Living in Mauritania – GOV.UK

Introduction

This guide sets out essential information for British national residing in Mauritania, including advice on health, employment, entry and residence requirements and more. We are unable to provide any guidance on general lifestyle enquiries apart from the information and links listed below. See our information on what consulates can and cannot do. This information supplements the travel advice for Mauritania.

Coronavirus

You should follow the advice of the Mauritanian government and your local authority. You can also read our Mauritania travel advice for our latest guidance.

For information on vaccines abroad, see our COVID-19 travel guidance.

Visas and residency

See Entry requirements in Mauritania in our Travel Advice for Mauritania.

If your visa is expired before or at your departure, you must pay for another visa in order to leave the country.

Any person who is 18 or over can bring to Mauritania 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco, but it is prohibited to bring alcoholic beverages, pork and pork products.

Passports and travel

See travel advice for Mauritania for up-to-date information on local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.

See moving or retiring abroad.

See overseas British passports applications and get an emergency travel document (sometimes called an emergency passport).

Healthcare

Mauritania and the UK do not have reciprocal healthcare agreements.

You should buy comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you enter the country.

The NHS has information for people moving abroad.

You should check your prescriptions are legal in Mauritania.

Working in Mauritania

Some jobs may require a UK criminal records check (known as a DBS check).

Money and tax

See tax if you leave the UK to live abroad and tax on your UK income if you live abroad.

We recommend you obtain professional advice on paying tax in Mauritania.

The importation of foreign currency is free and unlimited in amount. It can be in the form of banknotes, traveller’s checks, bank or postal checks, credit card and/or any other means of payment in foreign currency. You must declare foreign currency imported in the form of banknotes to the customs services upon entry to Mauritania. This declaration must be kept to justify the origin of the foreign currency bank notes when leaving the territory.

It is possible to exchange currencies with establishments authorised by the foreign exchange office to perform this service.

When you are leaving Mauritania, you have the possibility, with exchange slips that you have kept or any other document justifying the origin of the slips, to exchange the remainder of this money for foreign currency through a recognised establishment. This new operation will result in the resumption of the aforementioned documents and the issue of a new bill of exchange.

You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

Pensions

If you retire in Mauritania you can claim your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension.

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible – your payments may be suspended if you don’t.

Benefits

Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Mauritania.

You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

Check which benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.

Many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

Driving in Mauritania

See driving abroad.

You can apply for a temporary international driving permit or exchange your UK license.

See taking a vehicle out of the UK.

Used vehicles of more than eight years old are not allowed in the country. Pre-shipment inspection is required on used vehicles imported in the country.

The required documents to register your vehicle are:

• certificate of title and registration
• purchase/commercial invoice
• inspection certificate delivered by the Société Generale de Surveillance
• bill of Lading or certificate of origin
• insurance certificate

Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

Births, deaths and getting married

See register a birth abroad.

If someone dies in Mauritania, you can:

Find out how you can get married abroad.

Pets

See travelling with pets.

Emergencies

If you need urgent help, contact your nearest British embassy or consulate.

Accommodation and buying property

See buying a property abroad.

The following information is offered as a guide only. We strongly recommend that you check any points of law with the local authorities or consult a local lawyer/notary.

Foreigners can acquire real estate property. The Mauritanian State may make concessions for national and foreign investors buying property for professional purposes. Investors must apply to the Ministry of Finance through the land registry agency (Direction des Domaines). The procedure for purchasing, renting or selling real estate property is the same for everyone.

Investors should be fully aware of the history of the land that they are purchasing or renting and should verify that the local partner has the proper authority to sell or rent large tracts of land before agreeing to any deals.

The most secure way of payment is transferring money through the bank – you will need to open a convertible account. Your appointed notary can advise you on this.

Other useful information

Returning to the UK

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.

Disclaimer

This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the embassy by the relevant local authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. The FCDO and the British Embassy will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British people wishing to obtain any further information must contact the relevant local authority.