Immigration
Visa on arrival for tourism with work and long-stay visas requiring approval
Madagascar grants visa on arrival for short tourist stays for most nationalities. Employment requires a long-stay visa and a work authorisation, with the employer demonstrating the need for foreign skills. Land ownership by foreign nationals is separately restricted.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Ministry of the Interior and the immigration service decide; administrative courts review.
- Deadline — Visa on arrival: commonly up to 90 days for tourism
- Deadline — Work authorisation: obtained before commencing employment
Governing law
- Loi 62-006 sur l'organisation et le contrôle de l'immigration
- Code de la nationalité malagasyOrdonnance 60-064
In practice
The nationality code historically transmitted citizenship through the father only, and a 2017 reform allowed transmission by Malagasy mothers — a significant change for children of mixed marriages who had previously been left stateless in practice.