If you don’t have a valid residence permit by that stage, your container will stay at Customs for a fee until you get the permit or return the shipment. If the paperwork is in order, Customs will make an appointment to open and check your container with you.

You have to use a freight forwarder to complete the customs clearance procedures. They will arrange to have the container items delivered to your home.

No taxes are payable on personal belongings if you’ve owned and used them for at least a year and are not intended for sale or transfer to anyone else. This includes clothing, household appliances, linen, furniture, beds, cutlery, crockery, musical instruments, refrigerator, stove, etc. New items will be taxed.

The following products cannot be imported to Mauritius:

• plants, seeds, flowers, fresh products
• live animals (other than those approved by air transport as detailed previously)
• drugs
• weapons (war, hunting, fishing).