Immigrant visa
transformable visa, then long-term visa and resident card
Foreigners who want to stay in Madagascar for more than 90 days for investment, business, work, study, volunteering, research, family reunion, retirement or a mission need an immigrant visa. It is a two-step process: first a one-month visa that is 'extendable and transformable to a long-term visa' from a Malagasy embassy, then in Madagascar an application for a long-term visa and resident card at the Ministry of the Interior. It cannot be issued at the airport.
1 entry rule for Madagascar based on recent travel
These apply to people who were recently in certain countries. Sign in and add your trips to see whether any apply to you.
Yellow fever certificate needed after a stay in countries with risk of yellow fever transmission (WHO list)
Travellers aged 9 months and over arriving from a yellow fever risk country (or after more than 12 hours' airport transit in one) need a valid yellow fever certificate.
WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1: Countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and countries requiring proof of vaccination against yellow fever (18 Nov 2022, revised 3 Jan 2023) WHO ITH Country List: Vaccination requirements and WHO recommendations for international travellers, 2022 edition (18 Nov 2022, revised 3 Jan 2023) Checked October 19, 2026
Life in Madagascar
Money
3
Currency
Malagasy Ariary
MGA
Malagasy Ariary
Cost of living
29
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
5–20%
Income tax (national)
VAT 20%
IRSA monthly barème: 0% up to MGA 350,000, 5/10/15%, and 20% above MGA 600,000 (minimum tax MGA 3,000).
Living
1
Happiness
#130 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
Your edge here Members
What gives you an edge here: passports, visas and permits you hold, work, study, language and family ties
Who it’s for
People moving to Madagascar to work, invest, study, join family or retire.
Eligibility
Purpose of stay over 90 days
Investment, business, work, study, volunteering, scientific research, family gathering, retirement or mission.
Apply abroad first
The transformable visa is issued by a Malagasy embassy to nationals and residents of its jurisdiction.
No Malagasy mission
If your country has no Malagasy mission, apply online for a boarding authorisation, then get the transformable visa from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Time limits
- Boarding authorisationvalid from arrival
- 72 hours
- Ministry visit
- 72 hours
- Boarding authorisation is called accord d'embarquement
- Applies to residents of countries without a Malagasy mission
Official wording
Residents of countries without a Malagasy mission apply online for a boarding authorisation (accord d'embarquement), valid 72 hours from arrival, then go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within 72 hours to get the transformable visa.
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Document checklistVisa application form and purpose-specific documents
- FeesTransformable visa and long-term visa
- Steps to applyApply at the Malagasy embassy for a one-month visa, extendable and transformable
The full requirements are for members
Create an account and subscribe to see every requirement, the full document checklist, fees, steps, processing times and conditions, and how your profile compares.
- 2 documents
- 1 fee
- 3 steps
- Processing times and conditions
Places to visit in Madagascar
Attractions picked for you, based on your profile and interests.
Finding places for you…
Official sources
Work permits in other countries
- Marshall IslandsWork permit (Labor Division) and E-1 employment visa
- North MacedoniaTemporary residence for work
- MaliSalaried employment: work contract approved by the Direction nationale du travail, with a residence visa or resident card
- MongoliaEmployment residence permit (C category) and investor/executive permit
- Macao SAR ChinaMacao non-resident worker
- MaltaSingle Permit (combined work and residence permit) – Identità Expatriates Unit
