Guidance

Living in Madagascar

Information for British citizens moving to or living in Madagascar, including guidance on residency, healthcare, education and more.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
17 December 2024
Last updated
4 March 2021 — See all updates

This guide sets out essential information for British citizens moving to or living in Madagascar. Read about how the British Embassy in Antananarivo can help: https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-antananarivo

This information is provided as a guide only. You should get definitive information from the Malagasy authorities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is not liable for any inaccuracies in this information.

Support for British Nationals Abroad: A Guide: sets out how British nationals can stay safe abroad and how the FCDO can help if you do get into difficulty.

Read general guidance on [moving or retiring abroad](https://www.gov.uk/moving-or-retiring-abroad).

To stay up to date: follow the British Embassy in Antananarivo

on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ukinmadagascar

and Twitter https://twitter.com/UKinMadagascar

Before you go

See our travel advice for Madagascar https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/madagascar for up-to-date information on entry requirements, local laws and customs, safety and emergencies

Visas and residency

Check the entry requirements for Madagascar in our travel advice.

Information and administrative forms in Madagascar are generally written in either French or Malagasy, not in English.

Short stay tourist visa

See more information on how to obtain a tourist visa on Madagascar Travel Advice page https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/madagascar/entry-requirements#visas

Long stay immigrant visa

Please check the Embassy of Madagascar’s website for details https://www.mdg-london.org/visas.

If you need more information on the Boarding Authorisation which is valid for 72-hours, please contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at [email protected]. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs generally requires you to have someone already in Madagascar who can liaise directly with them.

Applications for immigrant visas are managed by the Ministry of the Interior . Relevant information can be found on their website.

You can contact the Ministry of the Interior - Aliens Control Department [email protected] +261 34 14 522 60 for advice.

Please go through the list of applicable fees and required documents carefully as you may need to prepare them whilst you are still in the UK.

Payment of fees in cash and taking of fingerprints can only be done at the Ministry of Interior in Antananarivo.

Due to potential delays, payment of fees by bank transfer is not advisable. The cash desk at the Ministry of the Interior is open on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 8am to 12 noon. It is not uncommon for people to start queuing as early as 6am. You are able to send someone to make payment on your behalf.

Your proxy will need to carry their residence card at all times when retrieving your visa and biometric card.Applicants who wish to renew their visa must submit their application while their visa is still valid (at least 3 months before the expiry date).

Passports and travel

You can apply in here for or renew your British passport from Madagascar.

Check the Madagascar travel advice for passport validity requirements.

Healthcare in Madagascar

In general, medical services in Madagascar are very poor. There are adequate general medical services available from private clinics but these are not of a comparable standard to the UK. However, they are generally able to provide adequate routine and minor medical care or stabilisation prior to medical evacuation.

Medical bills can be very expensive and need to be paid straight away, sometimes in cash, otherwise treatment will not be given. There is a list of medical facilities/practitioners who may be able to help you in Madagascar.

It is essential that before travelling to Madagascar you take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover potential medical costs. Your policy should include:

• full medical coverage

• medical evacuation: air ambulance to the UK or to a third country (e.g. Mauritius, Reunion, South Africa)

• the cost of repatriation in the event of death

• the cost of getting your family home, in the event of illness, injury or death

Although the range of medical services available in Madagascar is quite broad it is advisable to arrange for treatment outside the country for anything but the most basic ailments. Serious illnesses, accidents, or complicated cases may require evacuation to Reunion Island, Mauritius or South Africa.

Depending on the seriousness of the case, public hospitals in the provinces may need to transfer patients to the Antananarivo. Public hospitals are generally in short supply of consumable materials and therefore a patient scheduled for surgery would need to personally buy items such as suture threads, bags of saline, etc.

Patients are expected to have a guardian present with them at all times in hospital, and to support with providing meals, bedding and drinking water. Not all public hospitals have a landline that you can call in case of emergency. Cases of robberies in hospitals have been reported.

Not all hospitals have an ambulance, and when they do the vehicle is used for the logistical needs of the hospital and not just for transporting patients. They also tend to be poorly equipped. Therefore, emergency cases can present problems. Response times can be slow due to traffic jams and the distance to the nearest hospital so use of a private car is often necessary. Assistance Plus has an air ambulance for remote and less accessible regions of the country. Contact numbers for some commonly used ambulance services are as follows:

Assistance Plus:

  • +261 (0) 20 22 487 47

  • +261 (0) 07 846 69

Polyclinique d’Ilafy (Antananarivo):

  • +261(0) 20 22 425 66

  • +261(0) 20 22 425 69

  • +261 (0) 33 11 073 91

    • 261 (0) 32 07 243 28

Espace Médical (Antananarivo):

  • +261 (0) 20 22 625 66

  • +261 (0) 34 02 088 16

  • +261 (0) 34 02 009 11

    • 261 (0) 34 05 625 66

If you are employed in Madagascar your employer will normally register you with OSTIE, the health provider for workers in the private sector.

NOTE: UK Travel insurance providers will not generally cover your healthcare costs if you are resident overseas.

Medicine

If you are on a prescription for any medication you should ensure you have a supply of it, or are able to obtain it when in Madagascar. Bringing in specialised medication for personal use is allowed by the Malagasy Customs authorities provided it is a reasonable amount and in accordance with a doctor’s prescription. The doctor’s prescription must be carried with the medicine.

Routine medication, generally of French or South African origin, is available in pharmacies in the capital and in larger cities. In the capital, some pharmacies can order medication from abroad. If travelling to malarial areas, you are advised to carry a supply of anti-malaria medication with you.

Read the guidance if you need to travel with medicines and see the NaTHNaC pages in Madagascar for information on malaria and other health risks.

Working in Madagascar

If you are planning to move to Madagascar and work, you will need a visa. All foreign nationals wishing to work and live in Madagascar are required to have an immigrant visa and a work permit. Only temporary visas obtained at one of the Malagasy Embassies abroad or from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can be turned into immigrant visas. The immigrant visa is issued by the Ministry of the Interior whereas work permits are issued by the Ministry of Labour. A resident card is issued alongside the immigrant visa and should be carried at all times. Overstaying your visa may lead to detention, potentially resulting in deportation at your own expense.

British Nationals wishing to set-up their own company are advised to get in contact with the Economic Development Board of Madagascar EDBM which gives guidance on how to set up a business in Madagascar and on how to obtain an “investor’s visa”.

Studying in Madagascar

The quality of state education in Madagascar is overall not up to international standards, and tuition fees and standards vary greatly from one private school to another. The official teaching languages are Malagasy and French. Some private schools teach English as a foreign language from two years of age. Public primary schools (EPP) are nationwide. Public and private high schools and universities are mainly concentrated in the big cities. The American School (ASA), the British School, four official French primary schools as well as the French Lycée Français are located in Antananarivo. Other schools based in the provinces and the Lycée Français of Tamatave have signed a convention with the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE). Madagascar’s main university is located in Antananarivo. There are university campuses in other cities, but with a smaller range of courses available.

Fee-paying nursery schools and day-care centres are also available. Not all locally employed nannies speak English.

Tax

You should get professional advice on paying tax in Madagascar. Find an English-speaking lawyer in Madagascar.

Read guidance on:

Tax if you leave the UK to live abroad

Tax on your UK income if you live abroad.

Tax if you get a pension and live abroad

Paying National Insurance while abroad, to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

Benefits

Check which UK benefits you can claim while abroad, in here and how to claim them.

Many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

British Nationals working on a local contract in Madagascar will be required to contribute to the National Social Security Fund CNAPS and are entitled to receive family allowances, work accident compensation and retirement allowances from CNAPS. Please note however that allowances received through CNAPS are not substantial.

If you are retiring abroad, please visit the following website https://www.gov.uk/moving-or-retiring-abroad.

Pensions

Read State Pension guidance if you have lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and you are claiming or waiting to claim your UK State Pension.

If you retire in Madagascar, you can claim your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension.  Contact the International Pension Centre for further information.

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you must respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you do not.

Money and banking

The Ariary (MGA) is not an internationally used currency; it cannot be exchanged outside the country. EUR and USD are widely accepted and can be exchanged at local hotels, banks and airports. Exchanging currencies with black market traders (found at the airport or roaming the streets) is illegal.

International banks available in the country are:

Other commercial banks include:

It is possible to open EUR or USD accounts to which money can be transferred to from abroad. To open a bank account, a residence permit and your latest JIRAMA utility bill must be provided.

Payment by Visa card is accepted in the capital Antananarivo but only in restaurants, hotels, travel agencies and large shops. Mastercard is much less widely accepted. Cash or cheques are still the preferred method of payment, particularly in the provinces. ATMs are available in the Antananarivo and bigger cities and generally up to 500.000 MGA can be taken out at once.

Western Union and Money Gram provide moneys transfer services via local banks. Mobile phones can also be used to transfer and receive money, to purchase some goods and services, to pay certain bills as well as to top up mobile phone credits. Customers need to open a special account at Orange, Telma or Airtel shops. Money sent will be received in the account instantly, including outside of banking hours.

Accommodation and buying property

See buying a property abroad.

Foreign nationals are not allowed to acquire land in Madagascar.

Long leases are permitted for British nationals but business owners are advised to contact the Economic Development Board of Madagascar EDBM for further information.

The Malagasy civil court generally has jurisdiction on property disputes. Court proceedings and documents are usually carried out in French and/or Malagasy. See the list of [English-speaking lawyers in Madagascar](https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find?serviceType=lawyers] and local translators/interpreters. Lawyers and interpreters may charge for their services.

Driving in Madagascar

For information on driving abroad, click in here

Driving is on the right hand side. Road signage, street lighting and road quality is poor. Our travel advice includes further information about road safety in Madagascar.

The minimum legal age for driving is 18. An international Driving Licence is accepted for driving or hiring a vehicle in Madagascar. If you’re asked for a letter authenticating, certifying or validating your UK driver’s licence, you should contact your UK issuing office (eg the DVLA

You can apply for a Malagasy driving licence with the Centre Immatriculateur CIM in Ambohidahy, Antananarivo, contactable on +261 34 64 822 94.

You can also convert your UK driving licence into a Malagasy driving licence at CIM. This requires a residence visa of at least 6 months validity, and the application for conversion into a Malagasy driving licence must first be approved and authorised by the Immigration Office on Facebook, or on website.

To register your car as a foreign national, you must follow the registration process at both the CIM and at the Immigration Office. You should check the relevant fees with the two departments.

Please note that the British Embassy cannot issue or renew a UK driving licence. Please contact the DVLA for information about renewing or applying for a new licence.

If stopped by the police, you should ask the police officer to show his official badge. Police may request the following:

  • driving licence
  • car registration document (“Carte Grise”)
  • car insurance document
  • ID card

If charged with a traffic fine, only car registration documents should be handed over to the police. You should keep the other documents after showing these to the police officer. Payments should be made at the police station only, and you should ask for a receipt.

If you wish to take your vehicle out of the UK with you, see.

Voting

Foreign nationals cannot vote in Malagasy elections.

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

check if you are able to vote.

register as an overseas voter.

Births, deaths, marriage and civil partnership

Births

If your child is born in Madagascar you should register the birth with the local authorities. You can then register with the UK authorities and apply for a UK birth certificate

If your child has British nationality, you do not need to register the birth with the UK authorities to apply for a British passport.   

Deaths

If a British national dies in Madagascar read our guidance on:

What to do if someone dies abroad

Bereavement guidance for Madagascar

English-speaking funeral directors in Madagascar

Marriage and civil partnership

Find out how you can get married or get a civil partnership abroad.

To get married in Madagascar you should follow local law. More information is available from the local mayor’s office. A “Certificate of No Impediment” (CNI) is needed by the local authorities and can be obtained directly from the General Register Office in the UK. The document can be ordered online and will be sent to you directly. If you cannot travel to the UK, you can ask the British Embassy in Antananarivo to provide the CNI for you. Contact +261 20 22 330 53 or email: [email protected]

Your marriage or civil partnership will be recognised in the UK if you follow the correct process according to local law - you won’t need to register it in the UK. No British marriage certificate will be provided (further information can be found on [this website] (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/marriage-certificate-registry-service-discontinued-for-overseas-brits).

If your partner is Malagasy, the local marriage certificate can be used to support an application for a UK visa.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality is not illegal in Madagascar (though the age of consent is 21, rather than 18) but same sex marriage and civil partnerships do not exist in Malagasy law. There are also no legal provisions to protect against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Overt displays of affection, whether the couple is of the same or opposite sex, are considered to be culturally inappropriate.

Pets

Information on local regulations on travelling with a pet to Madagascar can be found on the government Customs website and also here

Social ethics and traditions

Please follow our travel advice section about Local laws and customs.

Once you settle in a new neighbourhood, a courtesy visit to the Head of the Fokontany (neighbourhood of residence) or to the village chief is normal practice. At the Fokontany, you will be asked to pay a village fee in exchange for a village/Fokontany card and you may be asked to contribute to activities specific to your location (e.g. payment for road cleaning activities, etc.). Such contributions are usually made annually and will be noted in a booklet that will be given to you.

Malagasy people are known for their rich tradition and cultural beliefs (circumcision, traditional medicine etc.). New residents are encouraged to learn as much as they can about their new country, its history, customs, heritage, values and way of life. The Famadihana ceremony, which involves exhuming the dead to re-wrap their bones and give thanks for their blessing, is undoubtedly one of the most peculiar Malagasy traditions, given the majority Christian population.

Malagasy and French are the official languages of Madagascar. English is not common and spoken in the main cities only. It is much appreciated when foreigners try to communicate in the local language.

There are about twenty ethnic groups in Madagascar, each with its own distinct territory and its own variation of the Malagasy language. But the division between people living in coastal areas “Cotiers” and those who live in the central highlands “Merina” is of great importance in understanding the social and political aspects of Madagascar.

The word “Vazaha” is used to describe a Caucasian person, and often called out to foreigners passing in the street. There is no negative meaning linked to it. Women may also face unwanted verbal attention when walking on the street.

A ‘Fady’ is a taboo. These vary from one region to another. Fady can range from forbidden foods, to restrictions on clothing or even dog keeping. It depends on the area. Some locations subject to fady may be forbidden to foreign nationals. If you intend to visit remote areas, seek advice locally. Respect local fady to avoid causing offence.

The Malagasy society is a patriarchal society and families tend to be largely extended. Parents and the elderly are respected and held in high esteem. To pay a visit to the local village chief (Chef de Fokontany) and to the wise village man (Raiamandreny) shows sensitivity to local customs.

Wills

British nationals resident in Madagascar who wish to make a will, or wish to make settlements in respect of the estates of deceased foreign nationals living in Madagascar, need a Notarial Deed and should therefore contact a Public Notary. A list of local lawyers and public notaries can be found on our website.

Emergencies

  • Police: 117 or +261 20 22 227 35

  • Gendarme: +261 34 14 006 50

  • Fire Brigade 118 or +261 20 22 225 66

To report a missing child, go to the nearest police or Gendarme station.

If you have been the victim of a rape or sexual assault in Madagascar, see the guidance

A list of English Speaking lawyers is available here

If you’re the victim of a crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis, contact the British Embassy in Antananarivo.

Read the guidance on international parental child abduction if your child may be at risk.

Returning to the UK

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on bringing family members, tax and access to services.

You should consider how you will support yourself and what non-British members of your family will need to do in order to accompany you.

If you have not made full National Insurance (NI) contributions, remember you may not be eligible for State benefits or support. HM Revenue & Customs provide some useful information on returning to live in the UK tax-return-uk, including how to make NI contributions from abroad.

The UK Border Agency has information on returning to the UK. Please visit the UK Border Agency website.

A prospective employer in the UK might ask for a police report for the time you spent in Madagascar. This should be considered while you are still in Madagascar as Malagasy authorities do not provide online services. The tribunal can issue a criminal record (“extrait de casier judiciaire”) to foreigners. You can also request a certificate of good conduct at your local police station.

Please note that any employees you have in your household must be provided with a work certificate at the end of their contract.

Updates to this page

Published 17 December 2024
Last updated 4 March 2021 + show all updates

  1. First published.

  2. Coronavirus section added with a link to guidance on vaccines.

  3. document updated

Sign up for emails or print this page

Contents

Related content