Madagascar (MG)
World's fourth-largest island, Madagascar offers extraordinary biodiversity (90% of wildlife found nowhere else), one of the world's lowest costs of living, warm French-speaking culture, and unique opportunities in vanilla, ecotourism, and development sectors.
Capital: Antananarivo
Region: Africa
Language: Malagasy
Currency: MGA (Ar)
Cost of living: Very affordable (index 15)
Emergency: 117
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Citizenship & Permanent Residency
Long-term settlement options in Madagascar.
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Permanent Residency
Name
Carte de Résident Permanent
Eligibility
Foreign nationals who have resided legally in Madagascar for a minimum of 5 consecutive years with valid Titre de Séjour. Must demonstrate financial stability, clean criminal record, and integration.
Duration
Initially 5 years, renewable. Does not automatically lead to citizenship.
Requirements
- ✓5 years of consecutive Titre de Séjour documents
- ✓Proof of continuous legal residence (tax records, employer letters, utility bills)
- ✓Clean police record from Madagascar and home country (apostilled + French translated)
- ✓Proof of financial means and stable income
- ✓Medical certificate from an approved physician
- ✓Application letter in French addressed to the DGDI
- ✓Biometric photos
Apply at the DGDI (Direction Générale de la Décentralisation et de l'Immigration), Rue Fernand Kasanga, Tsaralalàna, Antananarivo. Processing time: 3–9 months. Approval is not guaranteed even after 5 years — significant administrative discretion applies. A Malagasy spouse, long-term employer support, or significant investment improves prospects considerably.
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Citizenship
Name
Naturalisation Malgache
Eligibility
Foreign nationals with at least 5 years of continuous legal residence in Madagascar, demonstrating integration, financial stability, proficiency in French, and a clean criminal record. Marriage to a Malagasy national does not reduce the standard 5-year residence requirement under the Code de la Nationalité Malgache, but it is a significant positive factor in the discretionary assessment. Naturalisation requires renunciation of prior citizenship and a Presidential decree.
Duration
Permanent once granted
Requirements
- ✓Minimum 5 years of continuous legal residence in Madagascar with valid Titre de Séjour
- ✓Proficiency in French (language of formal life and legal proceedings)
- ✓Proof of integration into Malagasy society (employment, community involvement, tax compliance)
- ✓Clean criminal record from Madagascar and home country (apostilled + certified French translation)
- ✓No criminal conviction carrying more than 1 year imprisonment
- ✓Financial means to support yourself and dependants
- ✓Application petition to the Ministère de l'Intérieur et de la Décentralisation
- ✓Presidential decree required — final approval is highly discretionary
- ✓Formal renunciation of prior citizenship before a Malagasy notaire and the relevant foreign embassy
Naturalisation is genuinely difficult and rare for most foreign nationals. The Presidential-decree requirement makes the process politically discretionary regardless of residence years. The renunciation requirement is a significant deterrent for nationals of EU, US, UK, Australian and Canadian passports. A 2026 transitional government policy also bars government officials from holding dual citizenship or foreign passports. Consult a Malagasy lawyer specialised in the Code de la Nationalité Malgache before pursuing this route.
Other Routes to Residency & Citizenship
Marriage to a Malagasy Citizen
Eligibility
Foreign nationals married to a Malagasy citizen are eligible to apply for naturalisation after meeting the standard 5-year residence requirement. Marriage is treated as a significant integration factor in the discretionary assessment but does not reduce the years required.
Duration / Outcome
Permanent citizenship if the Presidential decree is granted
Requirements
- ✓Valid marriage certificate with a Malagasy citizen registered under Malagasy law
- ✓5 years of continuous legal residence in Madagascar
- ✓French language proficiency
- ✓Clean criminal record (Madagascar and home country, apostilled + translated)
- ✓Financial self-sufficiency
- ✓Renunciation of prior citizenship
- ✓Application to the Ministère de l'Intérieur and Presidential approval
The marriage route does not bypass the residence requirement but improves the outcome probability of the discretionary Presidential review. Children born to one Malagasy parent and one foreign parent may hold dual nationality until age of majority, at which point they must choose.
Citizenship by Descent (Jus Sanguinis)
Eligibility
Children born abroad to at least one Malagasy citizen parent may claim Malagasy citizenship by descent through certified civil records proving Malagasy parentage. Registration at a Malagasy consulate is required.
Duration / Outcome
Permanent from birth once registered
Requirements
- ✓Certified civil record proving Malagasy parentage (birth certificate with apostille and French translation)
- ✓Registration at the nearest Madagascar embassy or consulate
- ✓Application for Malagasy birth registration or nationalité certificate
Children of Malagasy parents born abroad are entitled to Malagasy citizenship by descent. If the child also holds another nationality, they must elect one upon reaching the age of majority under the single-citizenship rule.
🌍 Dual Citizenship
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Dual citizenship is not allowed — Madagascar does not permit dual citizenship under the Code de la Nationalité Malgache. Any foreign national who naturalises as Malagasy must formally renounce their previous citizenship before a Malagasy notaire and the relevant foreign embassy. Expats from EU countries, the USA, UK, Canada or Australia should carefully consider the implications of losing their home-country nationality before pursuing Malagasy naturalisation. Children born to one Malagasy and one foreign parent may hold dual nationality until the age of majority, at which point they must choose.
Citizenship & Permanent Residency
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