Mauritius Company Formation Offshore For Non Residents

Thinking about forming a company in Mauritius? You are looking at one of the few offshore centres that is also a real economy — a stable, treaty-connected gateway between Africa and Asia. Company formation here gives you two clear routes: a tax-exempt Authorised Company for international trading and holding, or a GBC with access to the island's double taxation agreements (DTAs). Incorporation is fast, share capital is flexible, and 100% foreign ownership is allowed. This guide covers the structures, the process, the real costs, and what changed in 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Two main structures: the Authorised Company (0% tax on foreign income) and the Global Business Company (GBC) (15% tax, reduced to an effective 3% on qualifying income, with DTA access).
• The old GBC1/GBC2 licences were abolished in January 2019 — anyone still selling "GBC2" companies is out of date.
• No minimum share capital, 100% foreign ownership, and online incorporation under the Companies Act completed in days.
• Every application must go through a licensed management company — you cannot file directly with the Financial Services Commission (FSC).

Why Set Up a Company in Mauritius?

Here is what most zero-tax jurisdictions can't offer: a genuine economy with banks, courts, and treaties behind your company. The island has spent three decades building an international financial centre that regulators respect. The benefits for you:

• Low tax. A 15% corporate rate, cut to an effective 3% on qualifying foreign income for GBCs — and 0% for an Authorised Company with no local-source income. There is no capital gains tax.
• DTA network. The Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) lists 45 tax treaties — the reason so much investment into India and Africa flows through the island.
• Strategic location. A recognised gateway for cross-border investment into Africa and Asia, with English and French widely spoken.
• Free repatriation. No foreign exchange controls — profits, dividends, and capital move freely.
• Full foreign ownership. No local partner or local shareholder is required.

Types of Companies in Mauritius

Which structure fits you? That single choice drives your tax rate, your compliance load, and whether you can use the DTA network. The available structures include:

• Authorised Company (AC) — the standard vehicle for non-residents, formerly GBC2. It must be majority-owned and controlled by non-citizens, conduct its activities principally abroad, and keep its effective management outside the country. Used for international trading, consulting, and private asset holding. It cannot carry out banking, financial service activities, investment funds, or nominee services.
• Global Business Companies (GBCs) — formerly GBC1. Tax-resident, licensed by the FSC, and the only route to DTA benefits. Real substance on the island is required.
• Domestic Company — for trading locally, taxed at domestic rates.
• Protected Cell Company (PCC) — segregates assets and liabilities into cells; used for funds and insurance.
• Limited Partnership — flexible, common for private equity.

One warning before you compare providers: the "GBC1" and "GBC2" categories were abolished in January 2019. Any site still quoting them is recycling pre-2019 content. (US spelling note: you'll also see "Authorized Company" — same entity.)

Authorised Company vs GBC

Ninety percent of the decision comes down to one question: do you need the DTA network? If yes, you need a GBC and the substance that comes with it. If no, the AC is cheaper, lighter, and tax-exempt on foreign income.

Government fees per the FSC's Consolidated Licensing and Fees Rules 2008, as amended. The FSC licence year runs July–June regardless of when you incorporate.

Legal Framework: The Companies Act 2001

Every company on the island — domestic or international — is incorporated under one statute. The Act sets out incorporation procedures, governance, and director duties, while the Business Registration Act 2002 handles registration with the authorities. Two regulators matter to you:

• The Registrar of Companies (Corporate and Business Registration Department, CBRD) incorporates the company and issues your certificate of incorporation.
• The FSC issues the GBC licence or the AC authorisation. Applications go through a licensed management company — you cannot apply directly.

How to Register a Company in Mauritius

The registry itself advertises processing "within 2 hours" once your file is complete. The realistic end-to-end timeline for a foreign owner is 1–3 weeks, because due diligence comes first. The steps:

1. Choose your structure. AC or GBC — decided by your activity and whether you need DTA access.
2. Reserve a name (optional). Checked through the CBRD; the name must end in Ltd, Limited, Ltée, or Limitée.
3. Complete KYC with the management company. Certified passport copy, proof of address issued within 3 months, bank reference letter, CV, and evidence of source of funds. This is the step that takes time.
4. File online. The application (Form 1, with director consent on Form 7, secretary on Form 8, shareholder consent on Form 9) is submitted through the Companies and Business Registration Integrated System (CBRIS), together with the constitution and fees.
5. Apply to the FSC. The management company files for your authorisation or licence, including a business plan covering activities, target markets, and source of funds.
6. Receive your documents. The Registrar issues an electronic certificate of incorporation and a Business Registration Card with your Business Registration Number (BRN). The company is automatically registered with the MRA.

You do not need to visit the island at any point during formation.

Directors, Owners, and Share Capital

Get the officer structure wrong and the FSC will bounce your application, so here are the exact rules. Every company must have at least one director who is a natural person. For an AC, one director of any nationality is enough, and effective management stays abroad. A GBC needs at least two Mauritius-resident directors, normally provided by the management company. Every shareholder must clear KYC, and beneficial owners must be recorded in the share register — but neither directors nor owners appear on the public record.

• Share capital: no minimum, any currency, par or no-par value shares.
• Share classes: registered, preference, redeemable, and voting or non-voting shares. Bearer shares are not permitted.
• Corporate ownership: allowed for both structures.

Taxation

The headline numbers are simple; the exemptions are where the value sits.

• Corporate tax: 15% on chargeable income for resident companies.
• 80% partial exemption: a GBC meeting substance requirements pays tax on only 20% of specified foreign income — dividends, interest, and certain other categories — an effective rate of 3%. This is the engine of the regime, and it is worth spelling out: the exemption is not automatic. The company has to carry out its core income-generating activities in Mauritius, employ (directly or indirectly) an adequate number of qualified people, and incur a minimum level of expenditure proportionate to its activities. Outsourcing to local providers can count, provided the substance is not double-counted across companies.
• Export of goods: taxed at 3%.
• AC: treated as non-resident, so it pays nothing on foreign income; only local-source income is taxable. It still files a return with the MRA within six months of year-end.
• No capital gains tax, and no withholding on dividends a GBC pays abroad out of foreign income.
• VAT: 15% standard rate, relevant only if you make taxable supplies locally.

Two newer measures affect larger operations: a Corporate Climate Responsibility levy of 2% applies where turnover exceeds MUR 50 million, and a Fair Share Contribution (5% at the 15% rate, 2% at the 3% rate) applies from 1 July 2025 where chargeable income and supplies exceed MUR 24 million. Small and mid-size international structures fall below both thresholds.

DTAs and International Structuring

Why do funds investing in India and Africa route through this island? The treaty network. With 45 DTAs concluded, a GBC holding a Tax Residence Certificate can claim reduced withholding rates on dividends, interest, and royalties, plus protection from paying tax twice on the same profits. An AC gets none of this — it sits expressly outside the network. If DTA relief is the point of your structure, budget for GBC-level substance from day one, because partner tax authorities increasingly test it.

Ongoing Obligations

What does it take to keep the company alive each year? Less than most onshore jurisdictions, but the deadlines are firm:

• Renew the FSC licence — the licence year runs July to June for every company, whatever month you incorporated.
• Pay the annual Registrar fee and file the annual return with the CBRD.
• Maintain the registered office, plus the registered agent (AC) or company secretary (GBC).
• File the tax return with the MRA within six months of year-end; GBCs also file audited accounts with the FSC in the same window.
• Keep statutory registers, including beneficial ownership, up to date — changes must be notified to the Registrar promptly.

How Much Does It Cost?

We charge $2400 for a Mauritius company. This includes everything you might need to get up and runing.

Government fees themselves are modest — US$150 processing plus US$350 annual FSC fee and US$65 Registrar fee for an AC; US$500 plus US$1,950 annually for a GBC — so the spread between providers is service, banking support, and substance provision. GBC formations cost meaningfully more than ACs because of the resident directors, audit, and substance requirements. Contact us for a quote tailored to your structure.

Bank Account Opening

A company without a bank account is a filing cabinet. Banks in Mauritius are internationally recognised, and your company can also bank elsewhere. Expect full KYC — certified identity documents, proof of address, business description, and source of funds — and allow two to six weeks. Approval is the bank's decision, not the agent's, so a realistic banking strategy (including alternative jurisdictions) should be part of your formation plan, not an afterthought.

Residence for Investors

Mauritius also welcomes owners who want to relocate. Investment-based residence permits are available, including through approved real estate purchases at a minimum of US$375,000. Non-citizen directors and employees of a GBC may apply for occupation permits to live and work in Mauritius.

How Is Mauritius Company Formation Changing in 2026?

The direction of travel is unmistakable: the jurisdiction is trading tax-haven optics for substance-based credibility.

• The stat: under the Finance Act 2025, Mauritius adopted the OECD's Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax for financial years ending after 31 December 2024 — it applies only to multinational groups with consolidated revenue above €750 million, guaranteeing them a 15% minimum effective rate (Sovereign Group, 24 Oct 2025; EY alert, 13 Aug 2025).
• The Finance Act 2026 (assented 12 August 2026) kept the corporate Fair Share Contribution and, from 1 January 2027, ties it to chargeable income above Rs 24 million while dropping the turnover condition (mauritiusbiz.com, Aug 2026). The 80% partial exemption is being extended to Virtual Asset Service Providers from the 2026–27 assessment year.
• Our insight, from 30 years of forming companies for non-residents: none of these measures touch the typical owner-managed AC or mid-size GBC — they are aimed at large multinationals and high earners. That is deliberate. Jurisdictions that visibly tax their biggest users are the ones that stay off blacklists, and this one has stayed off both the FATF and EU lists since 2021 precisely by moving early.
• Hedged prediction: expect substance thresholds for the partial exemption to keep tightening, and partner tax authorities to apply principal-purpose tests more aggressively. If current trends hold, a GBC with real staff and expenditure behind it will be worth more in 2027, not less — while paper structures anywhere will be worth less.

Mauritius Company Formation Package

Our company formation package starts at US$2400 and includes:

1. Government registration fee (first year)
2. Registered office address (first year)
3. Registered agent services (first year)
4. Company secretarial maintenance
5. Certificate of Incorporation
6. Memorandum & Articles of Association
7. Appointment of first directors
8. Consent actions of the board
9. Share certificates
10. Register of Directors
11. Register of Officers
12. Register of Shareholders
13. Free phone and email consultations

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can a foreigner start a business in Mauritius?

  Yes. 100% foreign ownership is allowed with no local partner. A foreigner completes KYC with a licensed management company, files under the Companies Act, and obtains FSC authorisation for an international structure. For an AC, the majority of shares must in fact be held by non-citizens. No visit is required.

• How much does it cost to form and renew?

  Government fees for an AC are US$150 processing plus US$350 annual FSC fee and US$65 Registrar fee; a GBC pays US$500 processing plus US$1,950 annually. Full-service packages cost more — as market context, BBCIncorp publishes a US$2,999 basic AC package with US$2,799 annual renewal (May 2026). Renewal falls in the July–June licence year for all companies.

• What is the difference between an AC and a GBC?

  An AC is non-resident for tax: 0% on foreign income, no DTA access, managed from abroad, with a registered agent on the island. A GBC is tax-resident: 15% (effective 3% on qualifying income with substance), full DTA access, two resident directors, audited accounts, and a resident company secretary.

• What documents do I need?

  A certified passport copy, certified proof of address issued within the last three months, a bank reference letter, a CV, and evidence of source of funds — for every director, shareholder, and beneficial owner. The application itself includes the incorporation form, officer consents, the constitution, and a business plan for the FSC.

• How long does it take?

  The Registrar can process a complete file within days — the CBRD even advertises turnaround within two hours for straightforward cases. In practice, allow one to three weeks end to end, because management-company due diligence and the FSC application come first.

• Is ownership private?

  Yes. Personal details of directors and owners are not publicly accessible. Beneficial ownership must be recorded in the company's own register and disclosed to the Registrar, in line with international transparency standards, but it does not appear on a public database.

• Does an AC pay any tax?

  Not on foreign income — it is treated as non-resident and exempt on foreign-source earnings. Only local-source income is taxable, and the company files a return with the MRA within six months of its year-end.

• Can I search the company register?

  Yes. Basic details — status, name, registration number — can be searched through the CBRD's online portal (CBRIS). Certified extracts are available for a small fee. Director and owner details of private companies are not part of the public search.

• Why choose this jurisdiction?

  It combines low tax with genuine credibility: a hybrid common/civil law system, a wide DTA network, internationally connected banks, political stability, and clean standing with the FATF and EU. For an international business hub, that reputation is increasingly the asset that matters most.

Start Your Company

Few jurisdictions match what Mauritius offers: a 0% or 3% effective tax rate, real banks, DTA protection, and a reputation regulators trust. Whether you need a lean AC or a substance-backed GBC, the structure should be built around your goals — not sold off a shelf. Get in touch and we will design it with you, start to finish.