The representative office is often used by foreign companies seeking to test the market or promote their activities in Mauritius. In this country, it is also used by overseas banks interested in having a local presence. No matter the reason you want to create a liaison office, our Mauritius company formation agents are at your disposal with registration support.
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How to set up a representative office in Mauritius
The establishment of a liaison office is the same as for any other type of company in Mauritius and implies the following steps:
- gathering the necessary documents;
- submitting them to the Trade Register/National Bank of Mauritius for approval;
- securing a local place of business.
Feel free to rely on our local specialists for guidance in filing the required documents with the appropriate authority. Also, please note that a foreign company or financial institution must submit documents issued in its country of origin, in which case they may need translation. English is the official language used by the Mauritius administrative authority.
Documents required to open a Mauritius representative office
The documents required to create a liaison office in Mauritius usually include:
- the application form, which can be issued by the Trade Register or the Bank of Mauritius;
- the parent company’s/bank Constitutive documents;
- the certified Incorporation Certificate;
- an authorization letter from the corresponding Companies Register in the home country of the parent company.
In the case of foreign banks, the Mauritius National Bank also requests:
- a certified copy of the bank license issued by the competent authority;
- annual reports for the past 2 years, which must include the profit and loss account and the balance sheet;
- annual report drafted by the shareholders who have most of the control in the bank for the last financial year.
Local management requirements
One of the most important requirements to establish a representative office in Mauritius is to appoint a local manager. In the case of banks, the conditions to adhere to are stated in Section 46 in the Banking Law. Also known as a Chief Representative, the person must be nominated in a maximum period of 15 days from the submission of the opening application.
For the appointment, the foreign bank must file a CV of the person and fill out a Fit and Proper Person Questionnaire.
Should you need guidance in preparing these documents, our company registration consultants in Mauritius are at your disposal.
Activities carried out by liaison offices in Mauritius
From a legal point of view, the representative office is compared to a branch in Mauritius, as they are both connected to the parent company and cannot engage in any activity without its approval. However, the liaison office cannot carry out any commercial operation either. This means that it can be used for:
- marketing activities;
- maintaining a contact point for the foreign company in Mauritius;
- participating in fairs and expositions;
- testing the market before opening a branch, for example.
How many companies and professionals operate in Mauritius?
In recent years, Mauritius has emerged as one of the most prolific financial and IT hubs in the African region, which is why expanding business operations here is a great idea.
The IT industry is one of the main economic sectors of Mauritius as:
- it contributed with 5.6% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product in 2024;
- the same year, it registered a 4% growth;
- in 2023, there were 975 companies and 33,000 professionals working in the IT sector.
Feel free to contact us for support in opening a representative office in Mauritius to determine if this the right place for you to launch a business.
