With its natural, cultural and economic appeal, many expatriates choose Madagascar as their country of expatriation. Indeed, when expatriating to Madagascar, you can choose between different categories of visa, the most common of which are the investor visa, the worker visa and the family reunification visa. The latter is a sensible option for a spouse with a Malagasy partner.
Family reunification visas enable expatriate spouses to live in Madagascar for long periods. The first visa granted by the authorities is generally for one year.
Steps to follow when applying for a family reunification visa
1. Preparing documents for the convertible visa
The convertible visa is essential for any expatriate wishing to settle in Madagascar. Unlike the tourist visa, this visa can be converted into a long-stay visa within one month.
The convertible visa can be obtained from the Embassy or Honorary Consulates of Madagascar in the applicant’s jurisdiction, on presentation of the required documents. Nationals of countries where Madagascar does not have a representative must have an embarkation agreement within 72 hours. Applicants must leave Madagascar within 1 month of receiving the 72-hour agreement, and will be issued a visa convertible to a long-stay visa upon arrival.
2. Preparation of applications for family reunification visas
The type of visa you wish to apply for must be mentioned on the convertible visa application, and once you have arrived in the country of expatriation, you have 30 days to change your visa to a long-stay visa. The documents to be prepared for the long-stay visa application are mainly a copy of the applicant’s identity papers and one act justifying the applicant’s relationship with the person of Malagasy nationality.
For a family reunion visa for an expatriate spouse, for example, the main documents to be submitted are :
- A marriage certificate
- Copy of spouse’s visa
- An original police record
- Copy of employment authorization if expatriate spouse works in Madagascar, or proof of income
3. Steps to follow when applying for a family reunion visa
The steps to follow are the same for all types of visa.
- The first step is to submit your application. In return for your application, the relevant authorities will issue you with a provisional receipt, which you can then use to obtain a deposit receipt;
- The second step is the character investigation. This is followed by a photo-taking and the issue of a notification letter;
- The next step is payment of the visa and resident card fees mentioned in the notification;
- Finally, once payment has been traced by the Treasury, the visa and resident card can be collected.
The Ministry of the Interior is responsible for family reunion visa applications, if the tourist visa is applied for via eVisa, an online tourist visa application services portal that facilitates visa application procedures.