Section 7: Exempted persons

7. Exempted persons (1) Subject to section 8, the immigration officer may admit to Mauritius, on such conditions and for such period as he may determine in any particular case— (a) persons who are diplomatic or consular officers or representatives or officials, duly accredited to a country other than Mauritius, of the United Nations or any of its agencies or of any intergovernmental organisation in which Mauritius participates, coming to Mauritius to carry out their official duties or passing through in transit, or members of the families or suites of such persons; (b) members of any naval, army or air force who come to Mauritius in connection with the defence and security interests of Mauritius; (c) persons who come to Mauritius pursuant to any treaty or agreement between Mauritius and another country and whose admission to Mauritius is approved by the Minister, together with such members of their families or suites as may be so approved; (d) persons appointed to the public service of Mauritius and the members of their families; (e) tourists or other visitors or persons coming for business; (f) persons passing through Mauritius in transit to another country; (g) students coming to Mauritius for the purpose of attending and, having entered Mauritius, are in actual attendance at any college or at the University of Mauritius; (h) persons who have been accepted as students by an educational or training establishment approved by the Minister of Education and, having entered Mauritius, are in actual attendance at that educational or training establishment; (i) members of dramatic, artistic, cultural, athletic or other groups entering Mauritius or who, having entered, are in Mauritius for the purpose of giving performances or exhibitions of an entertaining or instructive nature; (j) members of crews entering Mauritius or who, having entered, are in Mauritius for shore leave or some other legitimate and temporary purpose; (k) persons who are investors under the Permanent Resident Scheme prescribed under the Investment Promotion Act; (l) shipwrecked persons; and (m) such persons or classes of persons as the Minister may determine and proper. (1A) — (2) The immigration officer shall issue to a person admitted to Mauritius under subsection (1) (g), (h) and (i) a certificate stating the conditions subject to, and the period for, which the admission to Mauritius is authorised. (3) The immigration officer may, with the approval of the Minister, vary the conditions attached to the admission of an exempted person to Mauritius or extend or limit the period of his stay in Mauritius. [Issue 7] I2 – 10 Revised Laws of Mauritius (4) Where, in relation to an exempted person, the Minister— (a) is satisfied that it is in the public interest to do so; or (b) is of the opinion that the exempted person is a person described in section 8 (1), he may, in his absolute discretion, by Order, declare that the exempted person has ceased to be an exempted person and thereupon the exempted person shall be deemed to be a prohibited immigrant for the purposes of this Act and of the Deportation Act. (5) An order made under subsection (4) shall be served by post at the last known address of the person who has ceased to be an exempted person. [S. 7 amended by s. 13 (e) of Act 20 of 2002 w.e.f. 1 September 2002; s. 5 (f) of Act 21 of 2006 w.e.f. 1 October 2006; s. 7 (b) of Act 1 of 2009 w.e.f. 16 April 2009.]