes exclusively (no salaried activity authorized)
• Minimum duration : Stay of at least 2 nights in Mauritius
• Identity document : Valid national secure identity card (CNIS)

Usual immigration formalities

Even with an ID card, travelers must meet standard immigration requirements:

• Round trip plane ticket : obligatory and systematically verified
• Accommodation reservation : hotel confirmation or proof of accommodation with a private individual
• Sufficient financial resources : theoretically required (around 100 USD per day suggested) but rarely controlled in practice. A bank card is generally sufficient.
• Travel insurance : strongly recommended but not obligatory

On arrival, immigration officers will issue an “entry clearance” after checking these elements. The controls mainly concern the return ticket and the accommodation reservation.

Special cases: travel with children

Accompanied minor children

Parents traveling with their minor children must present to the immigration officer:

• The child's birth certificate, or
• The family book

Unaccompanied minor children

A minor child traveling alone from Reunion Island must have:

• A certificate from the parents with photo affixed to the document
• This certificate must be presented to the immigration services officer

Important points of attention

Proof of residence

If the address on the back of your national identity card is not located in Reunion, you will need to provide recent proof of address in your name attesting to your current residence in Reunion.

Validity of the identity card

The national identity card must be currently valid. An expired card will not be accepted, even if it benefits from the automatic 5-year extension applicable in France.

Prohibited professional activity

This provision is strictly reserved for tourist stays. No salaried or professional activity is authorized during the stay under penalty of sanctions.

A success that benefits regional tourism

Since its implementation, the “Mauritius without passport” system has enjoyed undeniable success with the approximately 870,000 inhabitants of Reunion Island. This administrative facility has considerably simplified the procedures for Reunionese families wishing to discover Mauritius.

Tourism professionals also welcome this extension. Reunion tour operators can thus develop attractive offers to Mauritius, aimed at an ever-widening public, without the constraints linked to obtaining a passport.

Strengthening ties between the two islands

This measure demonstrates the commitment of the Mauritian authorities to regional mobility and rapprochement with Reunion Island. It makes it possible to maintain and strengthen tourist, economic and cultural exchanges between these two territories which share a common history and privileged human relations.

The extension until June 30, 2026 offers significant visibility to travelers and tourism professionals, allowing them to plan stays on the sister island with confidence throughout 2025 and the first half of 2026.

Official source : Embassy of France in Mauritius – Mu.Ambafrance.org

Article updated November 2025